The Budget Commission within Romania’s Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved on June 22 the new Fiscal Code, which includes the VAT rate cut from 24% to 19% starting January 1, 2016.
Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said that analyses show that such a measure will have good effects in the economy, reports local romania-insider.com.
Already the opposition said it is favorable to the new VAT rate, "unless the budget income do not allow".
Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced on June 21 on his Facebook page that the Government will support the general VAT rate cut from 24% to 19%, and not to 20% like previously announced. He said the cut should be applied before January 1, 2016.
Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu and Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici visited Mr. Ponta in Turkey, where the Prime Minister went for a knee operation.
They discussed the VAT cut and the drug price reduction, Victor Ponta said.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
President Iohannis Appoints Vice PM Gabriel Oprea Interim Prime Minister
President Klaus Iohannis has signed on Monday a decree to designate Vice PM Gabriel Oprea as interim Prime Minister, during the period of impossibility of exercising the prerogatives of Prime Minister by Victor Ponta, the Presidential Administration informs.
Previously, the president had announced he was waiting for medical documents to attest that Prime Minister Victor Ponta was unable to carry on his responsibilities as head of government.
Deputy Prime Minister Oprea (54yo) is the leader of the National Union for the Progress of Romania, the junior partner in the governing coalition head by Ponta’s Social Democrats, and also head of security affairs.
He had already taken over some of the Prime Minister’s responsibilities last week, as Ponta went through surgery in a clinic in Turkey and said he needed a long period of recovery.
Victor Ponta is being prosecuted for corruption, but, invoking his knee surgery, called for a postponement.
A General Turned Successful Politician
Gabriel Oprea graduated from the Active Officers' Military School in Sibiu with a degree in Military administration. He earned too a PhD in Law at the Bucharest University. He is a four-star Lieutenant general (retired) from 2009.
Gabriel Oprea is a constant presence in the Romanian cabinets beginning with 2002.
Between 2001 — 2002, Gabriel Oprea was Secretary of State, president of the National State Reserves Administration; between 2002 and 2003 he was Bucharest Prefect.
He was a PSD member between 2003 — 2009, between June 19, 2003 — July 14, 2004, he served as Minister-delegate for Public Administration in the Ministry of Administration and the Interior.
Ilfov deputy in the Parliament of Romania on behalf of PSD in 2004. He renewed his term of deputy on November 2008.
On December 2008, he was sworn in as Minister of Administration and the Interior in the first government headed by Emil Boc. He held this position until January 13, 2009, when he resigned.
Gabriel Oprea was appointed on December 2009 to take over the portfolio of Minister of National Defence, in the new Boc Government.
As of May 1, 2010 Oprea is the president of the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR).
He held the portfolio of Defence until February 6, 2012.
As of February 9, 2012 and until May 7, 2012 he was Minister of Defence in the Ungureanu Government.
In the December 2012 parliamentary elections he obtained a seat of Senator in Bucharest.
As of December 21, 2012 he is Deputy Prime Minister in the Ponta II Cabinet.
Since January 23, 2014 he serves as acting Minister of Internal Affairs.
Sources: RRI, Agerpres.
Previously, the president had announced he was waiting for medical documents to attest that Prime Minister Victor Ponta was unable to carry on his responsibilities as head of government.
Deputy Prime Minister Oprea (54yo) is the leader of the National Union for the Progress of Romania, the junior partner in the governing coalition head by Ponta’s Social Democrats, and also head of security affairs.
He had already taken over some of the Prime Minister’s responsibilities last week, as Ponta went through surgery in a clinic in Turkey and said he needed a long period of recovery.
Victor Ponta is being prosecuted for corruption, but, invoking his knee surgery, called for a postponement.
A General Turned Successful Politician
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| Four-star General, multi-minister and interim prime minister Gabriel Oprea. |
Gabriel Oprea is a constant presence in the Romanian cabinets beginning with 2002.
Between 2001 — 2002, Gabriel Oprea was Secretary of State, president of the National State Reserves Administration; between 2002 and 2003 he was Bucharest Prefect.
He was a PSD member between 2003 — 2009, between June 19, 2003 — July 14, 2004, he served as Minister-delegate for Public Administration in the Ministry of Administration and the Interior.
Ilfov deputy in the Parliament of Romania on behalf of PSD in 2004. He renewed his term of deputy on November 2008.
On December 2008, he was sworn in as Minister of Administration and the Interior in the first government headed by Emil Boc. He held this position until January 13, 2009, when he resigned.
Gabriel Oprea was appointed on December 2009 to take over the portfolio of Minister of National Defence, in the new Boc Government.
As of May 1, 2010 Oprea is the president of the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR).
He held the portfolio of Defence until February 6, 2012.
As of February 9, 2012 and until May 7, 2012 he was Minister of Defence in the Ungureanu Government.
