Press Review - June 8, 2017

06.08.2017 By Oana Gavrila

Romanian Parliament Adopts Public Sector Wage Bill

Romania's lower house of Parliament on Wednesday adopted a bill regulating salaries in the public sector with 188 votes in favor, 28 against and 47 abstentions.

The bill was adopted in Senate at the end of May and will be sent to the head of state to be signed into law.

Opposition party USR announced Tuesday it would raise signatures to challenge the bill at the Constitutional Court.

Prime minister Sorin Grindeanu said Wednesday ahead of the vote the budgetary impact of the bill, RON76 billion, is sustainable.

On the other hand, analysts and international institutions including the IMF and European Commission have warned that recent tax cuts coupled with proposed wage raises in the public sector threaten to widen Romania's budget deficit beyond the EU limit of 3% of GDP.

Iohannis To Romanians in US: You Can Be Catalysts For Romania's Development

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told Romanians in Washington DC they can be a catalyst for Romania's development and they strengthen relations between the two countries.

“You, Romanians in the diaspora, our elites, can be a catalyst for the development of Romania,” Iohannis said.

He added the Romanian state must serve and protect the rights and interests of Romanians abroad.

Wholesalers Will Have to Accept Card Payments

The list of merchants obliged to accept card payments will be extended to include wholesalers, according to a bill adopted in Senate.

According to www.avocatnet.ro, the list has been updated and now includes companies that buy their merchandise wholesale and companies that offer services and have annual turnovers of at least EUR10,000.

These businesses will be obliged to accept debit and credit card payments.

Romania Imports EUR7.3M Worth of Watermelons, Exports Just EUR26,000

Romania imported EUR7.3 million worth of watermelons in 2016, 280 more than it exported, according to Eurostat.

Romania mainly imports watermelons from Greece, The Netherlands, Germany, and Turkey.

In 2016, Romania produced 420,000 tons of watermelon, as production has been on the decline since 2013. The declining trend continues this year due to late spring frostbite.

Romania's watermelon exports, totaling EUR26,000 in 2016, are negligible compared to imports and Romania exports watermelons to less than ten countries.

Romania's watermelon production is worth about EUR100 million.