Bucharest Mayor Says Current Draft Budget Cuts 25% Of Capital City’s Income
Bucharest General Mayor Gabriela Firea stated on Friday that the capital city stands to lose about 25% of last years’ income if the 2019 state budget proposal forwarded by the Government is passed, which would hamper the town hall’s ability to keep several of its commitments.
The mayor added that the cut will negatively impact Bucharest residents.
“If the budget remains in its current form, the Capital will lose 25% of last year’s income, an important amount if we take into account the commitments we made towards citizens. It was said that residents of Bucharest will gain through this budget, that the Capital was given a larger share of money. This is false,” the mayor said in a press conference on Tuesday.
Gabriela Firea added that she sent the Government, Finance Ministry and Parliament and official point of view regarding the situation, and threatened with further legal action if no measure is taken.
“If our point of view will not be taken into account, and the budget project will be approved in the current form, which would make it the first bankruptcy budget the city had after 1989, we will go further and find our own justice,” concluded the mayor.
Firea and other municipality mayors protested the new budget project last week, criticizing the Government for not consulting them and for a new spending share which sees local authorities take on some of the Government’s expenses.
The 2019 budget was expected to be passed in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, but it was delayed again due to talks in the ruling coalition, with political sources pointing that it is now scheduled to be appointed and sent to the Parliament on Friday. (puterea.ro)
Liberals Willing To Team Up With USR And PLUS
Ludovic Orban, president of the opposition National Liberal Party (PNL) said he does not rule out an alliance with political parties USR and PLUS.
Asked whether he is willing to hold talks with Dacian Ciolos, Orban said he was willing to talk to anybody.
Orban also said, with respect to the chances of the USR-PLUS alliance at this year’s presidential elections, that “it lies in their ability to come with an offer meant to attract the electorate.
USR’s political committee on Saturday voted on a decision of a joint list at the European Parliament elections and the alliance is called “2020 USR-PLUS Alliance”. (evz.ro)
PM Dancila To Pay Visit To Brussels
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila will pay a working visit to Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, during which she will attend the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and carry out bilateral meetings with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans.
According to a press statement released by the Government, Dancila will present the priorities of Romania’s Presidency at the EU Council within the plenary session of the CoR, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday. In this context, the PM will also carry out a bilateral meeting with CoR President Karl-Heinz Lambertz.
On Thursday, Dancila will attend the conference called “The fight against anti-Semitism: a common approach for a better protection of the Jewish communities in Europe – from practices to actions,” organised by Romania in the context of holding the rotating Presidency of the EU Council.
The agenda of the visit also includes a series of bilateral meetings with representatives of the European and international Jewish organisations: the President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder; the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) David Harris; the CEO and Executive Vice President of B’nai B’rith Daniel S. Mariaschin; the Secretary General of the World Jewish Restitution Organisation Colette Avital; the European Coordinator on combating anti-Semitism Katharina von Schnurbein.
“Other important elements of the visit include PM Dancila’s bilateral meetings with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and the First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans,” the press statement also reads. (romanialibera.ro)
Fiscal Council: Govt’s 5.5% GDP Growth Projection Is Surprising, Unwarranted
Maintaining an economic growth projection of 5.5% in 2019 especially after the emergency decree 114/2018 introducing new taxes is surprising and unwarranted, Romania’s Fiscal Council said in a statement Tuesday.
The GDP growth projection is deemed overly optimistic and unrealistic since real economic growth is expected to come in at 4%-4.5% for 2018.
It also warned the swift adoption of new taxes with a negative impact on the country’s economy through emergency decree 114/2018, such as a tax on bank assets and additional taxation in the energy and telecom sectors, may amplify slowdown risks.
The fiscal council said the government’s revenue collection estimations are exaggerated in terms of VAT, excise duties and one-off revenues.
In terms of expenses, the council said goods and services and interest payment spending are potential sources of risk.
The fiscal council is an independent authority aiming to help government and lawmakers draft tax and budgetary policies and promote transparency and sustainability of the country’s public finances. (puterea.ro)