Joint IMF – World Bank – EU mission on a visit to Bucharest
A joint mission of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and the European Commission was expected in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Tuesday for talks with Romanian officials on issues concerning the 2015 Budget. The Romanian government is seeking ways of keeping its commitments while also avoiding a tax surge as the country’s budget deficit in 2015 is expected to remain a sticking point in the talks. Prime Minister Victor Ponta is also seeking an approval for a higher budget deficit of 2.1% allowing more spending for the military. IMF delegation chief Andrea Schaechter along with IMF, World Bank and European Commission experts hold talks with Prime Minister Victor Ponta at the Victoria Palace in Bucharest as Finance Minister Ioana Pwetrescu and Budget Minister Darius Vâlcov were also attending the talks expected to focus on a budget deficit between 2 and 2.1 percent of the GDP. The mission is expected to leave Romania on December 10.
Romanian President-elect Klaus Iohannis quit his job as Sibiu mayor
Romania’s President-elect Klaus Iohannis renounced his position as mayor of the Transylvanian town of Sibiu on Tuesday after 14 years on the job. Mr. Iohannis praised his relations with City Hall colleagues and thanked the people in Sibiu for the efforts they made in order turn Sibiu into the modern city which was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture in 2007. Astrid Fodor, a representative of Romania’s German Democratic Forum and current deputy mayor, is expected to replace Mr. Iohannis as acting mayor of the city of Sibiu.
Romanian PM Victor Ponta admits a potential government reshuffle
A potential cabinet reshuffle may be subject to talks in the future though negociations on the issue were not expected in the very next future, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta admitted in a statement on Tuesday. However, Mr. Ponta would offer leading positions to partners of his Social Democratic Party {PSD) in the current governing coalition including the Conservative Party (PC), National Union for Romania’s Progress ((UNPR) and the Reforming Liberal Party (PLR). The project was put forward by PLR leader Călin Popescu Tăriceanu though the move was still informal. However, no negotiations were underway for the moment on the issue, Mr. Ponta pointed out.
Another Romanian MP under arrest
The preventive arrest of Cătălin Florin Teodorescu, a MP of the opposition Democratic-Liberal Party (PD-L), was approved by the Legal Committee in the lower house of the Romanian parliament on Tusday with 14 votes for and 1 against. Mr. Teodorescu is accused of abuse of office in the file involving Alina Bica, former head of the country’s Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). The arrest of Markó Attila, a MP of Romania’s Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians (UDMR), was rejected with 13 votes for, 2 against and 2 abstentions as it needed 14 votes to pass. A final vote into the case is expected at a session of the House of Deputies in the coming days.
Alexandru Danga, RADOR
