BCR Sells RON1B NPL Package
Romania’s largest lender Banca Comerciala Romana, or BCR, sold non-performing loans of 1 billion lei (EUR225 million) in July to a consortium of foreign investors and available funding lines, the bank said in a statement Thursday.
“BCR manages a non-performing loans portfolio of around RON12.9 billion, which it decided to resolve in accelerated manner, thus expecting significant improvement of its balance sheet quality (a NPL reduction of about 25%, compared to year-end 2013) and financial performance in the near term,” the bank said.
Aiming to achieve 25% an overall NPL balance reduction until year-end, BCR said consequent risk costs are anticipated to offset the operational result of the bank in 2014. (Curierul National)
U.S. Under Secretary Of Defense For Intelligence Pays Official Visit To Romania
U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Michael G. Vickers, paid an official visit to Romania, meeting Romanian Defense Minister Mircea Dusa.
According to a release of the Romanian Defense Ministry, minister Dusa gave assurance to Vickers that Romania maintains firm position on developing the relations with the U.S. in the defense sector, under the “Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century.”
The Romanian official also appreciated the U.S. support for training the Romanian personnel and the development of capabilities, as well as for technical and logistical assistance to the Romanian troops deployed to Afghanistan.
The two officials also had talks about NATO’s future mission in Afghanistan, stressing the need to continue cooperating in this theatre of operations after 2014. (Romania Libera)
PM Proposes Dacian Ciolos For New Mandate As European Commissioner
Romanian PM Victor Ponta told MEDIAFAX Thursday he sent the letter by which the current European Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos is proposed for a new mandate as European Commissioner.
Ponta said he sent the letter after talks with the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. The deadline for the EU member states to officially announce their propositions was July 31. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Simona Halep Goes Up To Number Two In WTA Ranking
Chinese tennis player Na Li announced Thursday she will not compete in the North American or U.S. tennis tournaments due to a knee injury, so that Romanian tennis player Simona Halep (currently number 3) will become number two in the WTA ranking.
Na Li added she hopes she will be able to play in Wuhan and Beijing tournaments, in the second half of September.
Na Li currently has 6,960 points in the WTA ranking, while Halep has 6,785 points. Top-ranked Serena Williams has 9,231 points. (Adevarul)