The government adopted on last Wednesday two measures to support farm producers affected by drought, providing for financial compensation and the legal suspension of the repayment of current and outstanding loans until August 2025.The decision comes as more than 230,000 farm producers (individuals, companies or family businesses) were hit by drought between September 2023 and August 2024, and provides for drought relief grants in the amount of RON 1,000 for each affected hectare, government spokesman Mihai Constantin said. The aid is disbursable based on a damage assessment minute acknowledging that the affected area is at least 30%. The budget of this state aid scheme is RON two billion.Another measure adopted by the government to support farmers who had difficulties this year provides for the possibility of legally suspending the repayment of current and overdue loans due in 2024, until August 1, 2025. The facility applies provided that two requirements are met: the applicant for suspension must have a record ascertaining an extent of damage of at least 50%; the interest charged by the lender is higher than 2.5% plus ROBOR for loans in RON, and 2% plus EURIBOR for foreign currency loans, Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu explained.Another emergency ordinance adopted on Wednesday aims to expand the "Farmer's Loan" state aid scheme, so that advantageous state-guaranteed loans can also be accessed for the payment of outstanding debts to suppliers and input distributors."We are talking here about 100% state-backed loans with a fixed interest rate of 1.95, and the ROBOR and all other fees are borne by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of Romania. (...) Let me tell you one more thing: Romania's self-sufficiency rate for domestic products is 100%. This year's wheat production exceeds by 1.9 million tons the 2023 crop. Practically, we have the necessary output for both animal husbandry and for export," the minister emphasized.
President Nicusor Dan signed on Thursday the decree appointing Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan as interim Vice Prime Minister on the areas coordinated by Dragos Anastasiu, the Presidential Administration informed.On 27 July, Dragos Anastasiu announced he was stepping down from the vice prime minister office, mentioning that he could no longer accept "being denigrated and thus […]
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan continued consultations on Thursday with representatives of the Association of Communes of Romania, telling them there is a strong chance to overcome the current difficult period if the approach of "responsibility toward public funds" is maintained."The reform of local public administration will be part of the second package of government measures […]
Financing the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) projects will continue for those already initiated and will stop only in case investment has not begun, where not a single euro was spent for construction, Development minister Cseke Attila explained on Thursday. “PNRR will not stop, neither will financing investments which have already been initiated, […]
The Justice Ministry announced on Thursday having developed in cooperation with the Finance Ministry and the National Tax Administration Agency a set of proposals to amend the Insolvency Law, which will be included in the second reform package.Some of the amendments provide for a higher recovery rate of the taxes and fees owed by insolvent […]
Romania is in the antechamber of recession, with the risk that its economy will decline in the third or fourth quarter, especially amid an increase in taxes, a significant drop in sales and record inflation at European level, says business consultant Adrian Negrescu."We are currently in the antechamber of recession. It is a moment […]
The Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday that is set to adapt national legislation for enforcing the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which supports media pluralism, editorial responsibility, protects journalists from abusive surveillance and intimidation, and provides protection for sources.According to a Culture Ministry release, the implementation in Romania of Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the […]
