Press Review - March 13, 2019

03.13.2019 By Oana Gavrila

Annual Inflation Spikes to 3.8% in February

Romania's annual inflation rate spiked to 3.8% in February from 3.3% in January, data from the country's statistics board showed Tuesday.

Romanians paid 3.74% more for food items in February compared with February 2018, while non-food prices grew 4.46%, and service prices grew 3.08%.

The central bank sees year-end inflation at 3%, within its target band. Romania's central bank targets inflation at 2.5% a year, with a variation band of one percentage point.

PM Dancila Says President “Is Playing with People's Feelings”

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila accused President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday of making “irresponsible statements” and creating fears among pensioners after the head of state said on Monday that the 2019 state budget might not have enough funds to support the pensions system.

“I have seen yet again that President Iohannis has no limits (…) The president is misinforming Romanians again, inventing ridiculous explanations regarding his decision to block the adoption of the 2019 state budget,” Dancila said at the beginning of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.

The Romanian chief of cabinet denied that the pensions budget is lacking RON1.4 billion and reassured pensioners that they have nothing to worry about.

Iohannis requested the Government and the Parliament to ensure that the funds necessary to support the pensions system for the full year are included in the state budget, specifying that calculations made by the administration showed that pensions budget was RON1.4 billion short of covering estimated expenses for state pensions this year.

Kelemen Hunor Backs Kovesi for EU Prosecutor

UDMR president Kelemen Hunor said Tuesday in a televised interview he believes Laura Codruta Kovesi should become chief-prosecutor of the EU Prosecution Office if she has been selected as the best candidate for the job.

“She applied, people voted, those are the rules, she should get the job,” he said.