Victor Ponta: PSD Supports Eduard Hellvig As Head Of Romanian Intelligence Service
Victor Ponta stated Monday that PSD supports the appointing of PNL member Eduard Hellvig, nominated by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, as head of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI).
“We would have preferred a nomination for a person who was not a PNL member. It’s one of our principles. Nevertheless, we won’t vote against his appointment,” said Ponta, adding that Hellvig is a balanced person, able to carry out the tasks of the new position, and that they worked very well together in the USL alliance period.
PSD’s governing partners, UNPR and PC, had already announced the support for Iohannis’ nomination last week. (Adevarul)
Havrilet: Natural Gas Price Should Fall After Black Sea Gas Fields Enter Production
Romania’s energy regulator ANRE and the Government will propose the increase of natural gas price for household consumers from RON53.3 to RON58 per MWh as of July 1, ANRE head Niculae Havrilet stated.
Thus, gas price will increase by approximately 10%, compared with 17%, as proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to Havrilet, natural gas price might decrease after the natural gas fields in the Black Sea start being exploited. (Adevarul)
Hidroelectrica Posts Record Profit In January
Romanian state-owned hydropower producer Hidroelectrica posted a record gross profit of RON140 million in January, double compared to January 2014, the company said in a statement Monday.
“In January 2015, Hidroelectrica produced and delivered 1,590 GWh, 36% more than in January 2014 and 66% more than in January 2013. Production growth drove the turnover up 42%, to RON322 million, as the company implemented a competitive and transparent sales strategy,” said Remus Borza, the company’s judicial administrator.
Hidroelectrica is owned by the Romanian state, through the Ministry of Energy. The company has been insolvent since February 2014, for the second time in less than a year. Hidroelectrica went through insolvency procedures in June 2012 – June 2013. (Puterea)
Medical Drugs Price To Be Approved For A 1-Year Period
The price of medical drugs will be approved for a one-year period, according to the current legislation.
„This normalization of medicine prices represents in fact a change to the benefit of the health system, thus, most of the medical drugs will face a price decrease. This will translate into substantial savings for the state budget, which will be reflected in treatments and innovative medicines for patients,” Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu stated.
Under the current legislation, a medicine price should be lower or equal to the lowest price of the same medical drug in 12 countries: the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, Greece and Germany. (Adevarul)
National Union Of Students In Romania Launches Blood Donation Campaign
The National Union of Students in Romania (UNSR) has launched the campaign “Blood is life! Donate blood and/or stem cells!”, by which students and youths are stimulated to donate blood Monday to Friday at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest.
The UNSR campaign was launched jointly with the university and the Blood Transfusion Center in Bucharest.
“One person needs blood every three seconds and 60% of the population will need blood at a certain point in their lifetime. At the same time only 2% of the population donates blood and there is no substitute for human blood,” UNSR leader, Seila Abdulamit, told Agerpres. (Puterea)