Remittance Flows To Romania Hit 9-Year Low In 2013
The remittance flows to Romania reached the lowest level in the last nine years in 2013, due to the financial crisis and the high unemployment rate in the states with large Romanian communities.
The amounts of money sent home by Romanians working abroad were even lower than between 2009 and 2011, when the remittances fell sharply.
Current money transfers from abroad to Romania, except for those of the public administration– mostly carried out by Romanians working abroad – totaled EUR3.67 billion in 2013, according to the central bank data. (Adevarul)
CNSAS: Basescu Was Not A Securitate Collaborator
The National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (CNSAS) issued a new document according to which President Traian Basescu did not collaborate with the former Securitate secret police, after consulting certain notes regarding his activity as representative of Navrom company.
“The documents quoted in the paper refer to economic and commercial aspects specific to his position in Navrom company, and do not refer to activities or attitudes «against the totalitarian communist regime». According to the content of the quoted documents, the actions of the person in question did not result in «restricting human fundamental rights and liberties»”, the document reads. (Adevarul)
Finance Ministry Posts Draft On Setting Up Macroprudential Surveillance Committee
An emergency ordinance draft posted on the Finance Ministry website stipulates the establishing of a National Committee for Macroprudential Surveillance, which would include the National Bank of Romania, the Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), as well as the Finance Ministry.
The draft also stipulates the obligation to keep the independence of the central bank, in accordance with art. 130 in the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as regards decisions related to macroprudential policy. (Curentul)
Antonescu Asks Ponta To Choose Between Iohannis And Voiculescu
PNL president Crin Antonescu asked Victor Ponta to choose between Iohannis and Voiculescu, adding that Ponta is not the landlord over the USL alliance.
Crin Antonescu was bothered by the latest statements of the social-democrat leaders who mentioned that PSD has the absolute majority in the Parliament even without PNL.
„One thing should be clear for Victor Ponta, Ilie Sarbu, Daniel Constantin, and for everybody, PNL (…) asked for the Romanians’ vote for USL. If anybody thinks that PNL will obediently accept the turning of USL into the land of Victor Ponta or of USD, then they are absolutely wrong,” Antonescu told Antena3 TV station. (Gandul)
Constitutional Court To Start Talks On Constitution Revision
The Constitutional Court of Romania will start talks Friday on the revision of the Constitution, according to Agerpres.
The Constitution revision draft was registered at the Constitutional Court on February 7, and the court should rule by February 17 on the observing of constitutional provisions regarding the Constitution revision.
According to the law, before the Parliament starts the legislative procedure on revising the Constitution, the draft law will be submitted to the Constitutional Court, which has 10 days to rule on the observing of the constitutional provisions. (Evenimentul Zilei)
WHO To Check Up How Toxic Flu Vaccine Was Produced In Romania
The resigning health minister Eugen Nicolaescu stated Thursday that a group of experts of the World Health Organization will come to Romania between February 24 and 28, to check up how the toxic flu vaccine was produced at Cantacuzino Institute.
„Today, I received an official reply from WHO, announcing that they would send experts to support us in restarting the technologic process of vaccine production and to identify the irregularities due to which we were not able to sell the 2013 vaccine,” minister Nicolaescu told a news conference. (Adevarul)