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RADOR: News from Romania, 00-01-06
6 January, 2000
CONTENTS
[01] President Emil Constantinescu's Visit to Israel
[02] Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu Met Fokion Fotiadis
[03] Statements Made by Foreign Affairs Minister
[04] Meeting of the Coordination Council of the Bucharest Organization of
PNTCD
[05] Press Conference of the Finance Minister
[06] Data Presented by the National Statistics Commission
[07] Communique Issued by the Healthcare Ministry
[08] The Trade Unions in Education Are Preparing for Strike
[09] Protests at RAFO Onesti
[01] President Emil Constantinescu's Visit to Israel
On Wednesday, in Tel Aviv, president Emil Constantinescu explained to the
Israeli and Romanian businessmen Romania's strategy of economic
development. He said that, while during the last three years the efforts
focused on macrostabilization and restructuring, this year Romania would
promote a development policy based on sound basis, one of them being the
tax reform. In president Constantinescu's opinion, quoted by RADIO ROMANIA
ACTUALITATI, an important factor for fostering the economic and commercial
relations is the bilateral free trade agreement.
In the afternoon, Romanian president held talks with the Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat, in Bethlehem. The Romanian head of state appreciated the
Palestinian leader's contribution to the peace process, and renewed the
invitation to visit Romania. Yasser Arafat expressed his wish to enhance
the relations with Romania, and suggested the creation of a joint
commission.
Emil Constantinescu left afterwards for Jericho, where he was met by Saeb
Erekat, the Palestinian minister for local administration. In Jericho,
president Constantinescu and Patriarch Teoctist attended the ceremony of
corner stone laying of a Romanian shrine. RADOR
[02] Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu Met Fokion Fotiadis
The head of the European Commission in Bucharest, Fokion Fotiadis assured
the Romanian prime minister Mugur Isarescu the European Commission and its
president Romano Prodi fully supported the Romanian Cabinet and its
governing program, whose main objective is the country's joining the
European Union. According to RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, Isarescu and
Fotiadis discussed about Romano Prodi's visit to Romania on January 13.
Fokion Fotiadis revealed that, following the Helsinki summit, Romania's
prospects widened considerably, due especially to the financial support the
country would get. Prime minister Mugur Isarescu presented the main
objectives of his government, such as the improvement of the business
environment, the simplification of the laws regarding investments, the
limitation of bureaucracy and corruption. RADOR
[03] Statements Made by Foreign Affairs Minister
Foreign affairs minister Petre Roman said during a press conference on
Wednesday that Romania's foreign policy would focus in 2000 on the
priorities stated in the governing program. The Foreign Affairs Ministry
would make all efforts in view of the European integration, and its
activity would be reorganized. In this respect, Petre Roman announced the
creation of the Department for European affairs, to be headed by ambassador
Eugen Dijmarescu. Roman, quoted by RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, also
announced that Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, would
visit Bucharest on January 13, and would attend a Government meeting.
RADOR
[04] Meeting of the Coordination Council of the Bucharest Organization of
PNTCD
The Coordination Council of the Bucharest Organization of PNTCD analysed on
Wednesday afternoon the activity of the mayors belonging to this party and
especially that of Marin Lutu, mayor of the 4th sector, as well as the
impact of this activity on the party image. Mircea Ciumara, quoted by RADIO
ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, said the prefect of Bucharest was the only one to
decide a possible replacement of mayor Lutu. Ciumara added a meeting with
all mayors belonging to PNTCD would be convened next month, and during that
meeting the activity of the general mayor Viorel Lis would be analysed. At
the end of the meeting, Viorel Lis said he had no intention to run in the
local elections as independent, and stressed he was not at all guilty of
the accuses against him. RADOR
[05] Press Conference of the Finance Minister
During a press conference on Wednesday, finance minister Decebal Traian
Remes presented the set of tax reform measures implemented on January 1,
RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI informs. He said the whole set would contribute
to increase the living standard. Among the main tax reform measures
minister Remes quoted the reduction of the accise duty value simultaneously
with the extension of these accise duties to a wider range of products, and
the compulsory declaration of minimum and naximum values for alcohol, which
would reduce tax evasion and smuggling. The finance minister stressed that
only the pensions higher than 1,700,000 lei would be subject to taxation.
Decebal Traian Remes also announced the IMF experts were expected in
Bucharest on Wednesday, and the chief negotiator Emmanuel Zervoudakis would
arrive on Saturday. The main issues to be tackled would be the state budget
for this year and possible negotiations for a new stand-by agreement.
RADOR
[06] Data Presented by the National Statistics Commission
The National Statistics Commission announced on Wednesday that the
industrial production increased by 2.7% in November as compared to the
previous month, but decreased by 8.4% as compared to the same period the
previous year. The main sources of primary energy decreased by over 15% as
compared to the previous year, while the electricity resources decreased by
4.8%. The investments in economy in the first nine months of 1999 amounted
to 39,987 million lei, by 12.8% less than the same period the previous
year. The exports amounted in October 1999 to 764.4 million dollars,
meaning a decrease by 0.4% as compared to September 1999, but an increase
by 3.2% as compared to October 1998.
On December 16, 1999 the areas ploughed and seeded in autumn were by 6.9%
bigger than planned. The animal stocks decreased for all species as
compared to the previous year. According to RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, on
November 30, the private farmers owned 97.3% of the sheep anf goat stock,
95.4% of the cattle and 84.6% of the swine. RADOR
[07] Communique Issued by the Healthcare Ministry
A communique issued by the Healthcare Ministry and quoted by RADIO ROMANIA
ACTUALITATI announces increases in the number of cases of hepatitis A in
the counties of Maramures, Alba, Arges, Brasov, Botosani, Salaj and Sibiu.
The communique warns against a possible epidemic in certain regions,
considering that the disease has a multiannual cyclic evolution. RADOR
[08] The Trade Unions in Education Are Preparing for Strike
The federation of trade unions in education decided on Wednesday to start
the labour conflict, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI informs. The trade unions
demands include an average salary of 1,500,000 million lei/month to be
adapted every three months to the exchange rate leu-dollar and to be paid
in time, and funds for salaries and materials provided in the state budget.
On January 17 the trade union members will be on warning strike from 11:00
to 13:00 hours, and the general strike will cover the interval January 24-
28. The representatives of the trade unions also sent an open letter to
prime minister Mugur Isarescu, asking for a meeting. RADOR
[09] Protests at RAFO Onesti
About 1,000 workers protested against the restructuring program and the
personnel reduction, and asked for the observance of the labour contract
and the refinery restarting. A delegation representing the refinery met
with state minister Mircea Ciumara, who promissed a governmental commission
would be shortly created in order to decide the restarting of the refinery
in Onesti, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI informs. RADOR
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