June 17, 2014 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 17.06.2014, 12:09
Romania and the World Bank on Tuesday signed in Bucharest two loan agreements worth one billion euros. According to the Finance Ministry, the first loan worth 750 million euros, is meant to finance development policies, while the second one, standing at 250 million euros, will be channeled into reforming the healthcare system. Romania will reimburse both loans in 18 years’ time, in 2032, in one installment. We recall that, through the current partnership between Romania and the WB, the latter offers Romania for the period 2014- 2017 annual financial assistance worth one billion euros.
The Romanian Senate marked Tuesday, in a solemn session, 150 years of existence. Attending the celebrations were former Presidents of Romania, former Speakers of the Senate, members of the Government, Crown Princess Margareta and other officials of the Romanian state. The Romanian Senate was founded at the initiative of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, in 1864, being one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Europe.
Romania ranks first in the EU in terms of the number of new car registrations made in the month of May, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association announced on Tuesday. Last month, the Romanian car market registered a 46.1% increase as compared to the same month of 2013, reporting the most significant growth in the EU. Car sales in the EU registered an increase in May, for the ninth month in a row, because the recovery of the Euro zone economy has encouraged consumers to buy new models, a communiqué shows.
The Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday passed a law allowing the Government to issue ordinances during the parliamentary holiday in such domains that are not part of the organic laws. Therefore the Government will be able to issue ordinances in such fields as public finances, national defense, healthcare, education, justice, agriculture, social protection and European funds. The center rightist opposition announced they would challenge the law at the Constitutional Court given that, according to the National Liberal Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, it contains several unconstitutional provisions.
The Romanian tennis player, 3rd seed Simona Halep, on Tuesday qualified for the 2nd round of the s-Hertogenbosch tournament of the Netherlands, that offers total prizes worth 250 thousand euros. In the first match Halep, main favourite of the tournament, defeated Olga Govortsova from Belarus 2-0. This is the first competition Halep is participating in after she lost the final in Roland Garros against Maria Sharapova.
The European Commission on Tuesday disbursed 500 million euros for Ukraine. The money could be used to purchase gas from EU companies, news agencies report. This is a larger financial aid installment worth 1.6 billion euros that the EU promised to Ukraine. The money was disbursed in the context in which Russia stopped gas deliveries to Ukraine on Monday following the failure of negotiations with Kiev and the expiry of the ultimatum given to Ukraine to pay an installment of its total debt worth 4.5 billion dollars.
