The payment of Russian gas in rubles means a breach of existing agreements, and if Russia decides to suspend deliveries, then the European Union is ready to deal with the situation, said the European Commissioner for economy, Paolo Gentiloni, who attended a conference organized by The Economist in Bucharest on Tuesday.Asked if the EU is ready to pay for gas in rubles, as Russia demands, and if Europe is ready to deal with the situation in which Russia cuts off gas supplies to Europe, the European official said he does not know what to expect from Russia, but paying in rubles would be a breach of existing agreements.Secondly, are we ready to take a stand on dependence on Russia? Of course we're ready. We decided to do that, and the war was a wake-up call, but we can't do anything quickly without sacrifice. Are we ready to make these sacrifices? Definitely yes. We do not put energy sanctions on the table, but if there is such decision [from Russia to cut off deliveries - editor's note], we are ready to deal it them and we can do so with a strong effort, and we will continue in any way to reduce our energy dependence on Russia, the European official said.Russia has warned that it will not supply gas to European countries if they refuse to pay in rubles, as requested by Moscow, EFE and TASS report.Moscow's decision has raised concerns in the West, where several countries have said they are unwilling to buy gas and oil if payment is to be made in Russian rubles.
Romania was formally designated the 43rd country to join the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) on Friday, January 10. According to the Romanian ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru, Romanian citizens will be able to travel to the US without the need for a visa starting March 31, 2025. "Romania becomes the first country in the […]
Cluj-Napoca, the city in Romania with some of the highest rents and a fast-growing IT industry, is closer to banning smoking in playgrounds and parks after mayor Emil Boc expressed his support for the measure. The mayor cited the prioritization of public health as the reason behind such a ban. He mentioned that he has […]
Romania's Sibiu County Emergency Clinical Hospital will receive a robotic system to prepare cytostatic drugs needed by cancer patients, along with other equipment, after the County Council obtained funds from the European Regional Development Fund. With an estimated value of EUR 1 million, the "Robotic Composition System for Sterile Preparations of Cytostatic Drugs" is among […]
Romania’s government adopted in its January 10 meeting a decision granting an extra day off to public sector employees at the beginning of May. Thus, Friday, May 2, will be an official day off for public sector workers, linking the legal holiday of May 1 (Labor Day) with the weekend (May 3-4). This...
The Ministry of Environment announced that 2024 was the hottest year in the history of Romania's meteorological records. Red alerts for heat waves began in June of 2024, with the longest consecutive periods of persistent and intense heat waves, six consecutive days, between July 13-18 and August 15-20. "The year 2024 is the hottest year...
Supporters of former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu gathered outside the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, which houses the Constitutional Court, on January 10, demanding a rerun of the second round of the presidential elections. The protest, dubbed "The Great Judicial Union," was initiated by Georgescu, who called on his supporters to challenge the election annulment, as […]
