January 23, 2016 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 23.01.2016, 12:15
The code yellow alert for frost continues in Romania until Tuesday, except for 5 counties in the west and northwest. The lowest temperatures will range from minus 20 degree C to minus 15 degrees C. On isolated areas temperatures will drop down to minus 28 degrees C. As of Sunday snowfalls will be reported in the west, north and northwest of the country. The minimum temperatures will drop to minus 24 degrees C and the highs will not exceed minus 2 degrees C.
The Romanian finance minister, Anca Dragu, said Saturday that the decision of the Fitch rating agency to reaffirm Romania’s country rating and outlook is based on a balanced assessment of the progress made and the macroeconomic risks. She added that the risk factors indicated by the agency would be taken into consideration in the analyses and decisions to be made by the Romanian Finance Ministry. The Fitch rating agency has affirmed the ratings for Romania’s long-term debts in foreign currency and local currency at “BBB minus” and “BBB” respectively, the outlook for both ratings being stable. The issue ratings on Romanias senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds have been affirmed at BBB-and BBB, respectively. The Country Ceiling has been affirmed at BBB+. Romania’s ratings are supported by the more robust economic prospects, the current better fiscal position and the more favorable governance indicators in comparison with other states with a “BBB” rating. However, for 2016, Fitch is concerned about the fiscal sustainability on medium term. The agency estimates that tax cuts will lead to a drop in governmental incomes by 2% of the GDP this year, which will put pressure on the fiscal structural deficit. Fitch also estimates that Romania’s economic growth in 2016 will stand at almost 4%.
Romanian MP Mircea Dolha, the head of the parliamentary delegation that visited Norway this past week, said Saturday that the Bodnariu family, who lost custody of their 5 children for having physically hit them, might recover their children. Dolha pointed out that during the talks with the Norwegian government and the child protection ministry they were given clear signals in this regard. He said the Norwegian authorities promised to issue an internal order so as to make the authorities involved in such cases be more careful when making decisions. The MPs have called on the governor of the city where the Romanian-Norwegian family resides to look again into the order of placing the children into foster care, because the measure was disproportionate, being an abusive interpretation of the principle of best interest of the child.
The American Vice President Joe Biden said Saturday in Istanbul that the US and Turkey were ready for a military solution in Syria, in order to eliminate the terrorist organization the Islamic State. However, he pointed out, fresh from the talks he held with the Turkish prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, that a political resolution of the situation was a priority. Also the two officials talked about the aid the US and Turkey provide to the Sunni rebel forces that are fighting to remove from power the Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad. In another development, Biden reiterated the support of the US in the fight that Turkey is waging against the PKK, Kurdistan Workers’ Party.
The Romanian national men’s water polo team was ranked 10th in the European Championships hosted by Belgrade, after being defeated by France on Saturday in a match counting for positions 9th and 10th. This is the lowest score obtained by the Romanian water polo team in the last 5 European championships. Romania’s water polo team had already qualified to the pre-Olympic tournament of Trieste, in which Italy, Hungary, Spain, Russia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Slovakia will be also participating. (News translated by Lacramioara Simion)
