Romania Unemployment Rate Rose To 4.99% In July
Romania’s unemployment rate inched up to 4.99% in July from 4.94% in June, according to data from the country’s employment agency ANOFM.
Romania’s jobless rate stood at 5.1% in July 2014.
The total number of unemployed Romanians increased to 451,168 in July, from 446,703 in June. Of these, only 18.6%, or 84,018 people, received jobless claims.
The unemployment rate among men stood at 5.33% and female unemployment stood at 4.6% in July. (Romania Libera)
Autumn Session Of High School Graduation Exam Continues This Week
The autumn session (August – September) of the high school graduation exam continues this week with the written examinations.
A total 55,000 candidates enrolled to take the high school graduation exam in the autumn session.
Education Minister Sorin Campeanu said 38,000 candidates from the current promotion and 16,400 youths from previous generations enrolled for the fall session.
Results will be made public on August 31 and potential contestations can be submitted on the same day. The final results will be made public on September 3. (Puterea)
Health Minister Says Amounts Allotted For Acquisition Of Equipment May Be Reduced
The amounts of money allocated for the acquisition of equipment may be reduced, said Romanian Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu, adding, however, that hospitals will not purchase cheaper equipment, but they will be imposed price ceilings.
“I no longer want to hear about equipment acquired in Romania at prices higher than in other European countries,” said Banicioiu.
Currently, the law sets limits for all public acquisitions, namely, at most EUR30,000 for products and services and up to EUR100,000 for works. The lowest price is the selection criterion for acquisitions that exceed the ceiling. (Adevarul)
Agriculture Ministry Wants To Allot EUR145M Annually For Modernization Of Irrigation System
Romania’s Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry wants to allocate EUR145 million annually, throughout a seven-year period, for the modernization of the country’s main irrigation system.
The secondary infrastructure may get European Union funds of over EUR430 million.
EU funds will be allocated through the 2014-2020 National Program for Rural Development.
Romania’s irrigation system is 90% damaged, therefore, of a total 3.3 million irrigable hectares back in 1989, only 300,000 hectares are used currently. According to agriculture minister, restoring the country’s irrigation infrastructure entails total investments of over EUR1.4 billion. (Puterea)
Senate Holds Extraordinary Session Monday
The Romanian Senate convenes in extraordinary session Monday afternoon, August 24, to debate and vote on President Klaus Iohannis’ request to reexamine the new Tax Code.
The special committees are expected to draw up a report Tuesday morning.
The Chamber of Deputies, which is decider on the matter, will convene Tuesday for the Tax Code as well.
Representatives of parliamentary parties held technical talks last Thursday regarding the new Tax Code which Iohannis sent back to Parliament for reexamination. They agreed, among others, on a gradual decrease in the value added tax, in two stages, namely, to 20%, as of January 1, 2016, and to 19% starting January 1, 2017, and on pushing back by one year, to 2017, instead of 2016, the measure aimed at eliminating the over-excise tax on fuels. (Evenimentul Zilei)