Press Review - January 4, 2019

01.04.2019 By Oana Gavrila

Leu Falls Vs Euro on First Banking Day of 2019

The Romanian leu declined against the euro on Thursday, the first banking day of 2019, standing at a midday average rate of 4.6656 units/euro, its lowest since November 20, 2018.

The three-month money market interest rate decreased below 3% for the first time in the past six months.

President Signs Decrees Vacating Transports, Development Offices Following Deadlock

President Klaus Iohannis signed on Thursday the decrees vacating the offices of transports and regional development minister after the Cabinet members holding the roles resigned during a month-long stand-off between the head of state and the prime minister on Cabinet appointments.

Following the decree, transport minister Lucian Sova and regional development minister Paul Stanescu have been released from office, more than one month after they resigned.

However, Iohannis did not make any announcement regarding the proposals for their replacements made by Prime Minister Viorica Dancila.

The head of state was forced to vacate the offices following a December 19 Constitutional Court ruling regarding the situation.

According to the decision, the President must immediately issue the decrees vacating the offices of transport minister and regional development minister, after Lucian Sova and Paul Stanescu, respectively, decided to resign from the offices.

The court also ruled that Iohannis must provide an immediate and reasoned response to proposals made by the Prime Minister Viorica Dancila for the two ministries: Lia Olguta Vasilescu for the regional development office and Mircea Draghici as transport minister.

The decision is final and generally mandatory.

The president rejected the first two proposals for the offices, made by the prime minister during a Cabinet reshuffle in November and also refused to dismiss Sova and Stanescu from their roles. The two ministers eventually resigned, but the president continued to delay the issuing of their dismissal decrees until the Government filed a constitutional conflict challenge regarding the situation.

Prime Minister Appoints Mihaela Triculescu As Chief Of National Tax Agency ANAF

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Thursday appointed economist Mihaela Triculescu as the new head of national tax agency ANAF, after dismissing Ionut Misa from the position earlier in the day.

The new ANAF chief was selected from several proposals for the office made by finance minister Eugen Teodorovici, who also requested the former chairman’s dismissal.

Triculescu worked as an insolvency practitioner for the past couple of years, ensuring the management of insolvency procedures for several companies, according to a Government press release. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Analysis, Assessment and Diagnostics from the University of Craiova’s Faculty of Economics.

Teodorovici announced earlier in the day that he requested the replacement of Misa, citing concerns over the agency’s tax collection rates in some areas. The two were known to have an uneasy relationship, publicly clashing on several issues in the past year.

Emergency Services Record Over 5,000 Missions During New Year’s Period

Romanian emergency response services recorded 5,633 interventions nationwide between December 29, 2018 and January 2, 2019, according to the country’s General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU).

During the period, IGSU recorded 234 fire alerts and 4,887 requests for medical assistance, as well as 19 search and rescue missions, 133 recovery missions and 359 community support interventions.

According to the institution, the number was slightly lower compared with the same period in 2017.

During New Year’s Eve, more than 300 SMURD firefighter teams, 100 search and rescue teams and 43 rigs for transporting multiple victims were on standby nationwide and ready to respond to emergencies.