In the December 2012 parliamentary elections he obtained a seat of Senator in Bucharest.
As of December 21, 2012 he is Deputy Prime Minister in the Ponta II Cabinet.
Since January 23, 2014 he serves as acting Minister of Internal Affairs.
Sources: RRI, Agerpres.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
PM Ponta Will Resume Its Activity "Within a Maximum of 28 Days"
Prime Minister Victor Ponta is going to resume his activity as head of the Government within maximum 28 days, informs a release of the Government on Sunday sent to Agerpres.
"The doctors decided that the Prime Minister Victor Ponta can be released from hospital today [i.e. Sunday], but he must still see a specialist daily, for the next seven days.
"The complicated recovery process, including treatments and physical therapy, will take at least 14 days, which means that within maximum 28 days the head of the Executive will be able to resume his normal activity at the Victoria Palace [the Government office].
"The Government activity, however, won't be affected until then, as the Prime Minister will transfer all his responsibilities for the needed time of his recovery to the Deputy PM Gabriel Oprea; he reassured the Romanian citizens that he will return to work in the shortest while possible", the Government announced.
The PM will also notify President Klaus Iohannis on Monday with respect to the appointment of Deputy PM Gabriel Oprea as interim PM for a maximum of 45 days, based on the article 107, paragraph (3) of the Romanian Constitution.
Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea has been in charge of Prime Minister's tasks over June 16-19.
The Prime Minister took this decision because of the "knee surgery he underwent in a hospital in Turkey early this week", it is said in the press release cited by Agerpres.
"The doctors decided that the Prime Minister Victor Ponta can be released from hospital today [i.e. Sunday], but he must still see a specialist daily, for the next seven days.
"The complicated recovery process, including treatments and physical therapy, will take at least 14 days, which means that within maximum 28 days the head of the Executive will be able to resume his normal activity at the Victoria Palace [the Government office].
"The Government activity, however, won't be affected until then, as the Prime Minister will transfer all his responsibilities for the needed time of his recovery to the Deputy PM Gabriel Oprea; he reassured the Romanian citizens that he will return to work in the shortest while possible", the Government announced.
The PM will also notify President Klaus Iohannis on Monday with respect to the appointment of Deputy PM Gabriel Oprea as interim PM for a maximum of 45 days, based on the article 107, paragraph (3) of the Romanian Constitution.
Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea has been in charge of Prime Minister's tasks over June 16-19.
The Prime Minister took this decision because of the "knee surgery he underwent in a hospital in Turkey early this week", it is said in the press release cited by Agerpres.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Romania, the Lowest EU Funds Absorption Rate in the Region
Romania had one of the highest contracting rates for EU funds in the region but only managed to get a little over half of the money allotted to it by the European Commission in the 2007-2013 period, according to KPMG, writes romania-insider.com.
Romania had a 106% contracting rate of the EU funds allotted to it, at the end of 2014, the fourth highest of ten countries in the region. However, it only managed to get 52% of the money, its payment ratio being by far the lowest in the region.
Romania had EUR 19.2 billion allotted from the EU budget for the 2007-2013 period, from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Cohesion Fund (CF) and European Social Fund (ESF). The country came up with projects worth a total of EUR 20.3 billion, but managed to get less than EUR 10 billion by the end of 2014.
Romania can still receive payments from the 2007-2013 funds until the end of this year. By the end of May 2015, the EU fund absorption rate went up to 54% and the Government targeted at the beginning of this year an 80% absorption rate by end-2015. The projects that are not finished by then will lose their EU funding.
Hungary and the Baltic states had the highest EU funds absorption rates at the end of 2014, of over 85%.
Romania’s slow progress was due to the delay in implementing EU-funded programs, as well as the many irregularities and corruption suspicions in the procurement process for the projects implemented by public authorities, which determined the European Commission to suspend payments for some programs at times.
Read more on romania-insider.com.
Romania had a 106% contracting rate of the EU funds allotted to it, at the end of 2014, the fourth highest of ten countries in the region. However, it only managed to get 52% of the money, its payment ratio being by far the lowest in the region.
Romania had EUR 19.2 billion allotted from the EU budget for the 2007-2013 period, from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Cohesion Fund (CF) and European Social Fund (ESF). The country came up with projects worth a total of EUR 20.3 billion, but managed to get less than EUR 10 billion by the end of 2014.
Romania can still receive payments from the 2007-2013 funds until the end of this year. By the end of May 2015, the EU fund absorption rate went up to 54% and the Government targeted at the beginning of this year an 80% absorption rate by end-2015. The projects that are not finished by then will lose their EU funding.
Hungary and the Baltic states had the highest EU funds absorption rates at the end of 2014, of over 85%.
