President Calls For New Referendum On Lawmaker Numbers
Romanian president Traian Basescu announced Tuesday evening he triggered procedures for a new national referendum over making the Parliament single-chamber and limiting the number of MPs to 300.
Basescu said he is calling for a new referendum because the current parliamentary majority did not observe the people’s will, expressed in a 2009 referendum on the same issues.
“I am determined to make lawmakers observe people’s vote and act accordingly,” said Basescu. (Adevarul)
Antonescu Says Revised Constitution Bill Doesn’t Depend On President Basescu
Senate Chairman Crin Antonescu said “it no longer matters what President Basescu has to say”, adding the head of state is irked he cannot control the Constitution revision committee.
Antonescu, who heads the committee, said the revised constitution bill does not depend on Basescu, whom he deemed a figure of even though he still has some power.
“Among other things, this Constitution makes regionalization possible. The Constitution bill does not belong to Traian Basescu, who is a figure of the past. It doesn’t matter what Basescu thinks,” said Antonescu. (Gandul)
EC Opposes Romania’s Plan To Postpone Gas Price Deregulation
The Government plans to postpone by six months the deregulation of natural gas prices, but European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger has recommended Romania should stick to its current calendar.
In May this year, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy (DG Ener) informed Oettinger of Romania’s intention, but the official recommended the country should keep its current liberalization calendar.
Under a EUR5 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund, the EU and the World Bank, Romania has pledged to deregulate gas and electricity prices and align them to European levels by 2018. (Adevarul)
Romania Postpones Lowering VAT On Bread To 9% For After July 1
Prime Minister Victor Ponta said the ordinance lowering the value added tax on bread from 24% to 9% would be adopted after July 1, because the government can’t operate a budget revision in the first half of the year.
Finance Ministry state secretary Dan Manolescu said recently a lower sales tax on bread depends on political decisions and talks with officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) who will decide whether or not they support the measure.
Mid-May, Ponta said the government would have to allot 250 million lei (EUR55.2 million) for the cutting of the sales tax on bread starting July 1. Earlier this year, he said the proposed VAT cut targeted to reduce tax evasion in the bread industry and increase sales. (Curentul)
Salaries In Five Romanian Countries Dropped Over Past Year
Salaries in five Romanian counties have declined over the past year, according to data published by the statistics institute INS.
The biggest decrease in the average monthly net salary, of 5%, was registered in Giurgiu county, where it stood at RON1,281 in February 2012 and dropped to RON1,218 in February 2013.
On the other hand, the average net wage in Salaj county increased 12.6% in the same period.
Overall, the average net salary increased 2.7% on the month in April, to around RON1,660. (Gandul)
Six Romanian Counties Under Orange Code Alert For Floods
Romanian weather and water management authorities have issued an orange code alert for floods on rivers transiting six counties, valid Tuesday night through Wednesday evening.
The six counties in question are Arges, Caras-Severin, Dambovita, Dolj, Hunedoara, and Prahova.
Several other countie sin the north, center and eastern parts of the country are under yellow code alert for floods during the same period. (Curentul)