Radio România Internațional

Tag: purchase

  • Lower prices for basic food stuffs

    Lower prices for basic food stuffs


    Romania is one of the European countries which has this
    year put a cap on some basic food stuffs. An emergency ordinance came into
    effect on August 1st to enforce a temporary measure of fighting
    price hikes in some farm and food products. The ordinance, which is valid for
    three months, is focusing on capping prices in several food products such as
    bread, milk, meat, vegetables, fruit with a view to boosting the population’s
    purchasing power.


    The discount, which had been previously discussed with
    processors, distributors and traders, was initially envisaged for 14 products.
    According to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
    Development, a survey on prices in supermarkets shows that significant price
    cuts are registered in several products such as, bread, edible oil, potatoes,
    cheese, maize, flour and sugar


    Agriculture minister Florin Barbu has recently said the ordinance on capping the
    trade markup will be extended. Barbu added that funding is presently available
    for projects both in the field of processing and the producers’ energy
    independence.


    Food and farm products
    in Romania have a VAT of 9%. Producers aren’t going to lose because the VAT on
    production expenses is higher, as there is going to be compensation the
    minister went on to say.


    The Ministry’s project
    points out to the government’s summer decision, which had a positive impact,
    explaining why an expansion is needed in the upcoming cold season, with higher household
    expenses and consumption during the winter holidays.


    According to Prime
    Minister Ciolacu, the cap on food prices contributed to bringing inflation
    under 9% last month. The new ordinance should be endorsed by the end of this
    month when the former provisions are going to expire.


    Seven food categories
    should be added on the list of those with a provisionally capped trade markup.


    With the expanded period
    of three months by the end of January 2024, of the 14 capped prices, other food
    products will be added such as pound cake, tomato sauce, some types of light
    sour cream, margarine and yeast. According to the authorities, the decision to
    add more subsidized products to the list has been made jointly with processors
    and retailers. Failure to comply with the provisions of the aforementioned
    ordinance is considered offence and punishable with fines between 100 thousand
    to 2 million RON.


    (bill)

  • Equipment procurement for army

    Equipment procurement for army

    The Romanian Defense Ministry has officially requested Parliaments approval for the start, this year, of the program to purchase 32 F-35 military aircraft from the United States, and Parliament has taken note of this request. In the document, the Defense Ministry officials emphasize that, in order to fulfill the objectives of Romanias defense policy, they continue the actions for the purchase of new military equipment that should contribute to the development and maintenance of robust and resilient defense capabilities. The purchase is part of the F-35 multi-role 5thgeneration aircraft endowment program, and the amount is a record for the Romanian Army – 6.5 billion dollars. The money will be used for the purchase of aircraft, engines, logistic support, pilot and staff training services and flight simulators. The first planes are to be delivered by the American manufacturers in 2030.



    The decision to purchase the state-of-the-art American aircraft was made at the meeting of the Supreme Defense Council of Romania (CSAT) in April, and the Defense Ministry is obliged by law to ask for Parliaments approval for any purchase worth more than 100 million Euros. Moreover, in the context of Russias invasion of neighboring Ukraine, Romania, a member state of the European Union and NATO, has increased its spending for defense from 2% to 2.5% of the Gross Domestic Product this year. Romania shares a 650km-border with Ukraine and has seen the conflict approach its borders amid Moscows repeated attacks on the Ukrainian ports on the Danube.



    Last year, Romania decided to purchase 32 second-hand F-16 fighter jets from Norway, and in 2016 it also purchased 17 aircraft from Portugal. In addition, in July, Bucharest announced, after approval by the country’s Supreme Defense Council (CSAT), the creation of a regional F-16 pilots training center that will be available to NATO allies and partners, including Ukraine. “Our major interest is to have well-trained Romanian pilots as soon as possible to operate the F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force. We all know how complex is the process of ensuring the security of the airspace in the Black Sea region, on the NATO border “the defense minister Angel Tîlvăr said then.



    Moreover, at the informal meeting of the North Atlantic Council together with Sweden, in the format of defense ministers, which was also held in July in Vilnius, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, the Romanian official told the allies that the security situation in the Black Sea region must remain a constant concern of the Alliance. In this context, he mentioned the preservation of the commitments assumed by Romania within the three pillars of the concept of fair sharing of responsibilities –ensuring the financial resources, implementing the assumed capabilities and contributing to NATO operations, missions and commitments. (LS)


  • November 4, 2022 UPDATE

    November 4, 2022 UPDATE

    LAW Romania’s
    president Klaus Iohannis Friday signed into law a bill banning convicted offenders
    from running for public offices such as senators, deputies, mayors, chairs or
    members of county councils and others. Under the said law, the ban does not
    apply in cases involving rehabilitation, amnesty or decriminalisation.




    AIRCRAFT Romania has signed an agreement to purchase 32 F-16
    fighters from Norway. According to the Defence Ministry, the first aircraft
    will be delivered towards the end of next year, and total costs amount to EUR 388
    mln. The ministry also explains that the aircraft will be operational and fit
    for use for another at least 10 years. The agreement is supported by the US
    Government and is a capability transfer between 2 NATO member states, aimed at
    enhancing Romania’s defence capacity and at ensuring the country’s contribution
    to the collective defence as part of the Alliance. At present the Romanian Air
    Forces operate 17 F-16 fighters.


    TRADE The volume
    of trade exchanges between Romania and Germany in the first 9 months of the
    year exceeded EUR 28 bln, 18% higher than in the same period last year, says
    the Federal Statistics Office quoted by the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce.
    According to the same sources, German exports to Romania stood at roughly EUR 15
    bln, while imports exceeded EUR 13 bln, placing Romania on the 19th position in
    a ranking by exports and on the 21st position in terms of imports. Federal
    authorities have voiced hope that Romania will join the Schengen zone as soon
    as possible in what is seen as a strong political signal acknowledging the
    country’s positive achievements in terms of European integration.


    EXTREMISM The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation condemns the
    xenophobic statements made by a Hungarian politician on a visit to Sfântu
    Gheorghe (central Romania). Barna Bartha, a Deputy affiliated with the
    extremist party Mi Hazánk (Our Motherland) made racist statements concerning
    Roma and Jewish people, and threatened Boróka Parászka, a Hungarian ethnic
    employed as a journalist with Radio România Tîrgu Mureş. The management of the
    Radio Broadcasting Corporation sees these statements as unacceptable and a
    serious attack against basic rules of democracy and against the rule of law. PM
    Nicolae Ciuca also described the threats against journalist Paraszka Boroka as
    a serious attack on democratic values and urged the relevant authorities to
    use their legal powers to protect the members of mass media. Mi Hazánk is a
    far-right party in Hungary, set up 4 years ago by dissidents from Jobbik party
    after its leaders moved away from the organisation’s radical roots.


    UKRAINE Some 4.5
    million Ukrainians, accounting for one-tenth of the country’s population, were
    left without electricity on Thursday night, after Russian attacks on the
    country’s energy network. Power went out both in the capital Kyiv and in 10
    other regions. The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russians
    cannot beat Ukraine on the battlefield, so they try to break our people by
    resorting to energy terrorism. Meanwhile, Ukraine firmly condemned the
    massive displacement of civilians in Russian-controlled Kherson region (south)
    for fear of a massive Ukrainian counteroffensive. Civilians were reportedly
    also moved in the neighbouring region of Zaporizhzhia and in Crimea, the
    peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, as well as in the eastern provinces of Luhansk
    and Donetsk, partly controlled by pro-Moscow secessionists. (AMP)