UNICEF Uses Recurring Texts For First Time In Romania As Fundraising Method
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is using recurring text messages, for the first time in Romania, to raise funds for children with disabilities.
The Association for Community Relations (ARC) is helping UNICEF in this respect.
UNICEF Romania representative Sandie Blanchet said Romania is the third country in the world, after Norway and Great Britain, where UNICEF has introduced the fundraising method based on recurring text messages. (Curentul)
Highschool Graduation Exam Passing Rate At 55.52%
Romania’s Education Ministry has announced that 55.52% of Romanian students passed their highschool graduation exam this year, in the summer session.
This year’s national exam passing rate is the highest in the last three years, namely, 45.7% in 2011 and 44.4% in 2012. (Gandul)
Romania Average Net Wage Slides 3% In May
Romanian average net salary fell 3% to 1,611 lei (EUR362.7) in May, from RON1,661 a month earlier, according to the statistics institute INS.
Gross average salary decreased by 3.2% to RON2,226, the data showed.
Staff in the financial sector fell by 22.6% to 25.6% on the month in May, while Romanians working in insurance received by 10% to 14% less money compared with the previous month.
At the opposite end, employees in the oil equipment field were paid by 7.5% more in May, the data showed.
In May compared with the year-earlier month, Romanian average net salary rose 5.3% in nominal terms. (Curentul)
Romania’s New Public Sector Wage Law To Also Consider Employee Job Performance
Romania’s public sector wages will include both a fixed amount and a variable sum based on employee job performance and the new system will be regulated through a new bill regarding public wages in 2014, according to a document obtained by news agency MEDIAFAX.
The new wage system will still include a lower and an upper limit, but it will also stipulate an amount which will depend on employee job performance.
According to the latest data presented by the Government, 1.187 million people work in Romania’s public sector.
Three weeks ago, MEDIAFAX announced, citing a government document, that public sector wages will be increased annually through the new wage law, starting 2014, in stages and successively, but only for state employees whose base salaries are lower than those set after the enforcement of the new law.
Under the Government’s new bill regulating wages in the public sector for 2014 and upcoming years, the base salaries for each category will be set as nominal values using a coefficient I worth 800 lei (some EUR179.4), which corresponds to the minimum gross wage starting July 1, and the existing classification coefficients. The difference between the two successive wage categories will be kept at 2.5%. (Gandul)
Romanian MEP Cristian Preda Suspended From PDL For Six Months
The members of the National Council of Romania’s opposition Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) convened over the weekend and officially suspended MEP Cristian Preda from the party for six months.
Preda’s suspension from PDL received 345 pros and 182 cons.
Preda said he was suspended from PDL because he publicly criticized the party’s leader Vasile Blaga. (Adevarul)
Romania’s Current EU Funds Absorption Rate At Over 19% On July 5
Romania’s current EU funds absorption rate reached over 19% on July 5 after the country submitted refund requests to the European Commission (EC) for an additional EUR135 million through the EU-funded operational program for transport (POS-T).
Romania has submitted requests to the EC for reimbursements of over EUR655 million through the transport program.
European Fund Minister Eugen Teodorovici said Romania’s refund requests to the EC target around EUR3.7 billion through the seven Romanian EU-funded programs, arguing the amount currently helps Romania not lose EU funds.
The amount reimbursed to Romania by the EC stands at nearly EUR3 billion, which accounts for 15.30% of the funds allotted by the European Union. (Adevarul)