Thursday, June 8 2023

Romania’s economy on the rise

Romania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2023 as compared to previous year, according to data issued by the country’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) issued on Thursday. Negative figures were recorded for industry (-0.5 percent) with a GDP share of 23.6 percent while significant positive contributions included final consumption expenditure of households (a 6.4 percent increase), individual final consumption expenditure of the government (a 3.7 percent increase), and collective final consumption expenditure of the government (a 3.9 percent increase). Seasonally adjusted series of quarterly GDP remain unchanged. Romania is expected to report further, though slower growth of its GDP compared to previous year due to persistent inflation, strict financing rules and poorer performance of its partners.

Memorandum expected to solve Romania’s education crisis

Romania’s government is expected to pass a memorandum on higher wages in education through new laws designed to solve current crisis. The move allows the government to point out that the education system will become a priority in the next salary scale. The decision was made following talks between government officials and delegates of education trade unions. The basic salary for beginners or university assistants will be similar to levels of average salary in Romanian economy, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă told reporters on Wednesday. More than 150,000 primary and secondary school teachers along with auxiliary staff went on general strike since May 22, the first such protest by Romanian education unions since 2005.

Romanian TV and radio journalist Victor Ionescu dies at 74

Victor Ionescu, a most respected foreign policy journalist in Romania, has died at 74. A historian and  politcal analyst, Victor Ionescu worked for decades as TV and Radio anchor. He also trained young journaalists on foreign policy issues. After 1990, Victor Ionescu became the mentor of generations of young foreign policy journalists. “May God rest him in peace!”, the Romanian Television closed its announcent late on Wednesday.

Alexandru Danga