President Started Referendum Procedures Tuesday
President Traian Basescu said he sent a letter to Parliament Tuesday triggering procedures for the organization of a national referendum.
The Parliament has 20 days to issue its consultative stance.
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. He 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. (Adevarul)
Prime Minister Victor Ponta Criticizes Liberal Ministers
Prime Minister Victor Ponta started this week’s Cabinet meeting with public criticism targeting two liberal ministers and the head of the Romanian Cultural Institute, who was not present.
If Ponta’s Cabinet meeting openers were peppered with criticism targeting the opposition Democratic Liberal Party or President Traian Basescu, criticism is now more often aimed at liberal allies.
Ponta scolded Culture Minister Daniel Barbu for commenting that German chancellor Angela Merkel had come unprepared to the meeting she had with Ponta in Berlin Monday. (Evenimentul Zilei)
EC Rejects Romania’s Plans To Delay Gas Price Deregulation
The European Commission has rejected Romania’s proposition to postpone its gas price deregulation calendar, despite industrialists’ warnings over negative effects and the doubling of household bills over the next five years.
Romanian authorities had proposed to put off deregulation for six months but the EU opposed. Prime Minister Victor Ponta said Wednesday the reply from Brussels was negative and Romania had committed to deregulate its gas market since it joined the EU in 2007.
“Their motivation is very clear; we should have deregulated this market ever since we joined the EU in 2007. It’s a European principle,” said Ponta. (Adevarul)
Tax Authority ANAF Collected RON13.6B In Budget Revenues In May
Despite a 2.6% nominal increase, total revenues to the state budget collected by tax authority ANAF in May point to massive declines in tax collections, which were slightly balanced by income tax and VAT collections.
ANAF collected budget revenues totaling RON13.6 billion in May 2013, 2.6% (nominal index) higher than in May 2012, when revenues stood at RON13,25 billion. However, adjusted for inflation, which stood at 5.32% on the year in May 2013, the marginal year-on-year growth translates into a 2.7% decline.
The biggest declines were registered in tax on profit collections, where revenues were lower by RON118.7 million in nominal terms (-26.2%).
(Evenimentul Zilei)
Romanian Companies To Slow Down Hiring In Third Quarter
The hiring outlook in Romania will weaken by 3 percentage points in the third quarter of 2013 compared with the previous quarter and by 7 percentage points compared with the similar interval a year ago, according to a survey conducted by recruitment company Manpower.
Romanian employers report cautiously optimistic hiring plans for the third quarter, the survey reads. “While 19% of employers expect to increase staffing levels, 9% anticipate a decrease and 70% forecast no change, resulting in a net employment outlook of +10%.”
The survey polled 632 Romanian employers.
Romanian employers are among the most optimistic in Europe and offer hiring opportunities in most activity areas, Valentin Petrof, country manager of ManpowerGroup Romania, said. Employers are relaxed despite uncertainty on external markets, which may affect their business, and don’t expect significant staff changes, he added. (Gandul)
Istanbul Safe To Visit, Say Romanian Tour Operators
Tourists may visit Istanbul unrestrained, as long as they avoid the Taksim area, where protests are taking place, Romanian tour operators’ association ANAT said.
ANAT added tourism is unaffected in Antalya, Bodrum, and Kusadasi and Turkey remains one of Romanians’ top three vacation destinations.
“Romanian tourists may visit Istanbul and avoid the Taksim area in the evening. Activity is normal in Turkey’s tourist resorts Antalya, Bodrum, Kusadasi. Recent events have not affected transpiration in Istanbul or other areas in Turkey and do not hinder tourism,” ANAT said in a statement. (Gandul)