Exports, Imports Up 8% In January-May
Exports of Romanian-made products rose 8% on the year to EUR21.27 billion in the January-May period, while imports advanced 7.8% to EUR23.56 billion, the country’s statistics institute INS said Thursday.
Vehicles amounted to 43.6% of overall exports and 35.1% of the imports in the first five months of 2014, while other manufactured items made up for 32.8% of Romanian exports and 30.5% of imports.
Exports increased 7.9% on the year to EUR4.34 billion in May, while imports were up 8.1% to EUR4.87 billion. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Consumer Prices Down 0.3%, Inflation Eases To 0.66% In June
Romanian consumer prices inched down 0.3% in June from a month earlier, chiefly reflecting lower prices for food, while the annual inflation eased for the second consecutive month, hitting a new record low of 0.66%, official data showed Thursday.
In the 12 months ended May 31, the annual rate was 0.94%, the country’s statistics institute INS said.
Food and services prices fell 0.7% and 0.2% on the month in June, but non-food prices increased 0.1%, the data showed. (Curierul National)
President: PNL, PDL Fusion Is Not Possible
Romanian President Traian Basescu told Adevarul Live that the fusion between PNL and PDL is not possible, adding that the solution for the unification of the right wing would be a protocol for the support of the candidate for presidential elections By PNL, PDL, FC, PMP and PNTCD.
Basescu stated he is a more pragmatic politician than those who talked about a fusion between PNL and PDL right after exit-polls, adding that the solution would be an agreement on the activity of the President, on issues such as the rule of law, EU, NATO, national security, and others. (Puterea)
President, PM Agree On Future European Commissioner
President Traian Basescu and PM Victor Ponta agreed on the future European Commissioner, namely Dacian Ciolos, with the agriculture portfolio.
Basescu stated he and Ponta agreed on the same name and portfolio for the European Commissioner, adding he would like to get for Romania a position of vice-president of the European Commission.
The President told Digi24 that the nomination of the European Commissioner was a issue that he decided together with PM Victor Ponta.(Gandul)