Press Review - September 11, 2018

09.11.2018 By Oana Gavrila

Three-Month Money Market Rate Drops To 3.11%

The three-month money market interest rate used to calculate interests for consumer loans in lei fell to 3.11% a year on Monday, from 3.12% a year on Friday, central bank data showed.

The six-month money market rate, which is used to calculate interests on leu-denominated mortgage loans, on Monday stayed put at Friday's level of 3.37 %.

The nine-month interbank rate, which is used to calculate interests on loans in lei attracted by commercial banks from other commercial banks for a nine-month period, on Monday remained at Friday’s level of 3.45%.

The twelve-month index on Monday stayed at Friday’s level of 3.50%.

Leu Firms Against Euro, Loses Ground to US Dollar

The Romanian leu firmed against the euro Monday when the central bank calculated a midday reference rate of 4.6332 lei to the euro, 0.17% higher than Friday's rate of 4.6410 units.

The leu lost ground to the US dollar, quoted indirectly on the Romanian market. The leu lost 0.36% to the dollar, standing at 4.0019 units to the dollar Monday from 3.9875 units Friday.

Romanian MEP Threatens To Resign S&D If It Doesn’t Exclude Social Democrat Party

Romanian MEP Catalin Ivan said Monday he sent an official email to all MEPs from the socialist S&D group in the European Parliament, in which he announces his resignation if it won’t decide to exclude Romania’s Social Democrat Party (PSD).

Ivan was elected to his current term as MEP on the lists of PSD, but cut all ties with the party following repeated clashes with its leadership.

The MEP said the email contained links to several online petitions requesting PSD’s exclusion from the group, signed altogether by “more than 100,000 Romanians”.

He also described the riot police intervention at a Romanian diaspora rally on August 10 as a “street fight (…) following a scenario premeditated by individuals loyal to Liviu Dragnea (PSD chairman, ed.)”.

“Thousands of innocent women, children and elders fell victims to this scenario, with the effects of exposure to the gas used by law enforcement difficult to guess, with more and more being hospitalized with respiratory or skin conditions,” said the MEP.

“Following all this, I attach my request to exclude PSD from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of European Socialists and Democrats and, if there is no decision taken, my resignation from this group starting with October 1, 2018,” Ivan concluded.

West Nile Confirmed in Western Romania

Authorities are on high alert after confirming a West Nile infection case in the western part of Romania.

The public health department in Hunedoara county has confirmed the virus infection for a 73-year-old patient.

Another patient, 43, has been admitted to hospital with similar symptoms.

Europe registered over 1,000 West Nile virus infections by September 6, of which more than 800 in EU member states. Romania, Italy, Greece, and Hungary have reported the highest number of infections. There is no vaccine and no cure for the illness.