August 7, 2018
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Newsroom, 07.08.2018, 12:59
BUDGET ADJUSTMENT – The Romanian Finance Ministry has finalized the bill for the first budget adjustment this year, grounded on a budget deficit of 2.97% of the GDP. According to a press release, economic results are encouraging and reflect a 5.5% growth rate, underlying the state budget for 2018. The budget adjustment is positive, calculated on a surplus of budget revenues of nearly 1.3 billion euros. Additional funds will go to local authorities and the National Social and Health Insurance Fund. The ministries of health, education, interior and agriculture will get additional money. More funds have been earmarked to the Ministry of Public Finance, in order to ensure Romania pays its contribution to the EU budget. At the opposite pole, the budgets of the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service, the ministries of Research, Energy and Foreign Affairs will be slashed. The budget adjustment law will be adopted in the second half of August.
ROMANIAS JUDICIARY – US Senators John McCain of the Republican Party and Christopher Murphy of the Conservative Party have addressed a joint letter to the Romanian Prime Minister, Viorica Dancila, expressing concern with the dismissal of the chief anti-corruption prosecutor and calling on the Government to step up its efforts to combat corruption. The two Senators wrote that, as strong supporters of the US-Romania relationship, they noted with regret that President Klaus Iohannis was recently forced by a court ruling to dismiss Laura Codruta Kovesi. We recall that President Klaus Iohannis removed Kovesi from office last month following a Constitutional Court ruling. In another development, the New Europe publication headquartered in Brussels has drawn up an analysis, claiming that Kovesis dismissal provides Romania with the opportunity of eliminating past abuses. New Europe analysts claim Romania is by far the European country with the highest number of human rights violations. New Europe also highlights the fact that anti-corruption prosecutors assigned by Kovesi were recorded while discussing attempts to fabricate evidence.
INFLATION – The National Bank of Romania expects the inflation rate to drop in the third quarter of the year and to stand at around 3,5%, close to the maximum limit set by the Bank. Governor Mugur Isarescu said that, according to preliminary reports, Romania will have a negative inflation rate starting July and will see a drop in prices. The National Bank decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 2.5% per year, against the backdrop of the evolution of the inflation rate.
COMMEMORATION – The Mausoleum in Marasesti, Vrancea County, eastern Romania, on Monday hosted ceremonies commemorating the heroes who gave their lives in the First World War. Attending the event were high-ranking Government officials, Ambassadors and military officers. A moment of silence was held, floral tributes were paid and a symphonic festival was held on the occasion of 101 years since the battle of Marasesti, the most important military operation of the Romanian Army in World War I. Seen as one of the most impressive monuments in the country, the Mausoleum in Marasesti was built on the exact place where, in 1917, the Romanian army fought the German army, its military superior. Over 480 officers and 21,000 soldiers died in the armed conflict.
VIRUS – The African swine fever virus continues to spread across Romania, the number of hotbeds now reaching 580 in over 100 towns in villages in 8 counties, according to the latest toll. Some 78,000 pigs were slaughtered. Authorities continue to take specific action to prevent the virus from spreading. Wild boars carrying the disease in affected areas will be shot down, while special disinfection checkpoints will be set up in border crossing points. Pig farmers will be compensated for their losses, while the recent budget adjustment has earmarked additional funds to the program aimed at eradicating this disease.
EXTREME WEATHER – The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has issued a travel warning for Germany in place until Thursday against temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and thunderstorms. Croatia is under a code red alert against extreme heat and heavy traffic. Spain and Italy have seen the first casualties due to the recent heat wave. On Monday thermometers read 46.8 degrees in Portugal, while a wildfire has razed over 1,000 hectares of woodland to the ground. Another wildfire on the French-Spanish border has disrupted traffic on a highway in the Pyrenees. In the Netherlands, several segments of motorways have been shut down while four nuclear reactors were pre-emptively closed in France. Code red and orange alerts against extreme heat are in place in several European countries.
TENNIS – Six Romanian tennis players are competing in the main draw at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, totaling 2.8 million dollars in prize money. WTA no. 1 Simona Halep is seeded first in the tournament and will compete straight into the second round. Irina Begu, WTA no. 55, will play Ashleigh Barty of Australia on Tuesday in the first round, while Sorana Carstea, 54th WTA and Mihaela Buzarnescu, 20th WTA will take on players from preliminary rounds, namely Monica Niculescu, 69th WTA and Qiang Wang of China, respectively. Finally, Ana Bogdan, 82nd WTA, will go up against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
(Translated by V. Palcu)
