The Government "has reached an agreement" with the European Commission on the fiscal plan to reduce the deficit, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday, stressing that it is essential that the EC experts agreed that Romania needs the required period of 7 years to carry out major investment projects in the economy."We have reached an agreement with the European Commission on the fiscal plan. It is essential that the Commission experts agreed that Romania needs a period of 7 years to make massive investments in the economy. This is the only way we will reach the EU average in terms of development, citizens' incomes and living standard in general. There is also an agreement on the idea that if the deficit is lower than investments, then we are on a healthy trajectory," Ciolacu said at the beginning of the Government meeting.He added that, obviously, in parallel, the state "must make an effort to reduce spending, so that the economic balance be consolidated in the coming years.""Therefore, investments will grow in the coming years and we will continue to invest massively in the economy and in infrastructure," the prime minister said.But a Commission spokesperson for economic affairs told Reuters that it has agreed with Romania to extend its deadline to file the medium-term plan to Jan. 31."Since we have not received Romania's plan yet, we cannot comment on its content," the spokesperson said."Ahead of the submission of the plan, the Commission is engaging in technical dialogues with member states, including with Romania, with the objective of ensuring that the plans comply with all the requirements set out in the legislation."Romania has yet to unveil a 2025 budget plan, but analysts and ratings agencies expect some measure of tax hikes to be enforced to shore up public finances.The coalition government has raised the minimum wage and has raised state pensions twice this year.Romania has the EU's fastest rise in wage costs and its widening budget deficit is limiting the central bank's room to cut interest rates.
President Nicușor Dan has nominated Senate president Ilie Bolojan, a leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and former interim president, for the prime minister seat. Dan said Bolojan is “the best person to carry out the needed adjustments in the state administration.” He pointed to Bolojan’s track record with reducing spending, and said he has […]
Balkanik Festival – Home of World Music, set to take place at Uranus Garden between September 5 and September 7, lines up this year artists who "celebrate that form of joy that does not ignore reality, but faces it with beauty, energy, and solidarity," the organizers said. The artists performing in September in Bucharest will […]
The mayor of Timișoara, Dominic Fritz, announced on Friday, June 20, that two new bridges over the Bega River will be built in the city. The bridges will be financed with EU-backed funds worth over RON 130 million. The bridges in question are the Solventul Bridge, which will connect Gării Street to Dâmbovița Boulevard and […]
A Sarmatian necropolis nearly 2,000 years old was discovered after archaeological excavations were carried out at the Mehala II site in the municipality of Timișoara, in western Romania. Researchers discovered 15 inhumation graves, most arranged in rectangular pits with rounded corners, although some no longer retain their original outline, having been disturbed by the passage […]
The George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra will deliver on June 26 a concert marking Romania Day at the Osaka World Expo. Additionally, the Bucharest-based orchestra will present a series of other concerts and recitals, both within the Romanian Pavilion and outside, at Toyonara Hall in Osaka. The George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra's concerts will be conducted by […]
Sphera Franchise Group, the largest food service group in Romania, has opened its first Cioccolatitaliani store in the seaside resort of Riccione, in Italy’s Rimini tourist area. This marks the official launch of Sphera Group’s development plan for the premium Italian brand of coffee, gelato, and pastry. Under the plan, it will open four locations […]
