Meeting of Romania’s CSAT
Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) is expected to meet at the Presidential Palace of Cotroceni in the capital Bucharest on Tuesday. Agenda of the talks includes projects concerning the army endowment between 2019 and 2029 along with the country’s national plan of intelligence priorities. Also under debate is a plan of military missions and operations abroad for next year. Participants are also expected to focus on CSAT activity plan for next year. Romania’s recently appointed Defence Minister Gabriel Leş also mentioned an alleged need of information concerning recent incidents between Russia and Ukraine in the Azov Sea. Romania is already prepared for any scenario and any measure on the matter, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said in a statement while pointing out that Romanians had nothing to fear.
Romania’s average gross earnings according to INS
Average gross nominal earnings hit RON 4,532 in October, according to data issued by Romania’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) on Tuesday. The figure is 1.1% higher than similar figures in September 2018. Average net nominal earnings hit RON 2,720, higher by RON 32 as compared to previous month. Higher values of the average nominal earnings (RON 6,380) were reported in IT programming, consultancy and related activities while the lowest were reported in hotels and restaurants (RON 1,580). When compared to October 2017, average net nominal earnings increased by 13.7 percent.
Future Schengen membership of Romania and Bulgaria under debate in European Parliament
EU MPs discussed issues concerning the admission of Romania and Bulgaria into the border check-free Schengen area at a meeting in Brussels on Monday. A vote on the issue is expected on Tuesday. A non-abiding resolution is expected to call on the EU Council to take a swift decision designed to include Romania and Bulgaria as full members of the Schengen area. The European Parliament gave its green light for Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen area in June 2011 while reiterating its position several times following the legislative resolution. However, a final decision on whether the two countries can become part of the Schengen area has to be made through a unanimous vote in the Council by EU ministers. While visting Romania in September, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed his disapproval of Romania’s accession to Schengen area as a response to the country’s request for support on the issue. „We do not agree on all points, such as Schengen, but it is true that we agree on many other issues,” Rutte said, referring to the European project and bilateral relations at a press conference with his Romanian counterpart Viorica Dăncilă.
Alexandru Danga
