Victor Ponta Claims He Wants Electronic Voting For Romanians Abroad
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who lost the presidential race in which he had started out as the favorite, addressed lawmakers Tuesday saying he regrets the problems that occurred at polling stations abroad.
Ponta said he apologizes for the poor organization of the ballot for Romanians abroad, adding he has “paid the political price” of this organization, alongside former foreign ministers Titus Corlatean and Teodor Melescanu.
He also said the current election law no longer corresponds to demographic and free circulation realities and Romania should introduce electronic or correspondence voting so all Romanian citizens ca exercise their right to vote. (Puterea)
Liberal Party Plans No-Confidence Motion After February 1
The Liberal Party plans to submit a no-confidence motion in parliament after February 1, said party vice-president Sulfina Barbu.
Barbu said the party will submit a no-confidence motion against Ponta’s government in the upcoming parliamentary session. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Business Owners Call For Funding Based On Public Policies
The business environment calls on the government, before it present the draft budget for next year, to assign funding to SMEs based on public policies and to assess the results of these policies.
Business owners say SMEs programs should be rethought and the government should maintain the flat tax and lower social security contributions.
“The budget supplement required by the minister for SMEs is ridiculous. Funding 25 business support schemes with very little money assigned to each scheme amounts to nothing. Funding should not be assigned to ministries but directed based on public policies, with clear goals and assessments,” said Cristian Parvan, secretary general of the AOAR business association. (Romania Libera)
Entrepreneurs Call For Flat Tax And Lower Social Security To Remain Unchanged In 2015
Romanian entrepreneurs consider it is very important to maintain the flat tax and lower social security contributions in 2015.
They also call on the government to rethink programs for SMEs and discard plans to raise wages in the public sector, which would be unsustainable.
“Raising the flat tax would kill any investment,” said Dragos Petrescu, owner of the City Grill restaurant chain and member of the Coalition for the Development of Romania. (Curierul National)
Health Minister Says 2015 Healthcare Budget Could Be Raised
Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu said Tuesday the ministry’s 2015 budget could be raised in 2015 to include wage raises promised to doctors and grants for resident doctors.
The minister also said more money would be assigned to healthcare programs, including cancer screening tests.
“Money is an issue only up to a point. The thing is how to manage that money so it is spent where needed. I don’t think problems can be fixed just by assigning more money. We need a system that works,” Banicioiu said at a conference organized by Mediafax. (Adevarul)
Auto Repair Shop Reps To Protest Against Financial Regulator Siding With Insurers
The association of independent auto repair shops (ASSAI) will organize a protest rally on December 2 against the Romanian financial regulator’s protective behavior towards insurers.
The protest, authorized by city hall, will take place outside the parliament and the financial regulator’s headquarters and is estimated to gather 700 to 1,000 representatives of auto shops.
The association said the protest is triggered by the general discontent of nearly 5 million people with car insurance towards the lack of transparency and abuses of the regulator and insurers. (Puterea)