March 4, 2020 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 04.03.2020, 19:52

Brussels — The European Commission on Wednesday proposed to the Council to open the Excessive Deficit Procedure for Romania and passed a recommendation according to which Romania should put an end to this situation in 2022 at the latest. A report passed by the EC in February shows that Romania does not observe the deficit criterion defined in the treaty (a maximum of 3% of the GDP) and that opening the Excessive Deficit Procedure is therefore justified. According to the EC winter forecasts, Romania’s deficit reached 4% of the GDP in 2019 and it is expected to go up to 4.9% in 2020 and to 6.9% in 2021. The pension law is ‘the main cause that led to the estimated rapid growth of the deficit and to the risks posed to fiscal sustainability’ the report also shows. The interim finance minister Florin Citu had said Romania had a sustainable and credible plan to reduce the deficit, which was accepted by the EC entirely.

Hearings — Hearings of the ministers proposed by the new PM designate Florin Citu will continue until Thursday in Parliament’s special committees. On Wednesday the candidates for the transport and sport ministries received positive reviews while the candidates for the labor, health, education and culture ministries received negative reviews. On Tuesday positive reviews were given to the ministers designated for the defense, agriculture and environment portfolios while the candidates for the finance, development and justice ministries received negative reviews. The opinions of the committees are consultative, with the investiture vote being expected to take place next week. The only modification in the new government is the finance minister, Lucian Ovidiu Heius who replaced Florin Citu now designated PM. Citu was nominated PM by President Iohannis after the Constitutional Court ruled as unconstitutional the re-designation as interim PM of the Liberal leader Ludovic Orban who had just been dismissed from the position through a no confidence motion.

Coronavirus — Another 2 cases of coronavius infection have been confirmed on Romania in the western city of Timisoara and Suceava in the north, which brings to number of infections to 6. Out of the other 4 people infected, 2 are in a stable state and the other 2 have tested negative at the latest tests. 35 people are in institutionalized quarantine and more than 10 thousand have been isolated in their homes and are under medical monitoring at national level. The National Committee for Special Emergency Situations has announced a series of new rules to combat the spreading of the virus in Romania. This virus is now spreading faster outside China than in China itself. Around 92 thousand cases in more than 70 countries of the world have been confirmed. 48 thousand patients have recovered and over 3,100 have died. The World Bank announced Tuesday an emergency plan of 12 billion dollars to help countries take measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic, to save lives and diminish the economic impact. (news update by L. Simion)