A roundup of domestic and international news
INFLATION - Romania in neither in the precipice, nor on the verge of it, Central Bank Governor Mugur Isarescu has said upon presenting the quarterly report on inflation. According to the Romanian official, the country's main vulnerability is that most of the economic growth is based on consumption. Mugur Isarescu also said that Romania's deficit of 6.1% for 2021, as estimated by the European Commission, cannot be taken into account, because it would endanger Romania's position on the external markets, where it has incurred significant debt. Isarescu has said that the Central Bank has decreased to 3.8% the inflation forecast for the end of the year and estimates a 3.1% inflation rate for end-2020. The Central Bank estimated, in August 2019, a 4.2% inflation rate for the end of 2019 and of 3.4% for December 2020.
ELECTION - The campaign for the first round of the presidential election comes to an end on Saturday morning. Voters will hit the polls on Sunday in Romania, but Romanians living abroad will vote over the course of three days, starting Friday at noon and ending Sunday evening. Postal voting was for the first time introduced for the voting process abroad. These measures were taken to avoid the long waiting hours, which were reported at the last presidential election and the European Parliament election. A total of 14 candidates have enrolled in the race. The second ballot is scheduled for November 24.
MEETING - Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Friday met US Ambassador Hans Klemm. The parties agreed to deepen and develop the Strategic Partnership between the two countries in all its aspects, with a focus on military and security cooperation, reads a Government release. Ludovic Orban underlined Romania's openness towards dialogue in order to ensure a stable and investor-friendly environment.
MOTION - The Socialist Party in the Republic of Moldova, a ruling coalition party, on Friday filed a no-confidence motion against Maia Sandu's Cabinet. The Socialists decided to withdraw their political support for the government, claiming the Government's bill on the regulation of the Prosecutor's Office is in breach of the Constitution and international standards. Igor Dodon's Socialist Party has two representatives in the Government, the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Vasile Sova, and Defense Minister Pavel Voicu.
HEARINGS - The hearings of the new commissioners designated by Romania, Hungary and France will held on November 14, the European Parliament's leaders decided on Friday. Once the candidates are greenlit by the JURI Committee on Legal Affairs, which will investigate any potential conflcits of interest, the three candidates, namely Adina Valean from Romania, Olivier Varhelyi from Hungary and Thierry Breton from France, will appear before Parliament's special committees. Adina Valean will appear before the Transport and Tourism Committee, Olivier Varhelyi will appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee, while Thierry Breton will appear before the Industry, Research and Energy Committee. The European Commission's President Elect Ursula von der Leyen will subsequently present her team and governing program in a joint Parliament session. We recall the nomination of Romanian MEP Adina Valean for the position of EU Commissioner for Transport was accepted by Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday.
FILM - The film "Queen Marie of Romania" directed by Alexis Sweet Cahill is as of Friday screened in cinemas across Romania. Based on true events, the film follows a landmark of the year 1919, the Paris Peace Conference. The script relies on excerpts from the Queen's diary, period press articles as well as testimonies of politicians at the time. The film was shot in genuine locations from Bucharest and Paris, recreating the mood of 1919. Relying on an international cast, the film features Romanian actress Roxana Lupu in the lead role. The granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England, Queen Marie (1875-1938) was wife to King Ferdinand I. She constantly sought to strengthen ties between Romania and the UK. Following the Paris Peace Conference, she undertook diplomatic efforts for the international recognition of enlarged Romania.
TABLE TENNIS - The Romanian women's table tennis team, the defending European champions, lost nil-3 to Japan in the quarterfinals of the World Cup venued in Tokyo. In September, Romania won gold at the European Table Tennis Championships in Nantes, France, after defeating Portugal in the final.
(Translated by V. Palcu)
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