July 21, 2015
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România Internațional, 21.07.2015, 12:00
Prime Minister Victor Ponta has today announced that the new Fiscal Code, which includes a 19% VAT cut, will be passed in a constitutional formula by September 1st. We recall president Klaus Iohannis has rejected the new Fiscal Code, sending it back to Parliament for debates because the fiscal relaxation measures envisaged might significantly impact future budget planning. Government representatives have proposed as alternatives for passing the code, the governments assuming of responsibility for this document, passing some of its provisions through an emergency ordinance or through a special government session.
More than half of Romanians, 54% of them, believes that the country is safe from certain risks because it still uses the national currency, the RON, and hasnt switched to the euro yet, an INSCOP survey on the Greek crisis has revealed. Only 24% of the respondents believe that Romania would have a better situation if it were in the eurozone. According to the survey, 48.9% of the Romanians believe the population of a country has to make sacrifices so that that country can pay its debts on time. Over 34% of the respondents say the situation in Romania will be seeing a little, if any impact, from the situation in Greece whereas 25% believe the Romanian economy will be largely influenced by the Greek economy. The survey was carried out by INSCOP research upon a request from daily Adevarul between July 9th and 14th 2015; the total number of interviewees was 1075 and the maximum error admitted stood at plus/minus 3%.
Greece is no longer defaulting on debt after starting payment of 6 billion euros to its international lenders, the European Central Bank and the IMF. The payment became possible after Athens had obtained an emergency credit line of 7.16 billion euros from the European Financial Stabilization Mechanism. The money should ensure Greeces funding until talks with international lenders on a fresh bailout programme, the third of this kind after 2010, are completed. Negotiations over another financial aid package, whose value is estimated at 86 billion euros for three years, could take several weeks. According to an understanding between Athens and the international lenders, Parliament in Greece will have to approve a second measure package concerning its legal and banking systems. Last week the legislature in that country approved the first measure package on the reform of the pension system, an increased VAT and curbing public expenses.
Romanian Defence Minister, Mircea Dusa is having talks with his Portuguese counterpart Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco at the air base in Monte Real, Portugal. Dusa will also be meeting the Romanian military personel training to take over the F-16 Fighting Falcons. Yesterday the Romanian military official visited the Land Forces Command in Porto as well as several research & development centres. On Aviation Day, celebrated on July 20th, he congratulated the civil and army personnel of the air companies, recalling their contribution to missions in various operation theatres and military drills.
A new round of talks is underway between air traffic controllers and the management of Romanian Air Traffic Administration ROMATSA. The latest meeting between the two sides, brokered by Transport Minister Iulian Matche, failed to solve all the issues between the protesters and the management, such as a new labour agreement and an earlier retiring age. ROMATSA employees went on a two-hour token strike last week, which was a first for the Romanian air system when many flights remained grounded.
