Romania
The National Agency of Moldova has approved new utility tariffs. The cost of heat will increase to 2,510 lei per gigacalorie, and electricity will rise by 65-75%.
State-owned Energocom has purchased electricity from Ukraine to cover the deficit as of January 2. Additionally, an agreement was signed with Energoatom to supply energy at night.
Moldova was granted the right to increase its electricity import quota from the EU from 315 MW to 600 MW. This is possible provided that the electricity is not used by other importers.
After the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, Transnistria was left without supplies and Moldova switched to alternative energy sources. The Right Bank receives 52% of its electricity from Romania and 45% from local sources.
The Moldovan TPP in Transnistria has stopped supplying electricity to the right bank of the Dniester and switched to coal fuel. Stocks of Donetsk coal will be sufficient for 50 days to meet the humanitarian needs of the region.
On January 1, 2025, Romania and Bulgaria officially became part of the Schengen area. Passport checks at land borders have been canceled, making it easier to travel between EU countries.
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The separatist authorities of Transnistria have cut off gas supplies to 12 state institutions due to the upcoming cessation of transit from Russia. “Gazprom plans to stop gas exports to Moldova on January 1 due to debts.
Romania will hold repeat presidential elections on March 23 and April 6, 2025. The previous results were canceled due to large-scale cyberattacks and suspicions of external interference.
The Cabinet of Ministers has determined the list of goods subject to export licensing in 2025. Quotas for sugar and poultry exports and restrictions on grain exports to five EU countries were established.
Romania's radar systems detected a small flying object that penetrated 6 km inland in the Tulcea County. The object stayed in the airspace for about 5 minutes, after which it disappeared from the radar.
Russia's foreign ministry is creating a network of fake advertising agencies to spread disinformation in the West and the Global South. One of these companies, AdNow, founded by a Russian woman named Serebryanskaya, has already been identified by the Financial Times.
The European Parliament has begun preparing a resolution on systemic disinformation and historical falsifications by the Russian Federation. The document exposes Russia's attempts to interfere in the politics of the EU, the US and other countries through cyberattacks and manipulations.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved strategies for reforming psychoneurological institutions until 2034 and developing border infrastructure until 2030. Both documents are part of the Ukraine Facility Plan.
On Christmas Day, 68,000 people crossed the border on December 25, which is significantly less than in previous days. Border guards note the highest passenger traffic dynamics during martial law during the New Year holidays.
The SBGS reports a decrease in attempts to illegally cross the border from August to December 2023. Most violations are recorded on the border with Romania and Moldova, and the least - with Poland.
Mountain rescuers found three Ukrainians who got lost in the Maramures Mountains after crossing the border with Romania. One victim was injured by stones, while the other two suffered from hypothermia.
After joining the Schengen area in 2025, Romania will close 30 land border crossings on its borders with Hungary and Bulgaria. The country will strengthen security measures due to the risks of illegal migration.
The Border Police of Moldova reported a possible violation of airspace by two Russian missiles on December 25. The Ministry of Defense of the country denies the violation, stating that the monitoring system did not detect any missiles.
Russia's massive attack on Ukraine is a response to proposals for a “Christmas truce,” Minister Sibiga said. According to him, the Russian missile also violated the airspace of Moldova and Romania.
Romania's Defense Ministry denies that a Russian missile crossed its airspace on December 25. NATO surveillance systems did not detect any border violations, and an investigation is underway.
Vitaliy Mykolenko, a footballer for the Ukrainian national team and Everton, and his wife Victoria are expecting their first child. The player recently suffered a foot injury before the Euros and missed the match against Romania.
Moldova will be able to use the unused part of the 2,100 MW quota for electricity imports from the EU shared with Ukraine. The country plans to import 400 MW through Romanian power lines to cover the deficit on the Right Bank.
Electricity consumption remains high due to lower temperatures. Due to weather conditions, two settlements in Kyiv region are without power, and energy is imported from five countries.
Law enforcement officers detained a 31-year-old man who organized the illegal transportation of conscripts to Romania. The suspect was found to be in possession of an arsenal of weapons, ammunition and forged documents.
The Romanian Parliament approved a new government headed by Marcel Ciolacu, who received 240 votes in favor. The cabinet includes 16 people from three pro-European parties.
The Romanian president has appointed Marcel Ciolacă to head a new pro-European coalition government. It will include Social Democrats, center-right liberals, and the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR.
The Energy Ministry reports an increase in electricity imports to 9259 MWh from five neighboring countries. Power companies restored electricity supply to 14511 consumers after the shelling.
The longest queues are observed at the Polish border at the Ustyluh-Zosin and Uhryniv-Dolhobyczów checkpoints. There are no queues at the borders with Romania and Moldova.
During martial law, about 50 people have died trying to illegally cross the border across the Tisa River. Border guards regularly detect people with hypothermia during dangerous border crossings.