Press Review - May 26, 2016

05.26.2016 By Gabriela Stan

Romania Posts RON130M Budget Surplus In January-April 2016

Romania's general consolidated budget posted a surplus of RON130 million in the first four months of 2016, or 0.02% of gross domestic product, finance ministry data showed.

In January-April 2015, Romania posted a budget surplus of RON5.96 billion, or 0.94% of GDP.

Revenues to the consolidated budget amounted to RON73.9 billion in the first four months of 2016, or 9.8% of GDP, 2.8% lower in nominal terms compared with the same period last year, the data showed.

Profit tax collections increased 12%, excise duty collections rose 2.7%, social security contribution collections increased 5.5, while collections from tax on use of goods rose 13.5%.

Value-added tax collections fell 8.8% on the year in January-April 2016, as the tax was reduced from 24% to 9% on food items as of mid-2015 and the standard rate was cut from 24% to 20% as of January 1, 2016. (Adevarul)

Romania Won’t Import Natural Gas From Russia In June

In June, Romania’s natural gas production will exceed consumption so that the country will not import natural gas from Russia, through intermediaries.

Romania’s total natural gas consumption will reach 6.2 million MWh in June, while natural gas production will be 8.6 million MWh, according to the data of Romania’s energy regulator ANRE.

In December, for example, the local natural gas production accounted for 92.41% of the total resources while imports accounted for 7.59%. The country’s two largest gas producers (Romgaz and OMV Petrom) covered 95.41% of the resources. (Puterea)

Romania Could Lose EU Funds Worth EUR11.2M By End Of June

Romania has not used the EUR11.2 million assigned by the European Commission for the support of milk and meat sector in the context of the Russian embargo and the elimination of milk quotas, Viorica Dancila, vice president of the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural development, said in Brussels.

The MEP said, during a meeting with Romanian journalists, that she has got the information from EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan.

 "I had a meeting with EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, yesterday, at the Commission for agriculture and rural development, and he announced that Romanian was among the eight countries which did not take over the EU funds for the support of milk and meat sector, worth EUR11.2 million," Viorica Dancila said. (Romania Libera)

Liviu Dragnea: Parliamentary Elections Will Be Extremely Important

The president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, said on Wednesday, during an electoral meeting, that the parliamentary elections that will take place in the autumn will be extremely important.

 “I want you not to forget how important this autumn’s elections are. Important because in the upcoming years the world in general is restoring, the zone around our country is reseating. Based on the results of the parliamentary elections, Romania will take one way or another. The only chance for Romania to choose the right way, to become a strong country and use the huge potential of this rich country would be if PSD returns to governing,” Dragnea said. (Romania Libera)

State Sanitary Inspection To Cross-Check Hospitals Countrywide

Romanian Health Minister, Vlad Voiculescu, on Wednesday announced that the State Sanitary Inspection Unit will start cross-checking the hospitals countrywide.

The minister added that the people will soon have access to essential medicines and that hospitals will be subject to investments, some of them with funds unblocked from the World Bank.

“I am managing this system, which needs to be reformed, to strengthen things up (…) I need allies, which I hope I will find among doctors, among the majority of honest doctors,” Voiculescu told journalists. (Adevarul)