News review of the day – September 4th

Romania’s economy sees 3.8% growth in the first semester

Romania’s economy has seen a 3.8% growth in the first semester of 2015 against the same period last year, according to official data released today by the National Statistics Institute, which confirmed the forecast made mid-August
The most significant contributions to the GDP were brought by trade, transport, car repairs, the hospitality sector, communications and industrial production. The sectors with the highest increase in their activity volume were communicatons – 13.8%, trade – 5.6% and industry – 2.2%. Exports however impacted the GDP in a negative manner, being situated below imports. Romania’s positive economic evolutionwas confirmed by Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici as well in an interview with „Bloomberg” who said that our currently can cope with economic realities on its own and does not need an IMF financing. However, the minister has not ruled out a possible new agreement with the Fund next year, seen as „a flexible one, meant to ensure protection against restlesness on the markets”. The current agreement expires this month, but no assessement has been made in over a year, since the Cabinet announced cuts in taxes, decisions that were not endorsed by the IMF – Radio Romania informed.

New Fiscal Code endorsed by the Parliament

Romania’s New Fiscal Code has been endorsed by the Parliament after receiving the final vote in the House of Deputirs yesterday. The document had been resent by the President for reexamination and it now stipulates a multiple-stage implementation of the measures in the initial form, approved this June. Power and oposition leaders have welcomed the new form and pointed out that political consensus contributed to its adoption. The document is going to be promulgated by the head of state unless there are litigations forwarded to the Constitutional Court over the next two days. According to the Constitution President Klaus Iohannis cannot request a new reexamination the Fiscal Code, RADIO ROMANIA reported.

President Klaus Iohannis  to address message to the Parliament on September 16

President Klaus Iohannis has expressed his wish to address a message to the Parliament in a letter sent today to the Speakers of the two chambers. The head of state has requested a plenum session for September 16th at 11h00 hrs, RADIO ROMANIA informed.

Nobel Prize winner  Ştefan Hell decorated with the National Order „The Star of Romania”

Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry in 2014, professor Ştefan Hell  has been decorated today at the Cotroceni Palace with the National Order „The Star of Romania”, Grand Cross   and will also receive in King Michael’s behalf the Crown of Romania Order, Commander’s Cross. Ştefan Hell was a member of the Nobel Prize winning team that discovered ways to boost the microscopic view to nanoscales, extremely important for medical research. Ştefan Hell was born in Arad, Romania but emigrated to Germany at the end of the 70s, after his first high-school year. he is currently the head of  the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry and is leading several cancer research projects. The esteemed professor is attending an international optics conference these days, hosted by the Romanian Academy, RADIO ROMANIA reported.

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