U.S. Official Victoria Nuland Visits Bucharest Next Week
The assistant to the United States secretary of state Victoria Nuland arrives in Bucharest next week, part of a European tour.
The U.S. official will meet with President Klaus Iohannis and Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu. (Adevarul)
Iohannis Hopes Romania’s Schengen Accession Is Resolved In Timely Manner
President Klaus Iohannis said Wednesday he cannot say whether Romania’s Schengen accession issue will be decided in 2015 but he hopes the matter is resolved within a reasonable time.
Iohannis made this statement after German MP Wolfgang Bosbach said Romania would not join the Schengen area in 2015.
The German official added the election of Iohannis for president does not mean Romania’s political situation will change fundamentally, although it does bring high hopes and expectations. (Puterea)
Dacia Unions Call For 15% Wage Raises And Higher Performance Bonuses
Unions representing employees of Romanian carmaker Dacia are calling for a 15% salary raise and a 65% raise in performance bonuses, Hotnews.ro reported.
Management says demands are unrealistic and employees are preparing to trigger protests. Dacia also said the required increases are negotiable. (Adevarul)
Tourist Arrivals In Romania Up 5.4% On Year In November
Arrivals at Romanian tourism accommodation establishments rose 5.4% in November from the year-earlier month, but overnight staying decreased 1.6% on the year, data from the statistics institute INS showed Wednesday.
Residents accounted for 77.4% of total arrivals at accommodation establishments in November, while foreigners made up for the reminder 22.6%. The vast majority of foreign visitors (78.1%) came from Europe, the data showed.
Bucharest and county capitals attracted most foreign tourists in October (86.7% of arrivals at accommodation structures), followed by other localities and tourist destinations (9%) and mountain resorts (2.5%). (Puterea)
Natural Gas Price For Household Consumers Stays Unchanged Until July
The price of domestically produced natural gas for household consumers and thermal power producers supplying heating services to household consumers will remain unchanged at RON53.3/MWh until June 30, 2015, according to a government decision.
In December, the Energy Department said that the price of natural gas produced in Romania for household consumers will not increase until July 1, 2015.
The Government and energy regulator ANRE will draw up a new gas market deregulation calendar for July 2015- July 2021, that will take into account the downward trend of hydrocarbon prices in the region, as well as the longer period for the completion of the deregulation process agreed with international financial institutions. (Romania Libera)
Nearly 2,500 Romanian Doctors Filed Papers To Work Abroad In 2014
Nearly 2,500 Romanian physicians asked the College of Physicians for professional certificates necessary for working abroad last year, most of them general practitioners, according to the data of the organization.
There are 39,000 physicians currently registered at the Romanian College of Physicians, as every year 3,000 doctors are registered and 3,500 exit the database (migration, retirement, death).
Almost 3.000 of physicians working in Romanian hospitals are over 60 years old, 2,610 are aged between 50 and 60, 3,642 are aged between 40 and 50, 3,901 are aged between 30 and 40 and only 407 are under 30. (Adevarul)