Romania Unemployment Rate Flat At 7.3% In November 2013
Romania’s unemployment rate was stable at 7.3% in November compared with the previous month, but up from 6.7% in the same period of 2012, seasonally adjusted data from the statistics institute INS showed Wednesday.
The number of unemployed people was estimated at 740,000 in November, from 736,000 the month before. Male unemployment rate was 7.9%, while female unemployment reached 6.5%.
The figures are based on the definition recommended by the International Labor Organization (ILO). (Curentul)
Romania Expects 2009 Flu Pandemic To Reappear End-January
Experts say the 2009 flu pandemic or swine flu might reappear in 2014, therefore, Romania’s Health Ministry has bought 600,000 doses of anti-flu vaccines from abroad.
The death of a patient with lung problems at the Sibiu Hospital raised concerns among Romanian health officials, considering that the swine flu virus has already claimed five lives in the United States. Hospital representatives said it was not flu that killed the patient.
Europe is also facing several cases of infections with the A /H1N1 flu virus, combined with other strains of influenza viruses. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Romanian Banks Aggresively Cut Short-term Deposit Rates
Romanian banks have cut the interest rates for short-term deposits, but the rates for longer term savings are still attractive compared with the ones offered on the international markets, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.
“Our signals towards banks were they should not hurry to cut interest rates for leu savings. I can’t say they listened. It was rather a message telling them to keep stable resources, while we announced we support the lending in local currency,” Isarescu told a press briefing to present the latest monetary policy decisions.
The governor said commercial lenders were quick to cut interests for short-term deposits, but kept appealing rates for longer term deposits.(Gandul)
Contribution For High Efficiency Cogeneration 20% Lower As Of January 1, 2014
The contribution for high efficiency cogeneration, which is paid by all electricity consumers and is showed separately on the electricity bill, decreased by 20% starting January 1, 2014, from RON23.1/MWh to RON18.3/MWh, according to Romania’s energy watchdog ANRE.
The contribution for high-efficiency cogeneration was introduced on April 1, 2011. The money raised this way are granted as a bonus to producers whose electricity/heat cogeneration installations achieve energy efficiency levels of over 70%, with a view to stimulate investments in modernizing equipment.
Cogeneration is a technique allowing the production of both heat and electricity. The heat is in the form of high pressure water vapor or hot water. Electricity/heat cogeneration installations can achieve energy efficiency levels of around 90%. The development of cogeneration could avoid the emission of some 250 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. (Adevarul)
Government Sets New Rules For Romanians Entitled To Get State Compensations
Romanians entitled to receive compensations from state institutions will get the amounts in full provided they have no debts to the state budget, according to a normative act.
The new rules apply starting January 1, 2014.
People who ought to get compensations from the state following definitive court rulings must first prove that they have paid all their taxes and contributions to the state budget. (Curentul)