Romania’s slow progress was due to the delay in implementing EU-funded programs, as well as the many irregularities and corruption suspicions in the procurement process for the projects implemented by public authorities, which determined the European Commission to suspend payments for some programs at times.
Read more on romania-insider.com.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Bucharest District 1 Mayor Under Arrest for Corruption
Anti-corruption Directorate in Ploiesti held Bucharest District 1 mayor Andrei Chiliman on Thursday night (June 18), after hours of questioning in a corruption case.
They charged him with leading an organized crime group and accessory to influence peddling, according to an official DNA statement, cited by romania-insider.com.
According to the prosecutors, Andrei Chiliman and three other associates used their influence to help some companies get public contracts from the District 1 City Hall in exchange for a fee of 10% to 15% of the contract value.
Some 30% of the money went to Chiliman while his three associates got 15% each and 10% went to Chiliman’s party, according to DNA. The remaining 15% would be used to pay off various other people who had to approve the contracts.
DNA said that Andrei Chiliman and his associates allegedly received some EUR 8.7 million from two companies that got a contract for thermal rehabilitation of blocks in District 1.
Andrei Chiliman is the second district mayor in Bucharest who has been arrested this year, after Marian Vanghelie, the District 5 mayor, who was also charged for corruption.
Read more on romania-insider.com.
They charged him with leading an organized crime group and accessory to influence peddling, according to an official DNA statement, cited by romania-insider.com.
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| Andrei Chiliman. Photo: enational.ro. |
Some 30% of the money went to Chiliman while his three associates got 15% each and 10% went to Chiliman’s party, according to DNA. The remaining 15% would be used to pay off various other people who had to approve the contracts.
DNA said that Andrei Chiliman and his associates allegedly received some EUR 8.7 million from two companies that got a contract for thermal rehabilitation of blocks in District 1.
Andrei Chiliman is the second district mayor in Bucharest who has been arrested this year, after Marian Vanghelie, the District 5 mayor, who was also charged for corruption.
Read more on romania-insider.com.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Collective Defense Exercise at the Cincu Firing Grounds in Brasov County, Central Romania
Over 1000 soldiers from 25 NATO member countries are participating in a collective defense exercise at the Cincu firing grounds in Brasov County, central Romania.
It is an exercise for which, for the first time in the history of the Alliance, a NATO military command unit has been temporarily deployed in Romania.
The exercise is due to end in late June and is part of a large-scale NATO operation, mobilizing over 14 thousand soldiers on the eastern border of the Alliance.
Also, Romanian firing grounds and garrisons in eastern Romania are hosting, until June 26th, multinational drills for special operations under the name of ROUSOFEX 15.
Participating are soldiers from Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, the US and Turkey.
Read more news from Romania on the RRI's News Flash.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Dacia Logan no. 1,500,000
Dacia Logan motor vehicle number 1,500,000 was delivered on Wednesday to a customer in Romania, who purchased it through the national car fleet renewal programme, local Agerpres has said.
The motor vehicle, a Logan Laureate 09 TCe, Euro 6 model, of the colour beige, was bought by a woman in Bucharest, the car maker representatives announced. The key of the anniversary vehicle was handed to the owner by Jan Ptacek, Renault Commercial Roumanie CEO, in the newest Dacia show-room in Bucharest.
"Logan represents the pedestal of the Dacia range. It is the model that has managed to impose our car make both in Romania and in the great number of countries where customers are seeking an affordable vehicle, spacious, robust and modern.
"I am delighted to hand today the key to this anniversary model to a customer of Romania — the cradle of the Dacia car make," Ptacek said, according to a release issued by Dacia.
Revamped at the end of 2012, Dacia Logan is currently produced at the plant of Mioveni, as well as at the plant of Casablanca, Morocco.
In 2014, almost 14,000 Logan vehicles were delivered to Romanian customers, which represents 47 per cent of the total sales of the Dacia range.
Read more on agerpres.ro.
The motor vehicle, a Logan Laureate 09 TCe, Euro 6 model, of the colour beige, was bought by a woman in Bucharest, the car maker representatives announced. The key of the anniversary vehicle was handed to the owner by Jan Ptacek, Renault Commercial Roumanie CEO, in the newest Dacia show-room in Bucharest.
"Logan represents the pedestal of the Dacia range. It is the model that has managed to impose our car make both in Romania and in the great number of countries where customers are seeking an affordable vehicle, spacious, robust and modern.
"I am delighted to hand today the key to this anniversary model to a customer of Romania — the cradle of the Dacia car make," Ptacek said, according to a release issued by Dacia.
Revamped at the end of 2012, Dacia Logan is currently produced at the plant of Mioveni, as well as at the plant of Casablanca, Morocco.
In 2014, almost 14,000 Logan vehicles were delivered to Romanian customers, which represents 47 per cent of the total sales of the Dacia range.
Read more on agerpres.ro.
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