Food Safety Authority Conducted 8,528 Checkups In February
Romania’s National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) conducted 8,528 checkups in February, issuing 123 warnings and 98 fines worth RON166,200.
Checkups targeted mainly aspects regarding the quality of the spaces in which food products are handled, processed, the spaces used to store raw material and finished products, as well as documents, hygiene and operational conditions. (Adevarul)
OTP Bank Romania Extends Program For Conversion Of Swiss Franc Loans
OTP Bank Romania has extended by one month the program for the conversion of Swiss franc loans, said the bank’s Chief Executive Officer Laszlo Diosi.
Thus, the 3,500 clients who expressed interest in having their Swiss franc loans converted, but did not formally request to join the program, will have more time to make a decision in this respect, said Diosi. So far, 8,500 clients hoding this type of loans expressed interest in the program, of whom 5,000 made formal requests to join the program and 3,000 signed the loan conversion contracts.
The benefits granted by OTP Bank Romania to those joining the program amount to CHF30 million. The conversion program was announced in December 2015, but it started a month later after the bank had adopted a new contract model. When the program was launched, the bank said it would last three months. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Investment Rate Seen Further Up By End-2017 – Finance Minister
Romanian authorities expect a growth in investment rate by the end of 2017, after a 7.5% increase last year, as it is one of the highest in the European Union, at 24.9% of GDP, Finance Minister Anca Dragu said Wednesday.
Dragu said, at a conference for the presentation of EC’s Country Report Romania 2016, that the private sector is the main “driving force” for investments, while public investments continue to face “considerable challenges”. Public capital investments rose 26.3% last year.
“In Romania, the economic growth is sustainable and is based on investments, the investment growth rate stood at 7.5% last year, while the adjustment of external imbalances is preponderantly structural. We are aware that we need to continue structural reforms to maintain this positive trend,” Dragu added.
Dragu said that Romania’s potential GDP, of 2.8% in 2015, is placing the country on top spots in the European Union, as it rose from 1% in 2011. Authorities expect a potential GDP of 3.4% this year and 3.8% in 2017. (Puterea)
Vasile Blaga Says Liberals Displeased With Senate Chairman Popescu Tariceanu
Vasile Blaga, co-president of the National Liberal Party (PNL), on Wednesday said liberals are displeased with the way Calin Popescu Tariceanu is running the Senate.
”We are not pleased with the way the Senate Chairman is running the Senate. He has failed to fulfil so many objectives,” said Blaga, referring to the ordinance regarding the migration of mayors, which is blocked at Senate although it was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, and to the bill on electing mayors in two rounds. (Puterea)
PM Ciolos On Visit To The Hague
Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos paid an official visit to the Netherlands on Wednesday, to meet his Dutch counterpart, members of the Parliament and of the local Romanian community.
During talks with Dutch officials, Ciolos emphasized Romania’s political and economic stability, as well as the fact that the Romanian society has matured in the context of progresses registered in the latest report within the European Commission’s Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (MCV), the government said in a statement.
Ciolos believes the talks held with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte are extremely important in order to present the realities in Romania. He also believes the Romanian society is able to assume responsibility for the independence of justice and the fight against corruption, without any external supervision.
The prime minister pointed out that Romania is ready to join the visa-free Schengen area and said he personally hopes for a positive and fruitful collaboration with the Netherlands in the coming months. (Adevarul)