Loading ...Romania libera carries an interview with US Vice President Joseph Biden, in which Biden, currently on a Central Europe tour that includes Romania, says the US sees Romania as a close and trustful ally in approaching a wide range of global challenges.
Biden said that now, on the average of the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the US and Romania, the partnership between the two countries is close and vital, and the relationship between the two countries is based on common values and interests, including consolidating trans-Atlantic relations, energy security, investments and trade promotion. Biden also says both countries share the common wish for the countries neighbouring Romania, Moldova included, continuing their democratisation and free market reforms.
Gardianul reports that the political declarations signed by PSD, PC, PNL, UDMR and the MP group of national minorities reading the existence of a transparent majority and support for Klaus Johannis becoming the new prime minister cleared Parliament 225 to 2. Following this move, President Traian Basescu said he will talk with the Opposition about the nomination of Johhanis only if it becomes an official alliance registered with a tribunal.
The papers report that President Basescu and PSD chief Geoana, the two main favourites to face off in a presidential runoff, on Wednesday registered their presidential bids with the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), backed by the signatures of millions of Romanians.
Gardianul notes that Geoana, as the PSD candidate, and President Basescu, who is running as an independent supported by the Democratic-Liberal Party (PD-L), submitted their bids just two days before the October 23 deadline expires. Geoana came up with a list of 2.5 million signatures, while Basescu’s list comprised 2.1 million signatures.
The papers remark that President Basescu will call a referendum. Evenimentul Zilei notes that PNL wants to cut the number of MP seats. Basescu is quoted as saying a referendum on a single-chamber Parliament will be held, despite the negative opinion of Parliament and the situation in which the Boc Cabinet finds itself.
Basescu told TVR1 public television channel on Wednesday that on Thursday he will issue a decree ‘consecrating’ the referendum on Parliament and cutting the number of MP seats. PNL is expected to table with the Chamber of Deputies a legislative initiative that provides for a cut in the number of MP seats from 471 to 270.
Jurnalul national notes that Basescu wants general mobilisation of the PD-L to win re-election. He is said to have asked PD-L elected officials to display exemplary mobilisation and relegate to a secondary place the activity of the institutions they head, as his presidential campaign should be top priority. The President allegedly asked them for as many festivals as possible to provide him with a proper setting for his speeches.
Curentul carries a statement by Minister of Administration and Interior Vasile Blaga that his ministry will make sure the balloting will go on smoothly, saying that measures have been taken to combat vote frauds. Among them are mounting web cameras at the polling stations, on doors, which will be focused on the table where bona fide declarations are signed, a web site and an e-mail address where rigging attempts may be reported.
Gardianul remarks that the minimum wage for 2010 is an unknown, quoting employers’ association as saying they will not take any measure about the 2010 minimum wage until they have seen the macroeconomic figures and the anti-crisis strategy of the future Government.
Chairman of the UGIR 1903 association of industrialists say employers are very worried about what is happening to the Romanian economy, as prices will surge on January 1, 2010, which will lead to a rise in production costs and there will be no possibilities of increasing the minimum wage. He also says he does not believe a coherent decision can be taken in the absence of macroeconomic figures.
Cotidianul carries the findings of a recent Deloitte survey indicating that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Romanian Government will opt for an increase in the Value-Added Tax (VAT). The survey says increasing VAT is the least of evils because it does not entail rising production costs.
Deloitte Romania Chairman George Mucibabici says the IMF and the Romanian Government might opt for a rise in the VAT, although keeping the rates and taxes at their current levels would be the best for the economy.
Ziarul Financiar reports that the real estate division of Deutsche Bank has signed a contract for taking over the biggest office building in Bucharest City in a transaction valued at over 100 million euros. This should be the first office building transaction this year and probably the biggest.
The papers note that a recent suggestion by employers’ associations that the guaranteed minimum wage for university graduates be cut from RON 1,200 to RON 1,000 in 2010 and the pay to unskilled workers increased by RON 55 is seen as a bad idea by the future graduates.
Students feel marginalised on the labour market and treated unfairly in comparison with non-graduates, arguing that such a measure, once applied, would only deepen the frustrations of young graduate employees. They say a decent minimum wage for university graduates should start at RON 1,500.
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