May 5, 2014
News and current affairs from Romania
Ştefan Stoica, 05.05.2014, 11:46
The European Commission once again reviewed upwards its forecast for Romania’s economic growth in 2014 and 2015. According to the spring predictions introduced today, the Commission estimates 2.5% growth in 2014 and 2.6% growth in 2015, as opposed to the previously submitted figures of 2.3 and 2.5%, as estimated in February. Romania’s economy performed above expectations, with a 3.5% growth in 2013, as a result of a solid industrial output and abundant farming yield, boosting exports, according to EC experts. For the Eurozone, the Commission expects a 1.2% GDP growth this yea, and 1.7% for 2015.
Interim Ukrainian president Oleksandr Turchinov admitted that many inhabitants of Eastern Ukraine are supporting the pro-Russian separatist militias. He said that this complicates significantly special security operations against the rebels. Turchinov at the same time added that these operations, which he called anti-terrorist, would continue and would yield results. In the field, Ukrainian military commanders have taken over all major points in the cities of Slaviansk, Kramatorsk and Grushkovka, all focal points for the pro-Russian rebellion. Romanian Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean once again spoke in favor of finding a political solution to the tensions in Romania’s neighbor. He spoke at a meeting of European Council member states, dominated by this particular situation, which he described as dramatic. Stay tuned after the news for an update on the Romanian reaction to the Ukrainian crisis.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague is on a visit to Chisinau on Monday, meeting Nicolae Timofti, president of the Republic of Moldova, PM Iurie Leanca and Natalia Gherman, Foreign Minister in charge of European integration. The visit by the British official is meant to lend support for Moldova’s bid to join the EU. Hague recently spoke against Russia’s actions in the Ukrainian crisis in the British Parliament. He said that it was unacceptable to invade a country and to use military exercises and local dissidents to create instability in another state. Mr. Hague goes to Ukraine and Georgia next.
Several watersheds in 12 counties in southern Romania are under code orange alert for flooding, with several others under code yellow. In addition, the south, center and east of the country is under alerts for heavy rains, strong winds and thunderstorms. Quantities of rain may exceed 15 to 20 liters per sqm, and 25 l/sqm in certain areas. In the rest of the country, the weather is cool and unstable, mostly rainy. Maximums today are between 10 and 18 degrees Celsius. The heavy rains in the last few days in the south have flooded dozens of villages, damaging hundreds of household. Rail and road traffic was also affected.
The most recent data from the Romanian National Institute of Statistics estimates that the rate of unemployment in the country in March stands at 7.2%, stationary from February and similar to that in February 2013. The number of unemployed estimated for March was 724,000 people. The rate of unemployment for 25 to 74 year-olds was estimated at 5.7%. According to the NIS, unemployment among men is 1.4% higher than among women.
