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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-03-09
March 9, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] The Director of the RNB Communication department on the impact of
price raises on the population
[02] Labor and Social Security Minister is concerned about improving
the life standards
[03] Polish farmers fear joining the EU
[04] The conflict in Kosovo harms travelling industry in Croatia
[05] Rado Filipovic on the results of the Yugoslav economy
[06] US - Russia cooperation fields
[07] Objective of the Russian economy in the coming years
[08] Review of the programme on the national transport network
[09] Development of the Belarus-Iranian economic relations
[10] Indonesian President criticised the plan they concluded with the IMF
[01] The Director of the RNB Communication department on the impact of
price raises on the population
The Director of the Romanian National Bank (RNB) Communication department
Adrian Vasilescu told RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI in an interview: "The
actual price of car fuel would have effects not only on those that use it
but also on daily costs, because transports prices are to raise and
therefore all goods depending on transports. In the same time we have to
draw some limits too because the producers and the dealers are to consider
that the buying rate decreased by 30% since last year." On the future
actions of the RNB Mr. Vasilescu said that this raise of the car fuel price
would have no impact on the foreign currency market. "The RNB is not
backing the leu nor the dollar. The Bank's first concern is the leu on the
currency market, meaning by to the law and according to its status and its
objectives." RADOR
[02] Labor and Social Security Minister is concerned about improving
the life standards
The Labor and Social Security Minister Alexandru Athanasiu announced that
the Ministry he leads will have a 10% of the GDP budget this year - PRIMA
TV reported. Although he considers this budget unsufficient the Minister
believes he might realize some of the projects he was planning. The
priority for this period is to ease the impact of the global price growth
due to the fuel price raises. Mr. Athanasiu said he made a deal with the
Finance Ministry and he would be able to imlpement a monthly indexation of
the revenues to keep the pace with these raises. The Minister is also
confident that the budget will allow him to do the pension law reform. He
will also have to deal with the controversial law of meal tickets and with
drawing up and imposing a new unemployment law that is expected to state
the creation of the national fund for employing the labor force. The
Romanian Premier Victor Ciorbea is also concerned about the social security
programme and he said that - Rf possible - he might give to the Labor
Ministry one or two percents over the 10 already planned. In spite of the
uncertain beginning of the year the Premier said that an improvement of the
life standards would be felt until the end of the year. RADOR
[03] Polish farmers fear joining the EU
The Polish newspaper "Rzeczpospolita" published in its February 25 issue an
article signed by Edmund Szot on the inquests made by the Institute for
European Development. The results of the inquest show that Polish farmers
are afraid about their country joining the EU. Only 20.5% of the farmers
inquired said that Poland joining the EU would be favoring for Poland. 30.5
answered that they believed that this would have no importance and 49.8% of
them are sure this would not be an advantage for Poland. Most of the
negative answers came from holders of medium sized farms. Large farms
holders are not so frightened about Poland joining the EU. 61 and more year
old farmers are more afraRd of the integration than the younges tones up to
30 year old. This fear is also influenced about the training level of the
farmers as trained farmers do not fear integration as much as less trained
ones. RADOR
[04] The conflict in Kosovo harms travelling industry in Croatia
The conflict in Kosovo harms directly Croatia, where all hotel reservations
have been cancelled - Split daily "Slobodna Dalmacija" reported. Many Swiss,
French, Swedish and Canadian travellers cancelled their reservations -
RADIO FREE EUROPE (Serb service) reported. RADOR
[05] Rado Filipovic on the results of the Yugoslav economy
The Yugoslav Minister of Economy Rado Filipovic said that the results of
the Yugoslav economy the 16% growth of the industrial output show that the
companies would fulfill their tasks established by the country's economic
policy. The good economic results at the beginning of the year were
provided by the proper use of the capacities and and internal resources.
Increasing the amount of Raw materials and materials imports was also a
cause of these good results. RADIO BELGRADE reported that the Minister said
that the Government insisted for a good climate for economic activities and
the altering of the customs taxe law is one of the ways to boost production
by cheaper raw materials and technology imports. "Considering that
increasing the exports is one of our main tasks we are doing our best to
fulfill the conditions for joining the World Commerce Organization and to
regain some of the facilities form the EU" - Rado Filipovic said. RADOR
[06] US - Russia cooperation fields
RADIO ROSSIA reported that the Russian Premier Viktor Chernomyrdin said he
was in favor of lifting all obstacles against Russian goods accessing the
US markets. Before his leaving to the US where he planned to attend the
Gore - Chernomyrdin commission on technologic and economic cooperation, the
Premier told ITAR-TASS that during the five years since this commission
exists manR good things have been done. This was how the cooperation
perspectives appeared especially in power and high technology, conversion
of the defence industry and environment and health fields. Chernomyrdin
stressed on the good cooperation between US and Russian experts in the
peaceful conquest of the space. He said that it would be better if American
investors invest more in upgrading the Russian economy. RADOR
[07] Objective of the Russian economy in the coming years
The Russian Finance Minister has prepared the indicators for the federal
budget until 2001 - the Deputy Finance Minister Vladimir Petrov told
INTERFAX, quoted by RADIO ROSSIA. Mr. Petrov also said that the Ministry
also set up the structure of revenues and of the budget costs. One of the
objectives of the budget policy for the next few years is continuing to
decrease the budget deficit especially by reducing loan rate in the
internal market. Mr. Petrov also said that the plans of the Ministry for
the budget were to beRhanded to the Economic Reform Commission of the
Government to examine them. RADOR
[08] Review of the programme on the national transport network
The Ukrainian Prime Deputy Premier Anatoly Holubchenko led the meeting of
the state Commission on transport corridors on Saturday in Kiev. They
reviewed the functioning of the national transport network and the
developing the international transport corridors until 2005. Experts say
that research, design and investments will reach 100 billion hrivna. Taking
into account the poor resources of the budget only the emergency measures
have been considered. The programmeis due to be handed to the Government
for approval. RADOR
[09] Development of the Belarus-Iranian economic relations
The development of the Belarus-Iranian economic relations were the top of
the agenda at the first round of talks at the meeting between the President
of Belarus Alexandr Lukashenko and the Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.
The meeting was held in TehRan and they agreed that at the end of upon the
trade exchange between their countries to reach 100 million dollars in
1998. President Lukashenkosaid that Iran was very important for Belarus'
trade and economic relation plans. RADOR
[10] Indonesian President criticised the plan they concluded with the IMF
President Suharto said that the aid plan they convened upon with the IMF
was not satisfactory for his country BBC-WORLD SERVICE reported. After
agreeing with the People's Consulting Assembly decision to give him another
4 year term as president of the country Mr. Suharto, quoted by a governing
party official, said that the agreement with the IMF was wrong. He said
that the plan was wrong that because it would impose a liberalized economic
system in Indonesia. The IMF delayed reviewing the economic reforms in
Indonesia on Friday and this would delay the IMF 3 billion dollars aid due
to come to Indonesia. RADOR
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