Press Review - July 20, 2018

07.20.2018 By Oana Gavrila

Finance Minister Seeks to Eliminate Excise on Fuel

Finance minister Eugen Teodorovici said Thursday he plans to do away with excise duties on fuel.

He added he is not a fan of a large number of taxes.

“I've always said we need to cut back on the number and amount of taxes,” the minister said.

President Promulgates First Bill Of Ruling Coalition's Judicial Overhaul

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced on Thursday that he enacted a bill which amends the country’s Judicial Organization Law, after exhausting all the means of appeal against it.

This is the first bill to be enacted out of the ruling coalition’s controversial judicial overhaul, started in August of 2017 and marred by setbacks due to challenges at the Constitutional Court.

“I have repeatedly requested the re-examination of these laws by the Parliament. I have referred them to the Constitutional Court and notified the Venice Commission. After exhausting all means of contest, the president must enact the law,” Iohannis said in a press statement made on Thursday.

On July 12, Romania’s Constitutional Court rejected the president’s challenge regarding the bill, which criticized 19 provisions as being unconstitutional. The challenge came after the Parliament had previously rejected Iohannis’ re-examination request, by passing the bill again unchanged.

On Thursday, the Constitutional Court also rejected a final opposition challenge to the law, effectively exhausting all means of appealing the bill.

Natural Gas Prices Grow 5.83% for Household Consumers as of Aug 1

The price of natural gas for household consumers will be raised by 5.83% as of August 1, Romania's energy regulator ANRE said Thursday.

The regulator said suppliers called for a hike in regulated prices for household consumers after liberalization of the domestic natural gas market starting April 1.