PM Tudose Urges Consumer Protection Authority To Release Report On Banking System Checkups
Prime Minister Mihai Tudose asked Economy Ministry representatives to urge the Consumer Protection Authority ANPC to release a synthesis of checkups conducted in the banking system.Tudose has repeatedly expressed doubts regarding the correctness of reports drawn up by banks regarding their financial situation. He added that people could even be warned regrding the safety of deposits opened at banks which declared loss for years. (gandul.info)
Victor Ponta Launches His Own Political Party Former prime minister Victor Ponta on Sunday launched his latest political project called „Pro Romania”, together with Sorin Cimpeanu and Daniel Constantin. Last Friday, Ponta said he was not willing to reach any compromise with social democrat head Liviu Dragnea.Dragnea in turn said he did not think the Social Democratic Party (PSD) „woud break up” after Ponta has established his party. (romanialibera.ro)
Energy Ministry Amends Romania’s Energy Strategy Again
The Energy Ministry set up a workgroup which will update, until mid-October, Romania’s draft energy strategy for the 2017 – 2030 period, which will also include a list of priority investments in the sector, such as the third and fourth nuclear reactors at Cernavoda.
Energy Ministry state secretary Andrei Maioreanu said the ministry plans to update the draft in accordance with the governing program and, at the end of July, Energy Minister Toma Petcu issued an order on the setup of a workgroup to this end.
Maioreanu also said the draft will be debated and approved through parliamentary procedure after amendments to the energy law which, under its current form, sets the adoption of the energy strategy through government decision. (romanialibera.ro)
Romania, Champion At C-Section Births
Romania registered the biggest increase in the number of Cesarean births because related rules had been very strict before 1990. Under the current legislation, the doctor, not the future mother, is the one deciding on the need for a C-section, based on medical reasons.
C-section births on demand have not been deductible by the state since March 1, 2014.
There is a huge difference between European countries in terms of C-section deliveries, according to a BBC report. In the UK, over a quarter of pregnant women had C-section deliveries. (cotidianul.ro)
Foreign Investors Council Criticizes Split VAT
The Foreign Investors Council (FIC) criticized the government’s plan to impose separate payment accounts for value-added tax as of January 1, 2018 saying it will have a serious impact on the business environment and will cause severe halts in operations for all parties involved.
Burdening honest taxpayers with administrative and bureaucratic issues such as split VAT accounts is not a good strategy to curb tax evasion in the long run, said the organization that represents over 130 multinational companies operating in Romania.
FIC said the measure would cause major blockages in the activity of all parties involved, from companies that will have to implement the new system to state treasury units that will set up the accounts and the tax authority that will have to approve a large number of transfers from current accounts to VAT accounts in a short amount of time.
The organization calls on authorities to consult the European Commission on the matter and to make an impact study to assess the measure’s effect on tax evasion and its costs on the business environment. (puterea.ro)