Underground Passageway At Southern Square To Be Put In Use In December 2018
At the request of Bucharest general mayor Gabriela Firea, mayoratly counselors approved the extension of deadline for the finalization of works at the underground passageway at Southern Square until December 31, 2018.
Two months ago, Firea said construction works would be completed at the end of 2016, but she subsequently announced they would be ready in March 2017. The underground passageway was initially due for completion at the end of 2015, but its construction was subsequently postponed for June 30, 2016.
Due to stalled works, only RON18 million out of a total available RON83 million were absorbed. (Puterea)
Nottara Theater Reopens
Nottara Theater manager, Marinela Tepus, said the theater is on the verge of being reopened.
Tepus said the official reopening will occur at the same time with the opening of the International Theater Festival– FEST(IN), on October 10-22. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Romania Posts Budget Deficit Of 0.2% Of GDP In January-July
Romania’s general consolidated budget posted a deficit of RON1.74 billion in January-July, or 0.2% of the gross domestic product, finance ministry data showed Thursday.
Revenues to the consolidated budget amounted to RON129.6 billion, or 17.1% of GDP in the first seven months of 2016, the data showed.
Profit tax collections increased 10.5%, excise duty collection grew 7.1%, social security contribution collections increased 6.6%, while income and salary tax collections rose 2.8%. Value-added tax collections fell 10.1% compared with the same period a year before.
Budget expenditure stood at RON131.4 billion, up 4.7% compared with January-July 2015.
Staff spending grew 10.2% due to public sector wage hikes approved in the second half of 2015 and the minimum wage hike. Goods and services spending was 0.4% higher compared with January-July 2015, while investment spending amounted to RON12.8 billion, or 1.7% of GDP, 2.7% higher than the same period a year ago. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Former President Basescu Scolds Ponta And Tariceanu
Former Romanian president Traian Basescu, the current head of the People’s Movement Party (PMP), has harshly criticized former prime minister Victor Ponta and Senate President Calin Popescu Tariceanu.
Basescu said Ponta and Tariceanu keep accusing and criticizing him that during his term as Romania’s president, he consolidated and freed from political influence institutions such as the National Anticorruption Department (DNA), the Intelligence Service (SRI), the Supreme Court (ICCJ), the General Prosecutor’s Office, the National Integrity Agency (ANI) and so on.
Basescu said Tariceanu and Ponta did not understand the fact that Romania needed and still needs to consolidate these institutions and free them from political influence. He added the big problem is that the heads of these institutions abused the independence and power of these institutions. (Evenimentul Zilei)
PM Ciolos Says Romania Might Export Natural Gas To Republic Of Moldova
Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said Romania might become, in coming years, exporter of natural gas to the Republic of Moldova, therefore, it might help Moldova connect to the European network.
Ciolos told an interview for Moldovan TV station Prime that Romanian natural gas transmission company Transgaz (TGN.RO) would participate in the construction of a gas pipeline connecting Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria, adding Transgaz is ready to invest in Moldova.
Ciolos added “there are many other energy companies willing to invest their money in the Republic of Moldova.” (Puterea)