May 11, 2016
Hexi Pharma, the company involved in the Romanian hospital disinfectant scandal, applied for insolvency
Newsroom, 11.05.2016, 12:00
HEALTHCARE – Hexi Pharma, the company involved in the Romanian hospital disinfectant scandal, applied for insolvency with the Bucharest Tribunal. Following inspections checking the quality of the disinfectants used in public hospitals, in tens of Romanian healthcare units non-compliant samples were found. The checks were triggered by a journalist investigation that revealed that the substances provided by Hexi Pharma were even ten times diluted compared to the standard concentration. The General Prosecutors Office initiated an investigation in the case. The PM Dacian Cioloş has said that as of today the first concentration reports concerning the Hexi Pharma samples will be available.
IMF – The International Monetary Fund will make public today the conclusions of the Board on the latest mission report in Bucharest, of March 2016. The IMF team stated at the time that Romania had made significant progress in addressing the imbalances and resuming economic growth, but that the tax relaxation at a time when consumption is already on the rise and the adoption of legislative initiatives like the debt discharge law jeopardise these accomplishments. International experts advised Romanian authorities to maintain prudent policies and resume structural reforms so as to keep the budget deficit under control, to ensure the efficiency and restructuring of state-owned companies and to improve administration. Romania does not have an on-going agreement with the IMF at present.
ANTI-CORRUPTION – Romanias deputy PM Costin Borc and the Justice Minister Raluca Prună are taking part on Wednesday and Thursday in London in the Anti-Corruption Summit and the conference that precedes it. According to the Romanian Justice Ministry, taking part in the Summit hosted by the British PM David Cameron are international leaders and representatives of civil society and the business community. The participants will discuss topics like governmental transparency, the international enforcement of anti-corruption laws, means to strengthen international institutions and corporate data confidentiality.
BREXIT – The GDP of the European Union without the UK is estimated to drop from over 14 trillion euro, as it was in 2015, to 12.1 trillion, according to DPA. Exports will likely drop from 1.8 to 1.56 trillion euro, whereas imports — from 1.7 to 1.47 trillion euro. Also, the EU budget is estimated to fall from nearly 144 billion euro, earmarked for 2016, to around 124 billion euro. The number of official languages in the EU would stay at 24. On June 23 Britons are to vote, in a referendum, on the countrys EU membership, DPA says.
CANNES – Five Romanian films are taking part in this years International Film Festival in Cannes, which begins today accompanied by exceptional security measures, following the terror attacks in Paris. Graduation by Cristian Mungiu and Sierra Nevada by Cristi Puiu, both of the two directors already awarded in Cannes, compete for the Palme d’Or, whereas “Dogs, the feature film debut of Bogdan Mirică, was selected in the “Un Certain Regard section. In the short film section the Romanian directors Cătălin Rotaru and Gabi Virginia Şarga have entered the film “4:15 P.M. The end of the world. Finally, this years Cinéfondation selection includes the short film “All Rivers Flow into the Sea by Alexandru Badea.
TENNIS – The top ranking Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep, no. 5 ATP, is playing today against Russias Daria Gavrilova, in the second round of the tournament in Rome. In the same stage of the competition, the Romanian Irina Begu (no. 35 WTA) takes on Viktoria Azarenka, of Belarus. On Saturday, Halep won the final of the WTA tournament in Madrid, after defeating the Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-4. In the quarter-finals she had defeated Irina Begu.