Press Review - March 2, 2016

03.02.2016 ZF English

Vasile Blaga Criticizes Victor Ponta And Education Minister Adrian Curaj
 

PNL co-chair, Vasile Blaga, criticized former Prime Minister Victor Ponta and Education Minister, Adrian Curaj, related to the scandal of the PhD title.

"I accused Ponta of plagiarism, others did that, too. You’ve seen Ponta’s interventions today, when culture representatives asked for measures related to withdrawing the PhD title. He was impertinent today, as well," Blaga told Realitatea TV.

Blaga also criticized the reaction of Education Minister Adrian Curaj to the request of Bucharest University on withdrawing the PhD title for Victor Ponta. (Puterea)

Draft Law: Bank Accounts For Electoral Campaigns Cannot Be Foreclosed

The Romanian Senate passed a draft law according to which the bank accounts for electoral campaigns will not be foreclosed, although political parties have debts worth RON54 million.

The draft law was supported by all political parties, with 105 pros, three cons and six abstentions.

 Senators also eliminated the restrictions referring to renting party headquarters, which can bring them additional gains.

According to the civil society representatives, the law is unconstitutional and turns the parties into “profitable business”. (Romania Libera)

CBRE: Consumer Spending, Dominant Factor For Real Estate Market In 2016

The dominant cyclical factor to impact the real estate market in 2016 is consumer spending, which is currently benefiting from a host of positive factors, according to CBRE’s “CEE Market Outlook 2016”.

Bucharest and Budapest will be on the lists of big retail investors in 2016, besides the traditional destinations like Prague and Poland.

This year, historical high office demand is registered in almost all CEE countries, driven mostly by IT & outsourcing international occupiers while the investment volumes in CEE should be at minimum similar to those from 2015. (Puterea)

Finance Minister: Minimum Wage To Increase To RON1,250 As Of May 1

Finance Minister Anca Dragu said Tuesday that the minimum wage will increase to RON1,250 as of May 1, as previously announced.

The minister added that the amending of the Tax Code so that people with no income should no longer pay Social and Health Insurance contribution (CASS) is pending approval.

 “The minimum wage will increase to RON1,250 as of May 1, as I have already announced for some while," Anca Dragu stated at the end of the meeting of the Commission for European business in the Chamber of Deputies, when asked whether there are any changes related to the minimum wage hike, given that the normative act did not appear yet. (Puterea)

Law On Debt Discharge, As Adopted By Senate, Can Be Appealed At Constitutional Court

The law on debt discharge, as adopted by the Senate on Monday, includes provisions which can be appealed at the Constitutional Court.

The most important of the provisions, according to the experts consulted by “Adevarul“ newspaper, refers to the EUR150,000 ceiling for the application of the law, which is discriminating.

The Romanian Senate unanimously approved on Monday the law on debt discharge, with 119 pros and no con, but the Chamber of Deputies has the final say on the matter.

The senators on Monday decided the First Home program will remain subject to the provisions of the law on debt discharge, but, they also admitted the Romanian central bank’s proposition to introduce a maximum ceiling of EUR150,000 for properties used for residential purposes, which will be considered when enforcing the law. (Adevarul)