BILL – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that he would organise, by November 15, at least one public debate on the radio and TV licence fee, attended by experts in the field. The head of state has said that, over the past few days, a large number of European media organisations, trade unions and experts’ associations have called on him not to sign the into law the bill eliminating this fee because, if the public Radio and Television were to be financed by the state, the might turn into a political tool. 88 years from its first broadcast, Romanian public radio and television are faced with an unprecedented situation. A bill slashing the public radio and TV fees was passed by Parliament last week; it eliminates in bulk 100 more types of taxes, and was sent to President Klaus Iohannis for endorsement. Some observers have pointed out its populism, ahead of the Parliamentary elections in December, and the lack of public debate around a law of national and strategic significance.
LOAN — Romania will sign a loan agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, worth 500 million euros, according to a memorandum discussed at a Romanian government meeting on Wednesday. This is the second loan to be taken out by Romania for development policies after the one in 2014 worth 750 million euros. The loan will be taken out for a period of 20 years and should be reimbursed in 2036.
REVOLUTION CASE – Military prosecutors on Wednesday decided to extend the prosecution in the 1989 Revolution case to crimes against humanity. The extension was made “in rem”, meaning that it is the act and not people that are targeted. According to prosecutors, the incidents that happened after December 22nd, 1989 in a big number of Romanian localities indicates that things had been orchestrated so as to allow the new leaders take over power and offer them legitimacy. According to official statistics, over 11 thousand people lost their lives and around three thousand were wounded during the Romanian 1989 Revolution.
EUROPEAN UNION – EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Günther Oettinger, is on a two-day official visit to Romania starting on Wednesday. On Thursday he will deliver a speech at the Digital Romania International Forum held in Bucharest. The event, staged by the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, is attended by President Klaus Iohannis, PM Dacian Ciolos and 250 representatives of the IT sector.
PUBLIC SECTOR PAY RISE – The budget-finance and labour committees of the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday amended an ordinance on public sector pay rises to extend the rise to education and healthcare employees. The Chamber of Deputies will vote on the bill next week. The technocratic prime minister Dacian Ciolos said the salary rises and the elimination of a number of taxes recently proposed by Parliament ahead of the parliamentary elections of December 11th will have a great impact on the state budget.
IMF REPORT – The economic growth rate remains solid in much of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, credit will pick up again and inflationary pressures are still low, according to the International Monetary Funds autumn report. The shadow economy has been shrinking in all states in the region since 2005, in particular in Latvia, Lithuania and Romania, the IMF notes. The report also highlights the significant progress made by some states, including Romania, in reducing non-performing loans. With respect to consumer prices, the IMF estimates that Bulgaria and Romania will have some of the highest negative average annual inflation rates in the European Union, but that in Romania, consumer prices will return to positive values in 2017. The IMF also projects a minus 2% current account deficit in 2016 and a minus 2.8% in 2017. In the case of the Romanian economy, the IMF expects a GDP growth of 5% in 2016 and of 3.8% in 2017, the highest economic growth rate in Europe.
MILITARY EXERCISE – Romanian and American military are taking part in the Patriot Shock V exercise at the Capul Midia shooting range in south-eastern Romania, until November 12. A battery of US Patriot missiles are participating for the first time in an exercise in Romania. This is an advanced surface-to-air defence system that can be used in the event of an attack with aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles and which, according to the Romanian defence ministry, can detect around 100 targets and guide up to nine missiles. The US and Romanian military will be testing the reaction speed in the event of a crisis. The two army detachments will test their response as part of a fictitious air defence scenario. Also for the first time, the F-16 aircraft recently purchased by Romania took part in the Scorpions Fury multinational exercise which ended on Wednesday at a shooting range in Cincu, in Brasov county, central Romania. 1,300 military from Canada, Germany, the Republic of Moldova and Romania have taken part, as well as 200 pieces of technical equipment and 13 Romanian Air Force planes.
FOOTBALL – Two Romanian football teams will play in the Europa League on Thursday. In Group E, champions Astra Giurgiu face the Czech side Viktoria Plzeň at home. AS Rome and Austria Vienna top the group, with 5 points each, followed by Astra with 3 points and Plzeň with 2. In Group L, vice-champions Steaua Bucharest play against FC Zurich away. In this group, Villareal lead with 5 points, followed by Osmanlıspor and Zurich, each with 4 points, and Steaua at the bottom of the ranking with 2 points.
(Translated by Elena Enache)