September 7, 2022

FLIGHTS Freezing the accounts of the Romanian air operator Blue Air does not justify an immediate suspension of flights, says the Romanian environment minister, Tánczos Barna, who calls on the company to meet its obligations to passengers and the state budget. Blue Air's accounts were frozen by the Environment Fund Agency because the company owes over EUR 5 mln and is undergoing foreclosure. Three thousand people are affected, after Blue Air suspended all its domestic and international flights until Monday, 12th September. According to the company, the decision was made after the Environment Ministry froze its accounts.

MOTION A simple motion tabled by Save Romania Union (USR) in opposition against the Liberal energy minister Virgil Popescu was dismissed by the Chamber of Deputies today, with 191 votes against and 85 votes in favour of the document, coming from USR, the nationalist party AUR and the Force of the Right, splintered from the Liberal Party and headed by the ex-PM Ludovic Orban. The opposition criticised the energy minister for the lack of investments in production facilities and for his management of the electricity and natural gas price caps. Minister Virgil Popescu dismissed the accusations and described the USR motion as a populist move. He also added that the new mechanism related to energy bills will discourage speculation in the market.

VISIT The president of Hungary, Katalin Novak, was received with honours in Bucharest today by the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, as part of her official visit at the invitation of the president of Romania. The talks will concern the means to diversify and deepen the bilateral dialogue, as well as the current regional, European and global situation, following Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. The visit comes as the 2 countries celebrate 20 years since the governments of Hungary and Romania signed a Strategic Partnership Declaration for 21st Century Europe. According to the Romanian Presidency, president Iohannis will highlight Romania's openness to strengthening bilateral cooperation and dialogue with Hungary, a "very important neighbour" of Romania, so as to promote projects of mutual interest to the benefit of the citizens of the 2 countries. This afternoon, the Hungarian official will also have meetings with the PM Nicolae Ciucă and with the speakers of the 2 chambers of Parliament.

ECONOMY Romania's economy grew 5.3% in the second quarter of this year compared to the corresponding period of 2021, the National Statistics Institute announced. In the first half of the year, the GDP went up 5.8%, compared to the first 6 months of last year. Contributing to this growth were trade, automotive repairs, transport and storage services, the hospitality and the IT&C sectors. According to the institution, the areas that hindered economic growth were industry, where operations dropped in the reference period, and the negative ratio between imports and exports. 

SURVEY A Eurobarometer survey released on Tuesday by the European Commission points to increased confidence of European citizens in the EU and continuing strong support for the Union's response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. An overwhelming majority of EU citizens supports investments in renewable energy and steps to reduce the bloc's reliance on Russian energy sources. Europeans are increasingly concerned with the economic situation in the Union and in their respective countries. 

FOOTBALL Romania's football champions, CFR Cluj, Thursday play away from home against FC Ballkani, in Pristina, Kosovo, in their first match in Group G of the Europa Conference League. The other match in the group is pitting Sivasspor, of Turkey, against the Czech side Slavia Prague. Romanian vice-champions FCSB Bucharest also play away from home, in London, against West Ham United, in Group B of the same competition. The Belgian side Anderlecht takes on the Danish team Silkeborg IF, also in Group B. Two other Romanian teams, CS Universitatea Craiova and Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe, have lost the qualifying stage of the Europa Conference League. (AMP)