PSD, Senate Chairman React To Dacian Ciolos’ Statements
Chairman of the Senate, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, and PSD president, Liviu Dragnea, accused the government of being against wage hikes although Romania’s forecasted economic growth is one of the highest in EU.
“Romania’s economic growth is seen at 6% of the GDP this year, probably the highest in Europe. My question for Mr. Ciolos, which is also the question of all Romanians, is: where is the money? (…) Where is the economic growth?
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos stated that the electoral laws voted lately by the Parliament have an impact over the budget of RON9 billion, the equivalent of more than 1% of the GDP. Ciolos added that this situation would lead either to a higher deficit, which would be a catastrophic situation, or to lower funds for investments.
The PM added that the unitary wage law would be left without financing sources given that such salary raises, like those voted by the committees of the Chamber of Deputies on Monday, only trigger more imbalances between certain categories of public employees. (Puterea)
PSD Rules Out Governing Alliance With UDMR
The president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, stated Tuesday that the party does not want an alliance with the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) if PSD wins the parliamentary election.
Dragnea said that PSD’s only partner for an alliance after the parliamentary election is the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE).
As for the nomination of a PSD Prime Minister, Dragnea said that the social-democrats want this electoral campaign to focus on governing programs, not on the name of the future PM. (Adevarul)
Romgaz Invests Over EUR268M In 400 MW Thermal Power Plant In Iernut
Romania’s largest natural gas producer Romgaz Medias (SNG.RO) signed a EUR268 million contract, VAT not included, with Duro Felguera and Romelectro companies for building a new thermal power plant in Iernut, Mures county.
“One of the main strategic directions of S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ S.A is to consolidate its position on energy markets. In this case, in the field of electric power generation, the performance of this project aims to make the activity more efficient by: increasing CTE Iernut Power Plant efficiency to a minimum of 56%, compliance with the environment requirements (NOx, CO2 emissions) and improving safety operations. The project is financed from own sources and funds from the National Investment Plan (NIP) in compliance with GD 1096/2013, updated,” Romgaz said in a statement to Bucharest Stock Exchange.
The works are scheduled to be finalized in 36 months. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Mihnea Motoc: Defense Budget To Increase In 2017
The budget of defense will inevitably increase in 2017 as the national political agreement targets the assigning of 2% of the GDP to this sector, defense minister Mihnea Motoc said Tuesday.
Motoc attended the ‘SCORPIONS FURY-16’ multinational exercise at the Cincu shooting range of Brasov County.
“The defense budget will inevitably increase because the GDP volume will grow, the state budget volume will grow, so that the defense budget will implicitly increase. We are following the direction of increasing the percentage of the GDP for defense. The national political agreement targets the assigning of 2% of the GDP in 2017 and for another ten years to follow,” Motoc said. (Puterea)
Over 1,700 Vacant Jobs In European Economic Area
Over 1,700 vacant jobs are available in the European Economic Area through EURES Romania (European Employment Services), most of them in Spain, Denmark and Germany, according to the country’s employment agency ANOFM.
ANOFM said in a statement that there are 816 vacant jobs through EURES Romania in Spain, 250 in Denmark, 171 in Germany, 100 jobs in Austria, 78 in Slovakia, 71 in Great Britain, 39 in Slovenia, 25 in the Czech Republic, 12 in Norway, 10 in Bulgaria, six in Hungary, two in Malta, two in Poland and one in Luxembourg. (Adevarul)