ENERGY The
Romanian government is planning an emergency order within the coalition formed
by the National Liberal Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic
Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, to support the citizens affected by the
rise in electricity and natural gas prices. This announcement was made by prime
minister Nicolae Ciucă after a meeting of the three-party council for social
dialogue. He said protection measures will expand beyond 1st April based on a
special bill. Trade unions say electricity and natural gas prices should be
capped at the level of December 2020, before deregulation, both at the
producers end, and at the suppliers end, for at least another six months,
even a year. They say the cap should be uniform for the population and small
businesses.
FOREIGN POLICY The EU hopes to convince the Russian president Vladimir Putin through
dialogue to give up his intentions to attack Ukraine, but it is also preparing
tough sanctions to d