Bucharest Hosts Sixth Edition Of Children’s Rights Festival
Capital city Bucharest is hosting the sixth edition of Children’s Rights Festival until November 27, an event organized by the Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations for Children.
Drawings, paintings, photos, plays, music for children, as well as various workshops for children will be displayed in Bucharest until November 27.
This year’s edition is organized in collaboration with the French Institute in Bucharest.
40% of children in Romania are at risk of poverty and the country has one of the highest school dropout rate in Europe. (Puterea)
Romania Posts Highest VAT Collection Deficit In CEE Countries
Romania registers the highest deficit in collecting the value added tax (VAT) among countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), according to global consulting firm PwC.
“According to official data of the European Commission (in 2013 – e.n.), EU member countries in Central and Eastern Europe register the highest VAT collection deficits (triggered by the difference between the VAT revenue that should be collected to the state budget and the actual revenue collection) ranging between 22.4% in the Czech Republic and 41.1% in Romania. The rest of the CEE countries (…) also register high VAT collection deficits, namely, 24.4% (Hungary), 26.7% (Poland) and 34.9% (Slovakia),” PwC said in a statement.
According to PwC, in the past years, several CEE countries, such as Romania, Slovakia, Poland, set off reforms of tax administration, as well as modernization programs aimed at reducing the VAT collection deficit. (Puterea)
Romania To Lose RON900M EU Funds At CFR
Romania stands to lose European Union funds worth RON900 million at its state-owned railway operator CFR, because of failure to complete the modernization of several railway sections by the end of the year.
In the last eight years, namely, since the EU has been assigning non-reimbursable funds to Romania (including for infrastructure works), only 134 km of modernized rail lines for trains running with speeds of up to 160 km/hour have been completed, according to a report of CFR.
Only 41 km of rail lines between Curtici and Radna, nearly 36 km between Coslariu and Simeria and 57 km on the Coslariu/Sighisoara section have been modernized. (Adevarul)
President Iohannis Signs Postal Voting Bill Into Law
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday signed the postal voting bill into law.
Romania’s Constitutional Court has rejected contests submitted by ALDE and UDMR and ruled the correspondence voting law, adopted in parliament on October 28, is constitutional.
The correspondence voting system should be applicable at the next parliamentary election, which is due at the end of 2016.
The bill targets Romanians who live abroad. Postal voting describes the method of voting in an election whereby ballot papers are distributed or returned by post to electors, in contrast to electors voting in person at a polling station or electronically via an electronic voting system. (Evenimentul Zilei)
PM Ciolos Asks For Details Regarding Administrative Reform
Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos asked Regional Development Minister Vasile Dancu to ponder “in the upcoming period” over the principle of the administrative reform, arguing that this aspect is related to the main objectives of his governing program.
Ciolas said the government will adopt an ordinance on the organization of ministries after his Cabinet has secured a confidence vote in Parliament.
He also said there will be made some changes in the structure of several ministries, adding a new ministry for consultations and civic dialog will be set up.
Ciolos pointed out that civil society does not mean only non-governmental organizations, but also various forms of sectorial organization, in the business environment. (Puterea)