October 25, 2022 UPDATE

ARMY DAY The Romanian Army Day was celebrated on Tuesday with a series of events staged all over Romania and in other regions around the world where Romanian troops are stationed now. Wreath laying ceremonies took place at heroes' monuments around Romania and abroad, in countries like Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Russian Federation, Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Hungary. The Army has been and will always be a symbol of resilience and an essential element in the development of Romania, president Klaus Iohannis said on this occasion. He added that Romania has a distinct place within NATO and is an indisputable provider of security at the Black Sea and on NATO's eastern flank. According to the Romanian Defence Ministry, during WWII, out of roughly 540,000 servicemen deployed, 90,000 were KIA, 60,000 MIA and over 330,000 were wounded. After freeing the Romanian territory on October 25th, 1944, the Romanian army continued to fight in Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria alongside the allied troops, contributing to the May 9th 1945 victory, which marked the end of WWII in Europe.

DEFENCE The Supreme Defence Council, convening on Tuesday in Bucharest, approved updates to key directions of the "Army 2040" programme, including the budgeting for personnel needs, reconfiguring equipment procurement programmes and revamping the defence industry, as well as measures to better retain skilled military personnel. "Army 2040" aims to help develop national military capabilities that enable the government to fulfil its constitutional obligation to safeguard the territorial integrity of Romania. To this end, the country will earmark 2.5% of its GDP to defence as of 2023.The Council also reviewed and approved the Energy Ministry's plan to improve Romania's energy resilience, so as to protect citizens and to secure continuing supplies of electricity and natural gas, for prices that are not a burden to households. The Council also discussed the support Romania will continue to provide to Ukraine, and looked at ways to counter prospective threats.  

DECREE Romania's president Klaus Iohannis Tuesday signed a decree acknowledging the resignation of Defence Minister Vasile Dincu and designating Prime Minister Ciuca as the country's interim defence minister. The Social-Democrat Dincu stepped down on Monday, two weeks after he made a number of controversial statements concerning the situation in Ukraine. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) has called for an emergency meeting of the ruling coalition for a decision on Dincu's successor.

COAL Romania has increased its coal output in order to cope with the energy crisis. According to the National Statistics Institute, the output went up by 1.7% and imports by 13.5% in the first 8 months of the year. The National Strategy and Forecast Commission estimates for this year a coal output 10% bigger than in 2021 and imports 2.8% higher, with the coal production expected to grow by 8% next year.

REFUGEES According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, over 2.6 million Ukrainian nationals have transited Romania and over 86,500 have chosen to stay here. Eight months on from the beginning of the conflict on February 24th, Bucharest highlights its active involvement in facilitating the transport and transit of Ukrainian grain towards international markets. At the same time, the humanitarian hub in Suceava, north-eastern Romania, has contributed to 56 humanitarian aid shipments from countries like Italy, France or Germany.

ECLIPSE A partial solar eclipse was visible in Romania on Tuesday. According to the Astronomic Observatory in Bucharest, the sun was covered up to 44% and the eclipse lasted for two hours and a half. (AMP, DB)