Students Threaten Protests
The National Alliance of Student Organizations in Romania (ANOSR) said it will stage protests over the next weeks unless Education Ministry officials find a way to solve their problems.
ANOSR head Mihai Dragos said students’ main problems target financing in the education sector, student accommodation fees and scholarships.
Dragos added that protests will gradually turn into street rallies and ultimately lead to strikes unless students’ demands are met. (Curentul)
GFR Submits Incomplete Papers To Get Approval For CFR Marfa Acquisition
Romanian Grup Feroviar Roman (GFR) submitted incomplete documents to the Competition Council to get the latter’s approval for the acquisition of railway freight carrier CFR Marfa, Council head Bogdan Chiritoiu said recently.
Chiritoiu said GFR’s papers are incomplete and the antitrust body will ask the company to provide complete information. He added the watchdog will subsequently give its verdict as soon as possible.
Early September, the Transport Ministry and Grup Feroviar Roman (GFR) signed the sale contract for CFR Marfa.
In June this year, GFR won the auction to take over 51% of CFR Marfa, offering EUR202 million. GFR also committed to invest RON900 million in the company and another EUR1.5 million in environmental projects. (Gandul)
Romanians To Face New Wave Of Price Hikes Starting October
Romanians will pay higher utility and food prices due to an increase in gas prices starting October.
Niculae Havrilet, head of Romania’s energy watchdog ANRE, has recently said household consumers will pay by 1% more for natural gas as of October 1, while the companies’ bill will increase by 2%.
According to Havrilet, natural gas prices won’t increase as much as initially expected in October, as the country has stored enough cheap gas from local producers for this winter.
Under a deregulation scheme agreed with the International Monetary Fund and the EU, natural gas prices were supposed to increase by 2% for households and by 3% for corporate customers.
Romania has pledged to deregulate gas and electricity prices and align them to European levels by 2018. (Evenimentul Zilei)
PM Ponta Announced New Budget Revision In October
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta has recently said the government will operate a new budget revision in October.
Ponta also said the budget revision is based on the principle of “taking money from some and giving it to others,” as the government has no “secret financing sources.” (Adevarul)
Crin Antonescu Says Liberals Won’t Be Ousted From Ruling Coalition USL
Liberal leader Crin Antonescu said the opponents of the country’s ruling coalition USL are making all sorts of statements aimed to stir up conflicts between the Liberal Party (PNL) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which form USL.
Antonescu dismissed President Traian Basescu’s recent statement alleging that PSD will have its own candidate at the presidential elections due in 2014.
According to Antonescu, USL’s opponents keep talking about PNL and PSD having their own separate presidential runners just to stir up conflicts within the ruling coalition. (Evenimentul Zilei)