October 15, 2013
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Ştefan Stoica, 15.10.2013, 12:00
The sale of the Romanian Railways Freight Division will be resumed, after the Privatisation Commission and the Romanian Railways Group, the company that had won the tender, failed to reach an agreement on the stock transfer. The privatisation of the Railways Freight Division is one of the Bucharest’s strategic objectives, and one of the commitments Romania has made to the IMF and the European Union, as part of an agreement sealed in 2011. The privatisation plan has also been included in the precautionary agreement concluded this fall. The sale process, however, had few chances to succeed, on the one hand because of low interest among investors, and on the other hand because the procedure itself has been repeatedly challenged.
Romania’s Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu Tuesday voiced surprise at the protests of the healthcare staff, given that the parties have already started negotiations on a new salary law. Most of the healthcare employees have been on a token strike since Monday. They are unhappy with the reforms the Health Ministry has put forward. The protesters want at least 6 per cent of the GDP to be earmarked for the healthcare sector, and legislation that guarantees their professional independence. The protesters warned that next month they could start an all-out strike.
45-year-old economist Andrei Gerea, the leader of the deputies in the Nation Liberal Party, the second largest party in the governing Social Liberal Union, has been nominated for the position of Economy Minister. Gerea could replace Varujan Vosganian, who submitted his resignation after the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice requested the Senates approval for the start of criminal investigations against Vosganian. At present Daniel Chitoiu is the acting finance minister.
Romania’s national team in Bucharest tonight will be taking on Estonia. The game counts towards the preliminary Group D of next year’s world Cup in Brazil. At present Romania is 3rd placed in its group, with 13 points on its record sheet, on a par with 2nd-placed Turkey, which has a better goal average. The Netherlands tops the table and has already booked its qualification. For the runner-up position which enables its holder to make headway into the qualifying playoffs, Romania is in dire need of a win in tonight’s game against Estonia. Crucial for the Romanians would also be a draw or a defeat Turkey might sustain in their game against the Netherlands. If the Turks snatch a win, however, Romania’s score line in the game against Estonia must show that the Romanians’ goal average includes six more goals than the number of goals Turkey has on its record sheet.
The European Commission has included a string of energy projects Romania is also part of, on a list of 250 projects which are of common interest across the European Union. Among the projects there is a gas pipeline along a route including Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria. Over 2014-2020, the short-listed projects could benefit from an overall financing standing at around 5 point 5 billion Euro.
