June 24, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 24.06.2015, 12:15
Romanian deputies passed on Wednesday the new draft Fiscal Code and the draft Fiscal Procedure Code, which are supposed to take effect on January 1st 2016. The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body. The Draft Fiscal Code on Monday was unanimously passed by the Budget-Finance Committee. One of the main measures of the new Code is the slash of the VAT from 24 to 19% as of January 1st 2016. The new Fiscal Code also provides for a cut in the special building tax, the scrapping of the excise on fuels and of the 16% tax on dividend incomes as from January 1st 2016. Also on Wednesday, the Law on Parliamentary Elections was green lighted by the Chamber of Deputies. Basically, the law provides for the return to the proportional voting on lists and the maintenance of the 5% electoral threshold, also establishing norms of the MPs representation per number of citizens. The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making forum in that case too.
Romanias president Klaus Iohannis nominated Mihai Razvan Ungureanu as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service. A historian by profession, Ungureanu held that position over 2007-2012 when Traian Basescu was president. Mihai Razvan Ungureanu was foreign minister between 2004 and 2007 and prime minister for three months in the first half of 2012. The post of Foreign Intelligence Service chief has been vacant since Teodor Melescanu resigned last autumn. In keeping with the Constitution, president Iohannis has informed the presidents of the two Parliament chambers on the nomination. The Parliament is going to make a decision in this respect.
Romanian Defence Minister Mircea Dusa is attending the NATO defence ministers meeting under way in Brussels until Thursday. High on the agenda are the new security challenges, particularly regarding the situation in Ukraine, after Washington has announced it will “preventively deploy” heavy weaponry in Central and East European countries. On Wednesday, Mircea Dusa signed alongside the representatives of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia a joint letter of acceding to the principles and goals of the Framework Nations Concept coordinated by Germany (DEU FNC). According to Minister Dusa Romania has always been a staunch supporter of close cooperation among European allies as an essential means of ensuring the forces and capabilities needed by NATO.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is attending on Wednesday and Thursday the summer European Council meeting in Brussels, the presidency announced. Heads of state and government in the EU will tackle, among other things, migration, the revision of the EU’s Security Strategy and actions as part of the fight against terrorism. The report of the Economic and Monetary Union on improving economic governance in the Eurozone are also to be discussed by the European leaders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that he extended the embargo on foodstuff imports from the West by one year, Reuters reports. The measure comes days after the EU foreign ministers decided to extend by end-January 2016 the economic sanctions against Russia for its role in the conflict in Ukraine. The sanctions that were initially due to expire at end-July, target the banking, defence and oil sectors.
The winners of RRIs contest “Govora Spa, a healing oasis”, Beate Hansen and her mother, Ursula Hansen of Germany arrived in Romania on Tuesday. They will stay in the Palace Hotel in Govora Spa for 8 days, all-inclusive and will undergo spa treatment. Beate and Ursula Hansen will also visit the main cultural and historical attractions in the region.
