April 28, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Mihai Pelin, 28.04.2015, 12:15
Economic growth and political stability make Romania a strong competitor in southeastern Europe, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta said on Tuesday in Strasbourg, at a meeting with European Commissioner for Justice, Consumer and Gender Equality Vera Jourova and European Commissioner for Competititon, Margrethe Vestager. The Romanian official has also said Romania and Bulgaria should be treated just like the other EU countries in terms of Coperation and Verification Mechanism on the justice system, which should be valid for all other EU members. In Strasbourg, Victor Ponta presented, among others, the recent measures taken by the Government in the economic and social field and has discussed with the European officials about topical problems on the European agenda.
The draft Fiscal Procedure Code, tabled by the Government of Romania, was endorsed by the Senate on Tuesday and is next to be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies. The draft Fiscal Code was adopted on Monday. The document is expected to make an essential contribution to reducing tax evasion, to boosting consumption and encouraging economic growth. Some of the most important provisions in the new Fiscal Code are the VAT reduction from 24 to 20% as of January 1st, 2016 for all goods and services, and to 9% for foodstuffs as of this June, the reduction of fuel and alcohol excises as of next year, the scrapping of special building taxes and of the 16% tax on dividends, as well as the lowering of the flat tax rate from 16 to 14% starting January 2019. The Opposition has criticised the measures proposed by the Government deeming them unrealistic and illegitimate.
The death toll of the earthquake in Nepal has gone up, the number of dead now exceeding 5,000. Meanwhile some 10,000 people are reported wounded. 100 people were killed in Western China and India. Of Nepal’s 28 million inhabitants, a total of 8 million have been affected by the quake. Over 1.4 million people are in need of food, water and shelter. Rescue teams are still trying to reach isolated regions close to the quake’s epicentre. The quake wrought havoc in the capital city Kathmandu and triggered a mass exodus of refugees. The quake also resulted in avalanches on Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, where hundreds of people were preparing for the start of the climbing season. 18 climbers are reported dead. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, some 36 Romanian citizens have been officially identified in Nepal, and the list is constantly being updated. No information has surfaced so far regarding any Romanians being killed. 4 Romanian climbers were on Mount Everest when the avalanche hit.
Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Wednesday will pay a working visit to Warsaw, for talks with his Polish counterpart Grzegorz Schetyna. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the visit’s main goal is to strengthen political and security dialogue between Romania and Poland with a view to diversifying the Strategic Partnership signed between the two countries at regional and European level. The preparations for the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga, the evolutions in Ukraine, the support for Moldova’s European path, NATO’s agenda and energy security will also be approached.
European Council President Donald Tusk on Tuesday paid an official visit to the Republic of Moldova. After meeting with president Nicolae Timofti, the EU official gave assurances that the EU would remain a firm supporter of Moldova, although the Moldovan authorities should make it their priority to combat corruption and solve the banking crisis. In turn, Nicolae Timofti discussed the enactment of Moldova’s Association Treaty with the European Union and said that Moldova’s top priorities were consolidating the rule of law and strengthening democratic institutions. The Moldovan president gave assurances that Moldova would honour its commitments towards the EU. Donald Tusk is also due to meet with Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici and Parliament Speaker Adrian Candu. His visit to Chisinau and Kiev comes ahead of the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Riga, to be held on May 21 and 22.
