A study on the smuggling and counterfeiting phenomena in Romania shows
that three quarters of respondents believe that people will be tempted
to buy cheaper products on the black market amid the rising prices,
Agerpres reports. Moreover, the majority of Romanians believe that
purchasing power dropped in 2022 and are pessimistic about the
evolution of living standards in 2023. More than half of participants
in the survey believe their level of living will be lower this year.
Libra Internet Bank has included the "Libra mPOS" application into its
portfolio, which allows merchants to replace the traditional POSs with
Android mobile devices. The solution represents a secure and flexible
method of accepting payments by contactless bank cards and devices
equipped with the NFC technology using alternative payment methods
(phone, smartwatch). The app is available in Google Play, can be
installed on one’s mobile phone or tablet, and can be accessed using
the authentication data provided by Libra Internet Bank, based on a
pre-signed contract.
Allianz-Tiriac ended 2022 with RON 2.9 billion gross written premiums,
up more than 40% compared to 2021, and RON 1.2 billion paid claims.
Payments to and on behalf of clients grew faster than sales last year,
by around 53%. Apart from the paid claims, Allianz-Tiriac had more than
RON 3 billion in technical reserves at the end of December 2022, which
is a guarantee for policyholders that future commitments will also be
met, according to a press release.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance raised RON 120 million from banks,
in addition to the auctions on Monday, when it had borrowed RON 854.3
million at interest rates of 7.59% and 7.99% per year respectively
through two benchmark government bond issues. The nominal value of the
two additional issues was RON 75 million and RON 45 million
respectively. Banks submitted offers worth RON 350 million and RON 155
million respectively.
Bihor County Council has launched a European project worth more than
RON 5 million (about EUR 1 million), VAT not included, within the
National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), which involves equipping
seven special education schools under its subordination. According to
the project, the seven schools will be equipped with teaching
materials, digital equipment and classroom furniture. Digital equipment
will thus be supplied for four computer science laboratories and 66
classrooms, among other things.
German group Stada, present in Romania through its subsidiary Stada
Romania, maintained its double-digit growth in 2022, having recorded
EUR 3.8 billion sales (up by 11% year-on-year) and EUR 875 million
EBITDA (up 17%). Stada has started a EUR 50 million investment in
Romania in order to strengthen its supply chain resilience. Once it is
finalized in 2024, it will consolidate a chain that includes 20
production units in Europe, Eurasia, Asia and a network of 16,700 local
partners and suppliers.
112 non-governmental organizations in Romania have called on President
Klaus Iohannis not to promulgate the law limiting associations’ access
to justice, but to challenge it at the Constitutional Court of Romania.
The law violates at least four articles of the Constitution, including
free access to justice and freedom of expression and association,
according to the signatory organizations, which include Declic
Association, BankWatch Romania Association, Funky Citizens, Dăruiește
Viață, Agent Green, and FDSC - Foundation for Civil Society
Development.
The president of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and Prime Minister
Nicolae Ciucă has stated that the new education laws allow Romanian
students to carry out academic training abroad, but also open Romanian
universities to foreign students. He has also indicated that the
National Program for University Internationalization will be in charge
of these academic exchanges, and will provide Romanian students with
all the support and information they need to start a study period in
another country.
Liberal (PNL) Senator Florin Cîțu has submitted a draft law to
Parliament to reduce the tax on dividends from 8% to 5% and the
threshold for paying health insurance contributions from 24 to 12
minimum wages for incomes from rents, news.ro notes. The Liberal has
also indicated that all the effects of the harmful ordinance 16/2022
imposed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) must be eliminated. Florin
Cîțu has also stated that Romania was better managed under the Liberal
governing.
At the beginning of last week, the passage of the EU’s law on CO2
emission standards for cars and vans, which includes a de facto ban on
the sale of combustion engine vehicles from 2035, seemed broadly on
track. A meeting to ratify the legislative proposal scheduled for today
(7 March) - seen as a mere formality - has been cancelled. No new date
has been proposed yet.
Minister for Family, Youth and Equal Opportunities Gabriela Firea has
announced that more than 5,000 files were registered in the National
Program aimed at Increasing Birth Rate and about 2,850 files have been
analyzed by the committee. She has also indicated that, so far, 1,000
contracts have been sent to couples or women enrolled in the program
and nearly 600 vouchers have got to or are on their way to the
beneficiaries. The Family Minister estimates another 400 contracts will
get to applicants this week.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, of the 19,042,500
persons who had their usual residence on Romania’s territory on 1
January 2022, 9,803,000 are women, representing 51.5% of the total
resident population. In urban areas, the share of women is higher than
in rural areas; more than 5,258,300 women live in cities, accounting
for 52.8% of the total urban population, while in rural areas the share
of women is 50%, the data show.