Motion against Romania’s energy minister rejected
Romanian Parliament’s lower house, fhe House of Deputies, was expected to vote a simple motion put forward by the country’s center-right-wing Save Romania Union (USR) on Wednesday. The motion against Energy Minister Virgil Popescu came under debate on Tuesday when Romanian MPs called for his resignation for the way he managed the current energy crisis and poor investments in new energy assets. USR MPs accused Mr. Popescu of being responsible for an “energy disaster” while the minister accused USR of a “populist approach” on the matter. The minister also claimed that new mechanisms concerning energy bills were designed to discourage speculations in the field. However, the motion was rejected as Mr. Popescu got the backing of the governing center-left Social Democrat Party (PSD). USR MP Cătălin Drulă told journalists the vote proved the support of the PSD „with the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL) as an annex in PSD’s backyard”.
Romania’s GDP on the rise
Romania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was on the rise by 5.3 percent in the second quarter of 2022 as compared to the same quarter last year, according to data issued by the country’s National Insititute of Statistics (INS) on Wednesday. In the first six months of 2022, the country’s GDP increased by 5.8 percent for both unadjusted and seasonlly adjusted series. According to provisional data, this outturn is explained by a solid increase in gross fixed capital formation and private consumption while net exports contributed negatively. Thus robust growth was backed by higher wages keeping pace with inflation and the phase-out of COVID restrictions.
Romanian low-cost carrier Blue Air cancels flights until September 12
Romania’s Blue Air company cancelled its flights until September 12 after the country’s Environment Ministry blocked its bank accounts for failing to pay a fine. Blue Air, which entered a debt restructuring agreement in 2020 due to losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, made the announcement on Tuesday. The airline operates flights out of Bucharest and the cities of Bacău, Cluj and Iassy. In July, the National Consumer Protection Authority (ANPAC) fined Blue Air 2 million euros for cancelling more than 11,000 flights during April 2021 – April 2022. Blue Air said it would challenge the fine. Romania’s government is expected to provide financial support to Romanians blocked in other countries, Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă told reporters on Wednesday. More than 2,000 Romanians called on the country’s embassies to help them return to Romania as soon as possible.
Alexandru Danga – RADOR
