President Iohannis Discusses Ukraine Conflict
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis spoke about the conflict in Ukraine in an interview on Digi 24 Thursday.
Asked what role Romania will play in the Ukraine conflict, Iohannis said Romania will act together with its partners, even though Ukraine is a neighboring country.
“Together with our partners. We will not take steps alone. The Romanian Intelligence Service backs cyber security in Ukraine. We support Ukraine because it is our neighbor. I will go to Kiev on March 17. I don’t think the conflict will reach Romanian borders but I believe it has already gone too far,” said the president. (Adevarul)
Eduard Hellvig Nominated To Head Secret Service
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis nominated Romanian MEP Eduard Hellvig to head the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI).
Hellvig requires Parliament approval to be appointed head of the secret service.
Ionahhis said he will soon nominate a director for the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service. (Puterea)
Foreign Minister Pleads For Romania-Bulgaria-Greece Gas Corridor
Interconnecting Romania and Bulgaria’s natural gas networks is very important to Europe’s energy security, said Bulgarian Foreign Minster Daniel Mitov, and Romanian Foreign Minster Bogdan Aurescu also pleaded for the Romania-Bulgaria-Greece corridor.
Southeast Europe is highly dependent on Russian gas and southeastern states have a huge potential to diversify their gas sources and the creation of a European gas market that would cover all EU citizens can no longer be postponed, Mitov said Thursday in Bucharest.
In turn, Romanian minister Bogdan Aurescu said it is important to achieve interconnection between Romania and Bulgaria but said it was equally important to create the Romania-Bulgaria-Greece corridor. (Adevarul)
Cigarette Producers Discontent With New Tax Code
Manufacturers in the tobacco industry are discontent that the only excises set to increase ahead of time under the new Tax Code are those on cigarettes, while contraband continues to rise at an alarming rate, Agerpres reported.
“Beyond the surprisingly liberal propositions, meant to attract the business environment, we cannot help but notice the only excises that continue to rise ahead of time under the new Tax Code are cigarette excises. Meanwhile, cigarette contraband sets record after record – reaching nearly 16% in 2014 and exceeding 19% in January 2015,” said Gilda Lazar, corporate affairs and communications director of JTI Romania.
She added tobacco excises will increase this year to the level the relevant EU directive sets for 2018. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Brown Sugar On Romanian Market Is Additive-Free
Brown sugar sold on the Romanian market is additive-free, according to a recent survey of the consumer protection authority, which analyzed 15 products.
Of the 15 products analyzed, 13,3% was raw sugar and 86.7% brown sugar.
“Brown sugar is better nutritionally than white sugar, it’s healthier,” said consumer protection head Sorin Mierlea, adding none of the products contained food additives. (Adevarul)