Antonescu Sets Stage To Make A Comeback At The Top Of Liberal Party
Former Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu has taken a step back as Klaus Iohannis was designated the party’s presidential candidate but is preparing his comeback at the top of the organization, say analysts interviewed by newspaper Adevarul.
Antonescu on Monday lost the race for the designation of a presidential candidate to Iohannis but his reaction was restrained despite having positioned himself as Iohannis’ staunch opponent just one week before. (Adevarul)
President Sends Law On Social Security Tax Cut Back To Parliament
President Traian Basescu sent back to the parliament the law on social security tax cut, asking for a clarification of the means to offset its impact on the state budget.
Basescu expressed concern that the fiscal impact of the tax cut cannot be offset without increasing the existing taxes or introducing new ones.
Basescu called upon the prime minister and the finance minister to specify the financing sources meant to compensate the measure’s negative impact on the state budget, but the discussions were inconclusive. (Gandul)
Romania To Sue Enel For EUR0.5 Billion
Romania’s energy stock administration SAPE, formerly part of Electrica and under the authority of the Department for Energy, will sue Italian utility giant Enel for EUR521.5 million over the privatization of Electrica Muntenia Sud.
Energy minister Razvan Nicolesu presented a note to the Cabinet stating the country will be suing Enel at the Arbitration Court in Paris.
Enel announced recently it plans to sell its Romanian operations. The Italian utility bought Electrica Banat and Electrica Dobrogea from the state in 2005 and Electrica Muntenia Sud in 2008. (Romania Libera)
Tax Authority Collected RON88.275B In Budget Revenue In 1H
Romania’s tax authority ANAF collected budget revenues of RON88.275 billion in the first half of the year, more than RON3 billion higher than during the same period last year, when collections amounted to RON85.086 billion.
Public finance administration offices collected tax revenue of RON84.315 billion in the first six months of the year, while customs authorities collected RON3.96 billion. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Adrian Nastase To Be Released On Parole; Ruling Not Final
Former Romanian prime minister Adrian Nastase will be released on parole, a Bucharest district court ruled Wednesday.
The ruling is not final and anticorruption prosecutors said they would appeal. Nastase remains in prison at least until a final ruling is passed.
Nastase is serving prison time after being found guilty of corruption. (Romania Libera)
Former Senator Catalin Voicu Accused In New Corruption Case
Former social democrat senator Catalin Voicu, serving a six-year sentence for influence peddling, is criminally investigated in a new corruption case.
Anticorruption prosecutors said Voicu is suspected of accessory to abuse of office for allegedly intervening in 2004-2005 to get the management of electricity producer Electrica to favor a certain company.
Prosecutors said Voicu’s alleged actions defrauded the state of EUR1.6 million. (Gandul)
Health Minister Approves Criteria For Reimbursed And Free Medicine List Updates
Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu approved Wednesday an order setting criteria for the updating of the national list of reimbursed and free medicines.
Banicioiu said the approval of evaluation criteria is the most important step in continuing the list updating process. He added the evaluation methodology will allow a new approach in the system and the regular update of the medicines list for the benefit of patients. (Adevarul)