Romania’s Foreign Intelligence Chief Quits Service To Run For President
The head of Romania’s Foreign Intelligence Agency Teodor Melescanu quit his position in the service Monday to run for president in the upcoming November election.
Melescanu is expected to submit his candidacy at the Central Electoral Bureau Tuesday morning. (Evenimentul Zilei)
EC Experts Assess Romania’s Justice Reform Progress
Experts of the European Commission started a new assessment of Romania’s progress in justice reform, under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.
EC experts met with Romanian Justice Minister Robert Cazanciuc.
The Commission’s report on Romania’s justice reform is expected to be released at the end of this year or early 2015. (Romania Libera)
Romania Postpones Gas Price Hike For Household Consumers
The Romanian government has postponed a gas price increase for household consumers set for October, adopting a decision that also stipulates the renegotiation of the gas market deregulation calendar, extending the period until June 30, 2021 for household consumers.
Minister-delegate for Energy Razvan Nicolescu said a week ago the deregulation of prices for natural gas produced in Romania and delivered to household consumers will be suspended indefinitely. He added the deregulation of gas prices for corporate consumers will be postponed by at least two and a half years.
Under a deregulation scheme agreed with the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, Romania has pledged to deregulate gas and electricity prices and align them to European levels by 2018. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Romania To Operate Second Budget Revision Next Week
Romania’s second budget revision this year will be operated next week, Prime Minister Victor Ponta said Monday, adding the revision will be positive.
Ponta said added that the revision will consider recent talks with European Commission experts in Brussels.
Ponta gave assurance that Romania has money to pay salaries and said the government will try to assign more funding to the healthcare sector and local development.
Romanian government and central bank officials were in Brussels last week to assess the country’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund, European Commission and the World Bank. (Puterea)
Posta Romana To Distribute 90% Of Health Cards By End-October
Romanian state-owned postal operator Posta Romana and the country’s health insurance house CNAS signed an agreement whereby Posta Romana will distribute health cards under a four-year contract of RON37.5 million (EUR8.5 million).
The distribution process started on September 18 and the postal operator is estimated to deliver 13.6 million health cards in four years.
The postal operator has agreed to deliver 12.4 million cards, 91% of the total, by the end of October, said general manager Alexandru Petrescu. (Romania Libera)