SUMMIT – The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is attending the NATO Summit in Vilnius on Tuesday and Wednesday. The head of state will reiterate support for neighboring Ukraine, also in terms of this country’s efforts to join NATO. Klaus Iohannis will also call for support for NATO’s most vulnerable partners, in particular the Republic of Moldova.
ENERGY – EU Energy Ministers are convening in Valladolid, Spain for a two-day meeting to discuss challenges linked to creating an integrated energy single market and digitizing the energy sector, interconnection projects and managing demand and storage. Romania will be represented by Dan-Dragoș Drăgan, State Secretary with the Energy Ministry. The meeting will address reforms of the electricity market with a view to ensuring stable and competitive prices for end users and consolidating the development of sustainable energy sources. Additionally, participants will tackle topics such as developing electricity interconnections and will discuss the adoption of the sixth list of energy projects of joint interest.
NURSING HOMES SCANDAL – The authorities are conducting searches in centers addressing vulnerable categories of people all over the country. Prosecutors are coordinating their efforts with representatives of the relevant public institutions. So far, inspectors have verified nearly 500 such nursing homes, shutting down 4 and suspending the activity of another 22. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has demanded inspections in every nursing home across the country, after the National Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) launched an investigation into three nursing homes in Voluntari and Afumați (Ilfov County) that applied ill-treatments to their beneficiaries.
AGEING – Population ageing is a growing phenomenon in Romania, the National Statistics Institute reports. In a press release marking World Population Day, the Institute expects the young population of Romania, consisting of pre-school and school children, to continue to drop, reaching 3.12 mln people in 2030 and only 2.15 mln in 2060. At present, Romania’s pre-school and school population totals 3.47 mln people. On January 1, 2022, Romania’s permanent resident population stood at approximately 19 million inhabitants. According to Eurostat, Romania ranks 6th at EU level in terms of the size of the resident population. Germany has the largest population – over 83 million inhabitants, while Malta lies at the opposite end with a population of 520 thousand people.
BEER – The beer market has shrunk by 9% in the first five months of the year compared to the same period of 2022, the Romanian Brewers Association announced today. The waning purchasing power and economic difficulties caused by soaring inflation and the increase in raw material prices are some of the causes, the Association reports. Rising construction costs also remain an issue, despite a leveling-out of energy expenses. At national level, 97% of production and trading is carried out locally, while 50% of ingredients used in brewing beer originated from local agriculture. The beer-making industry also consists of 60,000 jobs, each generating another 11 further up the value chain: two in agriculture, three in retail, three in hospitability and three in distribution. The sector’s added value stands at some 700 mln EUR per year.
FESTIVAL – The „Ceau, Cinema!” Festival is running until Sunday in Timișoara as part of the European Capital of Culture programme for 2023. Dozens of screenings will be held, featuring 20 guests from at home and abroad, in addition to debates, workshops, an anniversary exhibition and book launches. Having reached its tenth edition this year, the Festival will ooepn with a film-concert. Petre Ionuțescu will be performing live the soundtrack he composed for The Bridal Party in Hardanger directed by Ramus Briestein. The 1926 film is considered a masterpiece of the silent film era in Norway.
HEATWAVE – Meteorologists have issued an alert against a heatwave expected to affect Romania until Friday. Highs will range between 34-37 degrees Celsius. Thermal discomfort will be particularly amplified in the lowlands, where the temperature-humidity index (THI) will exceed the critical 80-unit mark. Extreme heat is also reported today in Bucharest, where the forecast also includes isolated thunderstorms. The noon reading in Bucharest was 30 degrees. (VP)
