Gabriel Oprea Appointed Interim Prime Minister
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed a decree Monday appointing deputy prime minister Gabriel Oprea interim prime minister during Victor Ponta’s medical leave.
Ponta is on medical leave after knee surgery and proposed that President Klaus Iohannis appoint Gabriel Oprea in the interim.
Although he was released from hospital, Ponta remained in Turkey for recovery and said he would be back in “maximum 28 days”.
On Monday evening, Ponta posted several medical documents, including a health record from the hospital, on his Facebook page. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Liberal Party Raises Signatures To Dismiss Ponta
The opposition Liberal Party will start a signature raising campaign to dismiss Prime Minister Victor Ponta, party co-president Alina Gorghiu said Monday.
“We will ask citizens for help to dismiss a prime minister who refuses to listen to common sense and resign. Romania cannot afford a prime minister under investigation, who flees justice and has no respect for state institutions and citizens. The latest polls show 78% of Romanians have lost confidence in the current government,” said Gorghiu. (Romania Libera)
Taxes Weigh More Than 20% In Consumer Basket
Taxes and fees exceeds 20% of the prices of items in the consumption basket and account for as much as 75-80% for excisable products.
Besides the VAT of 24% or 9% for food items, manufacturers and traders also pay other taxes and social contributions.
For excisable products, such as fuel, alcohol and tobacco, taxes account for more of their shelf price. Taxes account for 60%, while 40% of the price of beer and wine (which have lower or no excises) is made up of taxes and their share is as high as 65%-75% for spirits. (Adevarul)
Authorities Draft Legislation Denying School Access To Unvaccinated Children
Romanian authorities are working on legislation that would ban schools and kindergartens from accepting children who have not had their vaccines and would punish doctors pleading against vaccination.
Romania needs to take urgent measures as the vaccination rate is well below the 95% level recommended by the World Health Organization, threatening public health.
“Countrywide, the vaccination rate is somewhere around 88% for the main vaccines in the national immunization program. In some counties and in capital Bucharest the figures are worrisome, somewhere around 70%,” said Alexandru Rafila, adviser to the health minister. (Evenimentul Zilei)