Corneliu Calota Appointed Cabinet Spokesman
Prime Minister Victor Ponta appointed Corneliu Calota to the position of Government spokesman Thursday, replacing Mirel Palada.
Calota is an adviser with the prime minister’s Cabinet. The appointment decision was published in Romania’s Official Journal Thursday evening. (Romania Libera)
Democratic Liberal Party Threatens To Oust Emil Boc
Democrat liberals threaten to oust Cluj-Napoca mayor Emil Boc from the party after stating publicly he supports Elena Udrea for president, instead of the party’s officially backed candidate.
A recent emergency decree allows local officials to switch political affiliations within 45 days without losing their term. Democrat liberals expect Boc to quit the party and continue independently. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Romania To Lower Special Construction Tax From 1.5% To 1% Of Construction Value
Romania’s tax on special constructions, introduced earlier this year, will be lowered from 1.5% to 1% of the construction value, and the tax revenues will be placed at the disposal of local authorities instead of added to the state budget, Prime Minster Victor Ponta said Thursday.
Some experts said the measure’s purpose is related to the upcoming presidential election, while others see it as manipulative.
Ionut Dumitru, head of the Fiscal Council, said this tax is the main reason that pushed Romania into technical recession. (Romania Libera)
Most Romanians Shop Online Every Three Months
Online stores are becoming a serious alternative to traditional stores as most Romanians will shop online every three months, a survey has found.
Equally men and women, 26% of respondents shop online every three months. Most of them are aged 40-60 and have high education and social status.
When shopping online, Romanians mostly buy electronics and household appliances, followed by clothing and footwear. (Curierul National)
European Commission Approves New Treatment For Chronic Hepatitis C
The European Commission has approved Daclatasvir (Daklinza, produced by Bristol-Myers Squibb) to treat adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in combination with other drugs, the company announced.
The approval follows an endorsement in June by the European Medicines Agency Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.
The company notes that oral daclatasvir in combination with oral sofosbuvir provided cure rates of up to 100% in clinical trials. (Romania Libera)