Geoana Calls For Ponta’s Resignation
Mircea Geoana, head of the Romanian Social Party (PSRO), said Sunday Prime Minister Victor Ponta should resign if he is unable to perform his duties for personal reasons, Agerpres reported.
“Governing Romania should not be reduced to a part-time job for someone who has too many personal problems to deal with and cannot perform his official duties (…) Romanians are entitled to a prime minister who deals with government not personal and legal matters,” said Geoana.
He added a country’s government should not be left in the hands of one person and should not return to the Cabinet. (Romania Libera)
Ponta Proposed Gabriel Oprea For Interim Prime Minister
Prime Minister Victor Ponta is on medical leave after knee surgery and proposed that President Klaus Iohannis appoint Gabriel Oprea in the interim.
The Constitution does not force the head of state to accept the prime minster’s suggestion.
Iohannis may designate any Cabinet member to serve as interim prime minister. Although he was released from hospital, Ponta remained in Turkey for recovery and said he would be back in “maximum 28 days”. (Jurnalul National)
START Program For Entrepreneurship Debuts On June 22
The START program, which allows entrepreneurs to gain access to non-reimbursable state financing of RON120,000 starts Monday, June 22.
Applications may be submitted between June 22 and July 1.
The START program has a budget of RON20 million, enough to fund 150 beneficiaries were they to apply for the maximum available financing. (Adevarul)
Farmers In Poor Areas Denied Subsidies Under New EU Criteria
Farmers is poor areas with low outputs will no longer benefit from EU funding due to new criteria imposed by the Union, even though the map of underprivileged areas for the next six years has been considerably enlarged.
Last year, the European Commission wished to establish unitary legislation in the definition of underprivileged areas in agriculture and designated an Italian research institute to establish criteria across the EU.
Among others, the institute decided to no longer tie earth quality factors to environmental factors, a novelty for Romania. The application of the new criteria has led to anomalies, as large output areas, such as the southern part of Romania and the Danube grassland, were categorized as underprivileged, while poorer areas, with low outputs and impoverished populations, were taken off the new grid. (Romania Libera)
Medicine Prices To Be Lowered Starting July 1
Long demanded and awaited by patients, the price of medicines will be lowered starting July 1.
Most pharmaceutical producers have accepted the tariffs imposed by the Health Ministry after three months of negotiations. Medicine prices will be reduced by an average 20%. (Jurnalul National)