Cristiano Ronaldo, Best European Player Of 2017
Real Madrid’s Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned the best soccer player in the world for the second year running at FIFA’s Best Awards Gala on Monday, December 25.
The four-time Ballon d’Or winner won a La Liga and Champions League double with the Madrid club this year, striking twice against Juventus in the European Cup final to help Real become the first team to retain the trophy in its current format.
Barcelona’s Argentina forward Lionel Messi, who has won the Ballon d’or five times, and Paris St Germain’s Brazil forward Neymar were runners up for the award voted for by national team coaches and captains plus the media and fans.
The Best Fifa Men’s Player award and the Ballon d’or, which is voted for only by the media, are now separate awards. (jurnalul.ro)
Competition Council Sets Off Inquiry Into Dante International For Abuse Of Dominant Position
Romania’s Competition Council has recently started an inquiry into a possible abuse of dominant position by Dante International SA, the company behind eMAG– leader on the local online retail market-, on the intermediary services market through online platforms in Romania.
“Dante International is a company specialized in retail trade with consumer goods. On the other hand, the company also holds and manages a <<marketplace>> type platform which acts as intermediary between retail merchants and their clients.
The inquiry targets Dante’s potential discriminatory conduct in relation with retail merchants of consumer products, which represent direct competitors of the company, in its position of merchant of consumer products. The antitrust watchdog ran sudden checkups at the headquarters of Dante International SA and it will analyse a series of documents within the specific procedures.
Emag said it would “cooperate” with the watchdog and provide any information that can clarify the activity carried out through the marketplace platform, for which the company is suspected of abuse of dominant position. (jurnalul.ro)
CFA Romania Analysts Expect Leu To Depreciate In Next 12 Months
The Chartered Financial Analysts Association – Romania (CFA Romania) expects the Romanian leu to depreciate in the next 12 months.
Expectations regarding the EUR/RON exchange rate in the next 6 and 12 months stand at RON4.6891 to the euro and RON4.7329 to the euro, respectively.
The inflation rate is seen at 3.38% in the next 12 months (December 2018/December 2017), CFA Romania said in a statement.
The three-month ROBOR, used to calculate interests on loans in lei with variable interest, is expected to reach 3.25% in the next 12 months.
The CFA Romania Macroeconomic Confidence Index was launched in May 2011 and aims to evaluate financial analysts’ expectations regarding the economic activity in Romania for a one-year horizon. (puterea.ro)
PM Tudose Invites Civil Society To Talks
Prime Minister Mihai Tudose on Saturday said he accepts the meeting forwarded by as many as 43 civic organisations, active in the street protests regarding the proposals to amending the Laws of Justice and the criminal codes.
“In connection with a possible meeting, I am open to dialogue. In this respect, I propose the day of 27 December. I’m positive we could communicate efficiently in Romania’s benefit and in the benefit of the Romanians, and this is not possible but with tolerance and openness to opposite opinions. I wish you Merry Christmas” the Premier wrote on the Facebook account of the Corruption Kills’ online community.
The 43 organisations say, in an open letter to PM Tudose, that major dialogue and consultation deficiencies existed between the legislator and society overall as regards the adoption of the Laws of Justice and in talks regarding the criminal codes’ amendment. (puterea.ro)