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ECONOMIC GROWTH - The National Forecasting Committee has revised again, upwards, the forecast regarding Romania's economic growth in 2017, from 5.6 to 6.1%. The Committee has maintained the GDP growth estimates for 2018, 2019 and 2020 at 5% every year. The International Monetary Fund has too revised the forecast regarding the development of Romanian economy, from 4.2% to 5.5%. According to the IMF, Romania and Iceland will register the highest economic growth rates this year. A similar estimate has been presented by the World Bank. In another move, specialists draw attention to the fact that Romania's economic growth is mainly triggered by consumption, and that the volume of public investment has dropped.
STRIKE - State sector employees are the main victims of the political manipulation by means of which the payment of social security contributions has become an employee responsibility. This decision will actually annul the 25% salary increase, turning it into a political scam, reads a communiqué issued by the 'Solidaritea Sanitara' (Solidarity for Health) Trade Union Federation. According to the federation, a general strike in the budget sector would be a normal sanction against the government, which is trying to impose an agenda that runs counter to the commitments it had made to the employees. On Thursday, another trade union federation, CNSLR Fratia, announced the start of procedures for a national strike, also in response to the government's decision regarding social security contributions. This decision has been harshly criticised by other unions, as well as by the president and the liberal opposition. In response, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has stated that the measure will benefit everybody.
EU COUNCIL - The presidency of the EU Council, which Romania will be holding in 2019, will reflect the need for consensus, not political interests, said on Thursday the Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu. He attended the launch of the guide to the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, a document developed by the European Expertise Centre - Europuls. Victor Negrescu has stated that currently there are some 1500 experts preparing for the future presidency. In another development, the Minister Delegate for European Affairs will be in London for two days to talk with representatives of the Romanian community about the Brexit implications. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has launched an information clip on this topic. According to the Ministry, there are 328,000 Romanians living in Great Britain.
CATALONIA - On Thursday, thousands of Catalans protested against the arrest of eight regional ministers, sacked because of their involvement in the attempt to separate Catalonia from Spain. They are accused of rebellion, revolt and embezzlement of public funds. Prosecutors have requested a European arrest warrant for the Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who is currently in Belgium. Last week, the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy imposed direct rule on Catalonia, dissolved the regional parliament and announced local elections to be held on the 21st of December.
FOOTBALL - Romanian Vice-champions FCSB (formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) has qualified to Europa League last 32 round, following the 1-1 result in Group G against Israeli football team Hapoel Beer Sheva on Thursday evening in Bucharest. In the previous match, FCSB defeated Hapoel 2-1 away from home. FCSB now has 10 points and heads the group. Second comes Viktoria Plzen with 6 points, following the victory against FC Lugano of Switzerland. FCSB will play in Group G two more matches against Viktoria Plzen on November 23 away and against Lugano on December 7 at home.
HANDBALL - Romania's women's handball champions CSM Bucharest are playing on Saturday, on home turf, against the Danish team Nykobing Falster Handboldklub, its fourth match in Champions League's group A. In other matches, CSM has defeated the Slovenian team RK Krim Mercator Ljubliana and Vistal Gdynia of Poland. In the rankings, the Romanians come first with 4 points, just like the Danish, who come second. CSM Bucharest won the Champions League in 2016 and is one of the first seeds at the current edition of the most powerful European inter-club competitions.
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