|
|
|
RADOR: News from Romania, 97-08-08
August 8, 1997
CONTENTS
[01] Prime Minister's Press Coference
[02] Romanian Interior Minister About the Romanian National Identity
Problem
[03] New Accord with the IMF as Presented by State Secretary Dan Rusanu
[04] Weather in Romania
[05] Currency Rates
[01] Prime minister's press conference
The Romanian prime minister, Victor Ciorbea, had his press conference at
Victoria Palace. Among the issues on the agenda were budget's rectifying,
measures to intensify the economic reform and issues on changing the
Memorandum with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). RADIO ROMANIA
ACTUALITATI (7 August, 16:00) informs that Mr Ciorbea started his press
conference by saying that economic macrostability is a success and the
inflation had fallen, adding that the success exceeds Government's hopes.
In the Memorandum with the IMF, a modified form, the inflation is expected
to fall between 1-2% by the end of the year. The prime minister said that
the rate of national currency had been stabilized, the federal currency
reserves of the Romanian National Bank (BNR) grew from 600 million dollars
to 2.8 billion dollars and the payment balance's deficit was reduced by
more than half. In the Memorandum with the IMF it is stipulated the
national currency flexibility and it was agreed that lucrative companies to
get loans from the foreign market, with an initial approval from the
Finance Ministry. The loans will not be guaranteed by the state. The prime
minister also stressed that until the end of August the Government wants to
obtain the current account's convertibility, which is extremely important
for Romania's credibility in the international community. Reffering to the
fiscal policy and incomes, Victor Ciorbea reminded that the raise of some
unexpected spendings were ment to restructure the financial institutions
with huge losses due to wrong mamnagment. The state supports these
financial institutions and appropiate measures were taken. Under these
circumstances, the budget's spendings were cut by 4%. Health, education,
social protection, where the sums alloted grew, were not affected. It was
reminded that the income tax will be also reduced. Talking about the
structural reforms, prime minister Victor Ciorbea said that there were
delays in the structuring and privatization process, though starting the
begining of the year over 1,000 companies were privatized, mostly small and
medium. The delays were beacause the lack of an appropiate legislative and
social measures background, because the economic macrostabilization was not
achieved and there were no programes of restructuring for those affected by
the reform. Victor Ciorbea said that 14 nonlucrative companies with huge
losses will no longer get electricity and other utilities. Their losses
worth 265 billion lei and 21,000 people work in these companies. Starting
on Monday, these employees could get from the National Savings Agency (CEC)
compensatory wages according to Government's no.9 Ordinancy, which was
modified. As far as the social dimension of this stage, the prime minister
said that in the third quarter of the year the wages will raise by 17% and
in the fourth one by 6%. So, from August till the end of the year the
wages' real raise will be 19%. At the end of December, the real incomes
will be higher then the ones in 1995. RADOR, August 8
[02] Romanian interior minister about the Romanian national identity
problem
According to the Romanian Interior Minister, the consciousness of national
identity of the Romanians who live in Transilvania could be in danger,
RADIO BUDAPESTA - Romanian language (7 August, 7:00) reports. During a
press conference after his tour in several cities in Transilvania, Mr Dejeu
said that there are villages with Romanian children who don't speak well
their own language. The Interior Minister considers that this is
unacceptable, because the Romanian state secured conditions for national
identity keeping for minorities who live on its teritory. RADOR, August 8
[03] New Accord with the International Monetary Fund as presented by state
secretary Dan Rusanu
Dan Radu Rusanu, state secretary at the Finance Ministry, informed a BBC
reporter (7 August, 7:00) which are the key-points of the new Accord with
the International Monetary Fund (IMF): "Maintaining the budget deficit at
4.5% level, alloting extra sums for social protection, for Education
Ministry and espeacially for Health Ministry". Reffering to the value of
budget deficit for next year, Mr Rusanu said: "By maintaining this deficit
at a value of 4.5%, until the end of the year we will create the appropiate
conditions to obtain in 1998 a 2.5-2.7% budget deficit". He added that
unlucrative companies will be shut or auctioned. The Reform Ministry, the
Industry Ministry and the State Property Fund (FPS) will agree on a list
with unlucrative companies which will be published in a few days time.
RADOR, August 8
[04] Weather in Romania
Weather in Romania continues to be unstable and rainy in most of the
country. Heavy rains are forecast especially in Western and North-Western
regions. Temperatures range from 10 centigrades in the morning to 28
centigrades at noon. RADOR, August 8
[05] Currency rates
1 USD = 7,457 lei; 1 DEM = 3,954 lei; 1 CHF = 4,857 lei; 1 FRF = 1.171 lei;
1 GBP = 11,913 lei; 1 XEU = 7,789 lei. RADOR, August 8
|
