Press Review - January 5, 2016

01.05.2016 By Gabriela Stan

Nextebank Interested In Banca Comerciala Carpatica Again

Nextebank submitted a non-binding bid to Banca Comerciala Carpatica (BCC), on the last day of 2015, in order to subscribe within a share capital increase offer, but wants to conduct an in-depth analysis of the bank’s situation and to enjoy exclusivity until January 26.

After the Executive Board of BCC sent an invitation to Nextebank to subscribe BCC’s shares left unsubscribed following the exertion of the preference right, Nextebank, in turn, submitted a non-binding and conditional offer on December 31 which was accepted by BCC Executive Board on Monday, January 4, according to a report of BCC sent to the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

Moreover, Nextebank wants to enjoy exclusivity until January 26, which obliged BCC to stop looking for other investors until this date. (Adevarul)

Political Leaders Prepare Strategy For Local, Parliamentary Elections

Political leaders are preparing their strategy for the local and parliamentary elections taking place in 2016. After the parliamentary elections scheduled for the end of next year, they will start the negotiations for a new government.

President Klaus Iohannis could nominate Dacian Ciolos as PM again, but the liberals want their own PM and social-democrats are afraid to stay in the opposition for another four years. President Klaus Iohannis and PM Dacian Ciolos are starting the year on advantageous positions as they are on top positions in opinion polls and they are not participating in the upcoming elections, so that they won’t be tempted to take populist measures.

The top of confidence is dominated by Klaus Iohannis, the “eternal” Mugur Isarescu and Dacian Ciolos, highly outranking the leaders of political parties such as Alina Gorghiu, Vasile Blaga or Liviu Dragnea. (Romania Libera)

Political Parties Got RON6M Subventions From State Budget In 2015

Political parties received subventions worth RON6,760,468 from the state budget in 2015, the equivalent of 6,438 minimum wages or the equivalent of personnel expenses of the Ombudsman.

According to authorities data, the highest subventions from the state budget went to the new National Liberal Party (PNL and PDL) - RON2,923,196, the Social Democratic Party - RON2,441,710 and People’s Party Dan Diaconescu (PP-DD)- RON1,026,026. Although PP-DD and UNPR signed a fusion protocol in June last year, the former kept its legal entity.

The Conservative Party (PC), which formed the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) jointly with the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) in June 2015, received RON237,322 from the state budget, almost double compared with the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR), led by Gabriel Oprea - RON111,647. (Adevarul)

Number Of Tourists Spending New Year’s Eve In Mountain Resorts Fell 1.5%

The number of Romanian tourists who spent the New Year’s Eve in mountain resorts or abroad fell 1.5% in 2015 compared with the previous year, according to the data of Employers’ Associations in Tourism FPTR.

Of the 155,000 Romanians who spent the New Year’s Eve in vacation, 147,000 chose Romanian resorts, with 36,000 going to mountain resorts (down 2% compared with 2014). The most popular resorts were those on Valea Prahovei, Poiana Brasov, Paltinis, Ranca, Straja Calimanesti, Felix and the traditional rural areas Bran-Moeciu, Maramures, Bucovina.

Razvan Pascu, founder of Travel Communication Romania, stated that the decrease of the number of tourists who spent the New Year’s Eve in mountain resorts was mainly related to the lack of snow. FPTR data also show that the unusually warm weather in December even led to the cancelling of reservations for New Year’s Eve. (Adevarul)

In Romania, Four People Die Every Hour Because Of Smoking

In Romania, four people die every hour because of smoking, while 50% of smokers will die of smoking-related diseases unless they quit.This is one of the main arguments of the anti-smoking law, which is expected to come into effect in 2016.

Currently, 17 of the 28 EU member states ban smoking in enclosed public spaces, in public transport means and at work. Specialists hope Romania will also adopt such a law, firstly, to protect non-smokers and secondly, to reduce the proportions and unwanted effects of this vice.

Dr. Magdalena Ciobanu, coordinator of the national program STOP FUMAT (Stop smoking), said that the number of persons subject to heart attack and asthma will decrease in the first months after the banning, from other countries' experience. (Romania Libera)