ANOFM: Over 10,600 Jobs Available In Romania In July11-17
Over 10,600 jobs are available in Romania between July 11 and July 17, most of them in Bucharest and in Cluj, Iasi, Timis, Constanta, Sibiu, Hunedoara and Arges, the country’s employment agency ANOFM said Thursday.
In Bucharest, there are 757 vacant jobs.
Jobs are scarce in Mehedinti (22), Ialomita (33), Caras-Severin (38), Suceava (40), Teleorman (60), Galati (62), Braila and Salaj (69 each). (Curentul)
Romania January-May Trade Deficit Shrinks To EUR2.18B
Romania’s trade deficit narrowed to EUR2.18 billion in the first five months of 2013, from EUR3.67 billion in the year-earlier period, according to data from the country’s statistics institute INS.
Exports of Romanian-made products rose 5.7% on the year to EUR19.69 billion in January through May, but imports declined 1.9% to EUR21.87 billion, the data showed.
Vehicles amounted to 42.8% of overall exports and 34.8% of the imports in the January-May period, while other manufactured items made up for 33.8% of Romanian exports and 30.2% of imports.
In May alone, Romania’s trade gap more than halved to EUR498.6 million from EUR1.03 billion in the same month of 2012, largely reflecting a 10.5% decline in domestic demand.
Exports inched up 0.1% on the year to EUR4.02 billion in May, while imports decreased to EUR4.52 billion, from EUR5.05 billion in the same month of 2012. (Adevarul)
Romania To Export Natural Gas To Moldova, Bulgaria And Hungary
Romania may export natural gas to neighboring Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria and Hungary in the next two to three years, once the related interconnection pipelines are completed, according to the country’s energy watchdog ANRE.
Under a EUR5 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, Romania has pledged to export natural gas toward EU states as of 2013. The EU last year has launched infringement proceedings against Romania over its failure to ensure proper conditions for gas exports.
Romania has a single gas transmission line to EU states, namely the Arad-Szeged pipeline. However, the pipeline is currently used only for gas imports.
The country in August will start the construction of a new pipeline that will link Romania’s city of Iasi to Ungheni locality in Moldova, Energy Minister Constantin Nita said earlier Thursday. (Curentul)
IMF Mission To Visit Romania July 17-31 For Talks On New Loan
A mission of the International Monetary Fund will visit Bucharest between July 17 and July 31 to discuss a potential follow up agreement with Romania, the IMF said in a statement Thursday.
“The IMF mission will take place jointly with teams from the European Commission and the World Bank, and in addition to the authorities, will meet with representatives of political parties, trade unions, business associations, banks, and civil society organizations,” said Guillermo Tolosa, IMF resident representative in Romania and Bulgaria.
The IMF mission will be headed by Andrea Schaechter, who is replacing Erik de Vrijer as mission chief for Romania.
The mission will take place shortly after a visit from IMF’s chief Christine Lagarde, who will be in Bucharest on July 15-16. Lagarde is expected to deliver a speech on Romania and eastern Europe, “focusing on identifying a new growth paradigm for the region,” IMF said in a recent statement. (Evenimentul Zilei)
PM Says Talks On Rosia Montana Gold Mining Project To Be Finished By September
Negotiations regarding the Rosia Montana gold mining project will be completed by September and works will start if the Parliament approves the bill the Government will put forward, said Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta.
“We want to speed up unfreezing the project, but a decision rests with the Parliament,” he added.
The Rosia Montana gold mining project has been on halt for several years because of environmental concerns entailed by cyanide mining.
The project has been included in the Government’s national investment plan presented Thursday. According to the plan, the Government aims to protect the Romanian patrimony and increase the state’s profit share from the project to 78%.
The government decided in April this year it would set up a new company to deal exclusively with the Rosia Montana project, which it expects will bring several billion dollars to the state budget, could re-launch the country’s mining industry and create jobs. (Evenimentul Zilei)
French PM Says France Supports Romania’s Schengen Entry
French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told Romanian President Traian Basescu, during talks at the presidential Cotroceni Palace on Thursday, that France has always been in favor of Romania’s joining the border-free Schengen Area.
Ayrault said Romania’s fight against corruption and crimes will help it join the visa-free Schengen zone. (Curentul)