Military Parade On National Day Of Romania, On December 1
The military parade organized on the National Day of Romania took place Monday in Constitution Square in Bucharest, and was attended by incumbent President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta.
The parade was organized by the National Defense Ministry (MApN), jointly with the Interior Affairs Ministry (MAI), the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) and the Dignitaries’ Protection Service (SPP) and was also attended by Defense Minister Mircea Dusa, Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea and the Chamber of Deputies’ Speaker, Valeriu Zgonea.
The Romanian troops were accompanied by guests from the USA, Turkey, France, Poland and the Republic of Moldova.(Adevarul)
Slovak Gas Pipeline Operator Offers Alternative To South Stream
Slovak gas pipeline operator Eustream on Friday proposed a pipeline project named Eastring, aimed to carry natural gas from Western Europe to the Balkans via Romania, as an alternative to South Stream pipeline.
The 570-kilometer pipe Eastring would pipe gas from Western European hubs via Slovakia’s existing system into Ukraine and then into Romania and on to Bulgaria.
Eustream Chairman Tomas Marecek told Reuters that Eastring project would have a potential capacity of up to 20 billion cubic meters per year and the ability to transport gas either from Russia to the Balkans, or from the West to the Balkans.
“Economically and strategically it is best solution for this part of Europe,” Marecek said in an interview with Reuters. (Jurnalul National)
Government To Negotiate With IMF A Deficit Of 2-2.1% Of GDP For Co-financing, Defense
Government will negotiate with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund and European Commission a deficit of 2-2.1% of GDP for 2015, while the additional 0.6-0.7% percentage points will be used for co-financing and defense.
According to several sources, the government plans to cut expenses of nearly all ministries, to avoid hiking taxes in 2015, as promised in the electoral campaign.
A joint delegation of the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission will be in Bucharest between December 2 and 10 to discuss with Romanian authorities the draft of the country’s budget for 2015.
The budget deficit target established for next year is of 1.4% of GDP, corresponding to a structural deficit of 1% of the GDP, that Romania pledged to reach in 2015.
Fiscal Council and Finance Ministry representatives estimate the government needs to cover a budget revenue gap of minimum RON15 billion lei (3.4illion euros), and of minim RON10 billion if eliminating defense and co-financing expenses. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Traian Basescu Hosts Last National Day Reception As President
On Monday evening, President Traian Basescu hosted for the last time the reception on the National Day of Romania at Cotroceni Palace, attended by approximately 2,000 guests.
Diplomats were represented by numerous ambassadors, including British Ambassador to Romania, Paul Brummell, German Ambassador Werner Hans Lauk, Dutch Ambassador Matthijs van Bonzel, or Chinese Ambassador Huo Yuzhen. Tennis player Simona Halep and former athletes Ion Tiriac and Ivan Patzaichin also attended the reception.
Many of the guests attending the reception did not manage to enter the hall and listened to the president’s speech on a TV in the lobby. (Evenimentul Zilei)