Press Review - September 5, 2018

09.05.2018 By Oana Gavrila

Fondul Proprietatea Won't Contribute to Posta Romana Capital Hike

Investment fund Fondul Proprietatea (FP.RO) maintains its decision to not take part in a share capital increase for state-owned postal company Posta Romana and contests the hike, Johan Meyer, the Permanent Representative of FP manager Franklin Templeton International Services, said Tuesday.

The FP representative said the fund is not willing to invest in a capital hike as it has not been shown a credible business development plan and will continue to contest the capitalization.

In March 2018, Romania's Communications Ministry decided to raise Posta Romana's share capital by approximately RON227 million. FP decided not to contribute and contested the decision in court. Following the hike, FP now owns 6.48% in the postal company from a previous stake of 25%, while the ministry raised its stake to 93.52% from a previous 75%.

Internet Banking Users Will Be Able to Pay Taxes Online

Romania's agency for electronic payments will soon sign partnerships will all banks in Romania allowing internet banking users to pay their local taxes online, via ghiseul.ro.

"Ghiseul.ro is the most stable government platform for the payment of local taxes and currently has approximately 350,000 active users and the number of registered users exceeds half a million. There are 12 internet banking platforms in Romania whose number of users is considerably higher,” said George Anghel, executive director of the electronic payments agency.

Over 4 million people use internet banking services in Romania.

Sharapova Leaves US Open

Maria Sharapova, 22 WTA, was defeated in the US Open by Carla Suarez Navarro (24 WTA), 6-4, 6-3.

Sharapova (31), former world champion, has not reached last eight in New York since 2012, after her comeback following a 15-month suspension for doping. Her last Grand Slam title is from 2014, at Roland Garros, where she defeated Romania's Simona Halep.

Bucharest Mayor Questioned on Aug 10 Events, Continues Conflict with Ruling Party Leader

Bucharest Mayor Gabriela Firea was summoned by prosecutors on Tuesday for a hearing regarding the August 10 rally, stating afterward that both the leadership of the Social Democrat Party and the riot police were trying to blame the capital’s prefect for the violent incidents.

Following the hearing, Firea told journalists that she was away on an official visit to Estonian capital Tallinn on August 10, and that her office has no military or intervention attributions in cases of violent events.

She pointed out that both the country’s Interior Minister and the Romanian riot police tried to blame Bucharest Prefect Speranta Cliseru, a long-time associate of hers, for the intervention to disperse protesters and for the violent events in their entirety.

Firea also accused party leader Liviu Dragnea of orchestrating attacks through “toxic messages” spread through social democrat advisers and the press. The conflict between the two sparked at a recent social democrat top brass meeting, where Firea unsuccessfully requested the resignation or dismissal of Interior Minister Carmen Dan for her handling of the August 10 incidents.

Firea later accused Dan of showing intercepted conversations from the WhatsApp messaging application during the meeting. Dragnea said on Monday that these are “serious accusations” and urged Firea to back them up with proof or file a criminal case.