Retail trade turnover (except for trade in motor vehicles and
motorcycles) grew in the first eight months of 2021 year-on-year, by
12.4% as a gross series and by 11.2% as a working days and seasonally
adjusted series, according to data published by the National Institute
of Statistics (INS) on Wednesday, 6 October. Retail sales of fuels for
motor vehicles in specialized stores decreased by 2.1%.
Romania’s ten-year financing cost (RO10Y), the barometer for the cost
of money in economy, grew considerably on Tuesday, 5 October, and
reached a new local record-high of the past two years, of 4.65%, amid
the fall of Cîţu Government and the National Bank of Romania (NBR)’s
decision to increase the key rate by 0.25%, to 1.5%. Long-term
financing costs have restarted growing in the past few weeks, amid the
deepening political crisis, after the ten-year yield had stood at 3.86%
on 17 September.
Patricia Andrei is CEC Bank’s new HR Director and will coordinate the
entire human resources activity of the bank with the largest
territorial network in Romania, which includes over 1,000 units and
nearly 6,000 employees in the entire country. The new Human Resource
Director, who has over 22 years of experience in this sector, held
various positions within ING Romania’s HR department for over 19 years,
and led the aforementioned bank’s human resources team during the
period 2014-2019.
The Competition Council has authorized the transaction through which
Banca Transilvania, the biggest bank in Romania, took over the entire
stake held by the Poles from Getin Holding at Idea Bank, including
participations within the companies Idea Investment, Idea Leasing and
Idea Insurance Broker, for EUR 43 million, at the beginning of June.
Idea Bank had RON 2.7 billion (EUR 555 million) assets and a 0.48% a
market share at the end of 2020, while the bank’s equity stood at RON
229 million (EUR 47 million), compared to the RON 326 million share
capital, the negative difference of RON 114 million representing the
losses accumulated over time and which have not been recovered so far.
CEWE, which currently operates 14 factories in Europe, has about 4,000
employees and is present in 21 countries, with over 20,000 retail
units, will invest over EUR 20 million in equipment integrated into
partner networks in Romania in 2021. Clients will thus benefit from the
latest technology developed by CEWE and from the most innovative
products in more than 300 stores at national level.
Real estate developer Millstone Developments announced on Wednesday, 6
October, that it had obtained the building permit for a residential
project in Bucharest. The exclusive project of only 24 apartments will
require an over EUR 8 million investment, and works are scheduled to
start in Q2 of 2022. The design of the building is in line with the
historic area it will be located in, according to the developer. The
project will include three- and four-room apartments, as well as three-
and four-room duplexes, with 35 parking spaces.
Holde Agri Invest, a Romanian company exploiting agricultural lands,
announced on Wednesday, 6 October, that it had purchased a new farm in
Călăraşi County, which has an area of 230 hectares of land, and is
entirely operated within a lease system. The value of the transaction
amounts to RON 2 million. The recently acquired farm is part of Holde’s
plan to use the sum attracted from investors following the share
capital increase operation carried out in July this year, in order to
expand the land areas exploited by the company.
Environment Minister Tanczos Barna announced on Wednesday, 6 October,
that the deputies of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
(UDMR) had amended the draft law approving the emergency ordinance
regarding immediate interventions in case of aggressive bears. The
proposal aims to extend the regulation outside built-up areas as well.
Minister Tanczos Barna also announced that the amendment had been voted
in the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Agriculture.
The Senate adopted USR’s legislative initiative compelling public
institutions and associated companies that collect taxes, fees and
fines as well as other payment obligations, to accept payment by card
and online. The initiative passed the Senate with 88 votes in favor, 1
vote against and 37 abstentions and will be debated by the Chamber of
Deputies, which is the decision-making chamber.
On Tuesday, 5 October, the European Commission presented the first-ever
EU Strategy on combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life, which
will be implemented over the period 2021-2030. With anti-Semitism
worryingly on the rise, in Europe and beyond, the Strategy sets out a
series of measures articulated around three pillars: to prevent all
forms of anti-Semitism; to protect and foster Jewish life; and to
promote research, education and Holocaust remembrance.
The National Committee for Emergency Situations (CNSU) decided, during
Wednesday’s meeting, to request the extension of the state of alert in
Romania, with maintaining the measures taken upon the previous
extension, in September. The 30-day extension will enter into force on
10 October. The decision must be confirmed by a government decision.
The obligation to have and present a digital green certificate in order
to have access to various activities in localities where the Covid-19
incidence rate has exceeded 3 cases per one thousand inhabitants will
thus be maintained. Children under 12 continue to be exempted from this
obligation.
On Wednesday, 6 October, the Minister of Education announced the number
of students to have filled in the form regarding their intention to get
vaccinated against Covid-19. According to Sorin Cîmpeanu, 7.5% of
students agree to get vaccinated, 15% have not made a decision yet, and
77.5% do not agree with anti-Covid-19 immunization. The number of
infected students amounted to nearly 13,000 on Wednesday. Moreover,
there are also 4,392 people in the education system who became infected
with Covid-19.