Over 1,000 projects with European funds approved

The number of projects with European funds approved during December 22, 2008 – April 30, 2009 rises to almost 1,160 contracts, with a total value of RON 3.7 bln, while the payments to beneficiaries totaled around RON 352 M, according to the data presented yesterday at the Government, Mediafax reports. In the same period, 554 projects were contracted, totaling RON 3.5 bln. For a detailed analysis of the local development of the projects financed from European funds, Premier Emil Boc and vice premier Dan Nica called at the Government, on Sunday, a video conference with prefects, declared the spokeswoman of Government, Ioana Muntean, at the end of the meeting of the interministerial committee for the management of the European funds. The meeting of Tuesday was attended also by members of the delegation of experts of the European Commission, who came to Bucharest on a mission of evaluation within the Mechanism of Cooperation and Verification, in view of preparing the report from July 2009.

Competition Council investigates auto spare parts market

The Competition Council is conducting an investigation the purpose of which is to acquire a better knowledge of the automotive spare parts market, analyse the way the mechanism of the sector operate and identify and correct possible malfunctions of a competitive nature, according to Antena 3 TV. As part of its investigation, the Competition Council may ask all the relevant operators (economic operators, manufacturers, importers, distributors, and trade associations, relevant public institutions) to produce data, documents or statements. Under the competition law, the ‘spare parts’ term means ‘goods that are meant to be mounted in or to a motor vehicle to replace parts of that motor vehicle, including goods such as lubricants that are required for using a motor vehicle, with the exception of petrol’.

Deputies give green light to Brasov-Ghimbav airport

The Chamber of Deputies on Monday passed the articles in the government emergency ordinance (OUG) on the transfer of a tract of land on with the Brasov-Ghimbav International Airport will be erected, after the normative act generated disputes among deputies and obstructed Chamber’s works, Mediafax reports. The ordinance envisaged the administrative transfer of a 200-hectare piece of land from the Brasov-based National Institute for Research and Development of Potatoes and Sugar Beet to the Brasov County Council towards construction of the Brasov-Ghimbav International Airport. All the parliamentary groups, including that of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), which opposed the move last week, now voted in favour of the ordinance, as they deem the building of an international airport in Brasov as an objective quite important for the local community.

Romanians prefer unemployment in Spain to jobs in Romania

Romanians will not return home because they live a better life with the unemployment aid received in Spain, this is the explanation given by the right wing Spanish daily El Mundo for the fact that the “return operation” prepared by the Romanian government will fail, taking into account the fact that the Spanish allowances are six times bigger than the minimum salary from Romania, Agerpres informs.The Spanish and the Romanian Governments saw that the Romanians steadily resist in Spain, the Spanish publication noted: there is neither crisis, nor unemployment or debts in Spain, or promising offers of jobs in Romania to convince them to return home. Minister Celestino Corbacho had to go to Bucharest to see why his plan for the return home of the Romanian unemployed from Spain will fail. His Romanian counterpart, Marian Sarbu, explained him: “You return if the circumstances for yourself and your family are better by comparison with those from the place that you quit.”