Romania’s 2017 Budget To Be Adopted On Friday
Romania’s Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said that this year’s budget would be adopted on Friday, and in the same day, the budget draft would be submitted to the Parliament.
Romania’s social democrat government targets investments of 4.2% of the gross domestic product this year and drafted the 2017 state budget on an economic growth projection of 5.2%.
The finance ministry drafted the budget on a projected economic growth of 5.2% and a GDP of 815,195 billion lei (EUR181.55 billion). The budget draft envisions a deficit of 2.96% to stay within the EU limit of 3%. It sees government debt at 37.7% of GDP. (Puterea)
Romanians’ Deposits On Upward Trend
RON-denominated household deposits increased by 3.6% to RON 103,643.6 million on the month in December 2016, while household deposits in domestic currency rose by 13% (13.7% in real terms) against end-December 2015, central bank data showed.
RON-denominated corporate deposits (non-financial corporations and non-monetary financial institutions) added 8.1% to RON 84,759.4 million. At end-December 2016, RON-denominated corporate deposits climbed by 6.4% (7.0% in real terms) year on year.
At the same time, forex-denominated deposits of resident households and companies (non-financial corporations and non-monetary financial institutions) went up 1.4% to RON 85,816.2 million when expressed in domestic currency (when expressed in EUR, forex deposits moved ahead 0.9% to EUR 18,897.7 million). (Evenimentul Zilei)
SRI Committee Could Not Establish Sebastian Ghita’s Accusations
Adrian Tutuianu, head of the committee for the control of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), which heard the SRI director for seven hours, confirmed that the former SRI first-deputy director Florian Coldea went on vacations with former MP Sebastian Ghita.
According to the investigation, the two and their families went on vacation together in Seychelles and in Tuscany, Italy, but Coldea and his wife paid for their expenses, which was confirmed by invoices and other papers; thus SRI internal rules have not been violated.
Adrian Tutuianu also confirmed that SRI head at that time, George Maior, went to Tuscany with Coldea and Ghita.(Adevarul)
Calin Popescu Tariceanu No Longer Wants Cooperation Within CVM
The European Commission on Wednesday issued its latest report in the context of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) applied to Romania.
After 10 years of the CVM, the EC took stock of steps taken by Romania on judicial reform and the fight against corruption, of the achievements, the outstanding challenges and the steps still needed to end the CVM, EC said in a statement.
Senate chairman Calin Popescu Tariceanu said he would have talks with the chairman of the Chamber of Deputies and PM Grindeanu, and he would propose that Romania would no longer cooperate within the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, as it is not a cooperation, but a verification mechanism, which establishes a discriminating treatment for Romania. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Mayor Gabriela Firea Announces Renovation Of Bucharest Hospitals
Bucharest mayor, Gabriela Firea, said Wednesday, during a meeting with the managers and medical directors of the 19 hospitals under the administration of Bucharest City Hall, that all the hospitals in Bucharest would start an ample process of renovation and sanitization.
“I know about your commitment, I know that hospitals are your second home, most of the times, that’s why I know we can have hospitals at European standards. This requires the improvement of the working conditions and the quality of the medical act. In terms of hospital aspect, all the 19 medical units will start an ample process of renovation and sanitization. We can’t bring equipment before cleaning the units. In this respect, we have to treat the nosocomial infections with great responsibility,” Firea said. (Puterea)