Experts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are recommending modifications to the recently adopted pension law by the Government. According to government sources cited by Agerpres, the IMF estimates that the expenses resulting from the implementation of the new pension law will be approximately 0.5% of the GDP in 2024 and an additional 1% of the GDP starting in 2025. The IMF mission, following its visit to Romania, is preparing the final Article IV report on the financial situation of Romania, which will be presented to the board. In light of the new pension law, the report will include a paragraph emphasizing that “the projection presented in the report does not include the expenses resulting from the application of the new pension law, estimated at approximately 0.5% of GDP in 2024 and an additional 1% of GDP starting in 2025,” as stated by the source cited by Agerpres. Additionally, it will be mentioned that these additional expenses imply a deficit trajectory inconsistent with fiscal consolidation and achieving the 3% of GDP target. The cited source further highlighted that IMF representatives emphasize the need for the component of the law involving these expenses to be “reconsidered, or the implementation of the law in the proposed form to be reconsidered.” The controversial pension law project, approved by the Executive on Thursday, has sparked debates within the Coalition. According to the Minister of Labor, Simona Bucura Oprescu, 2024 will be the first year in which a government will grant two pension increases—one based on inflation plus 50% of the real increase in the average gross wage, and the other through recalculation. She stated on Thursday that the additional impact compared to the increase in the current law, with recalculation from September to December 2024, amounts to 10 billion lei.
NASTY, the new documentary that showcases the life and career of Romanian legend Ilie Năstase, the “bad boy” of tennis, will be released on the Max streaming platform in May. Co-produced for Max by HBO Documentaries Europe and Libra Films, the documentary will be released in 23 countries in the week of the launch of the […]
Symphony of Water/Simfonia Apei, the water, music, and light show at the Urban Fountains in Unirii Square, downtown Bucharest, starts a new season this week. The fifth edition is scheduled to kick off Friday, May 17. The roughly 45-minute shows will have different themes, celebrating local stars from sports, science or art,
Over 260 objectives in 32 counties and in Bucharest can be visited during this year’s Night of Museums, which will take place on Saturday, May 18. This year's edition is an anniversary one, as it marks 20 years since the Night of Museums was first held in Romania. Locations in cities like Brașov, Sibiu, Ploiești, […]
The private medical sector is also making waves in real estate, according to an analysis by iO Partners, which says that major chains of private clinics and hospitals in Bucharest currently occupy spaces totaling over 215,000 sqm. About 40% of this area, equivalent to 86,000 sqm, comprises spaces leased in modern office buildings, often strategically […]
Romanian emotions/emoții românești, a special temporary exhibition on wildlife in Romania, opens this week at the Antipa Museum in Bucharest. The opening of the show, which features 30 images captured by photographer Rareș Beșliu, is scheduled for Thursday, May 16. The images are part of the emotions/emoții photobook, where readers...
Romania, one of the main source countries for victims of human trafficking in Europe, launched this week a new national strategy to tackle the phenomenon over the 2024-2028 period. According to prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, who was present at the launch on May 13, roughly 500 Romanians fall victim to human trafficking each year. "Unfortunately, […]
