December 13, 2014
A look at the main stories in Romania today.
România Internațional, 13.12.2014, 12:00
The state and social security budget bill for 2015 is submitted to Parliament today. Prime minister Victor Ponta emphasised the bill does not provide for any new taxes and duties, but only the economic and social measures already announced, such as the cut in the social security contribution and exemption from taxes on reinvested profit. The prime minister says credit coordinators will receive more money in 2015. Also, a number of ministries will be allocated more funds, such as education, healthcare and agriculture. The defence ministry will benefit from an increase of 3% of the GDP against the backdrop of tensions in Ukraine, but only after Romania secures the approval of the European Council to have a different budget deficit level than that agreed across the Union. The 2015 budget is based on a 2.5% economic growth rate, an annual inflation rate of 2.2% and a budget deficit level of 1.8%. Parliament will vote on the budget bill after this is discussed by the specialist budget and finance committees of the two chambers.
The revision of the Constitution and the amendment of the election law are the main priorities of the new programme of the ruling coalition. Prime minister Victor Ponta has met the political leaders who will join the reshuffled cabinet, which will be presented in Parliament on Monday. Following the departure of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians from the ruling coalition, the prime minister said he relied on the support of the National Union for the Progress of Romania, the Conservative Party and the members of the future National Reformist Party led by the former prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu. Mr Ponta said an amended Constitution would restrict the time in office of local elected officials and MPs to two consecutive terms. The ruling coalition also hopes to finalise the bill on mail and electronic voting next year. Generally, the government programme for the next two years has 15 main lines of action, with emphasis on combating tax evasion and the absorption of European funds.
A competition has been launched in Romania for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2021. Interested cities have ten months to prepare and submit their applications. Romania and Greece will each be able to nominate one city to win the title of European Capital of Culture in 2021, following a decision by the European Commission and Parliament. Eight Romanian cities have so far announced their intention to apply. In 2007, Sibiu was the first Romanian city to win this title.
The Romanian women’s handball team today face Hungary in the main groups of the European Handball Championship hosted by Hungary and Croatia. Romania will next meet Spain on Monday and Poland on Wednesday. At the European Championship in 2012, Romania ranked 10th, after winning the bronze in 2010. The 2016 European Championship will be hosted by Sweden.
