Interim president Crin Antonescu underlined that the current political crisis does not affect the talks with the delegation. The Executive shares the opinion of BNR – We need calm, dialogue, messages of predictability. PM Ponta, Fin Min Georgescu meet BNR governor Isarescu on the IMF visit.
Erik de Vrijer, the head of the IMF mission, stated yesterday at the start of the meeting with interim president Crin Antonescu that he is “a little bit concerned” about the impact that the current political situation has on the economy. He saluted the Romanian officials’ intention to uphold the commitments they took before financial institutions. “In recent years Romania made progress in recovering from the financial crisis and the economy made progress from the point of view of a stabilizing inflation, of the budget situation,” Erik de Vrijer stated, pointing out that the current turbulences made the situation more difficult, which is reflected in the fact that investors’ confidence and the exchange rate depreciated, but also in the financing costs and possibly in economic growth. At the same time, Erik de Vrijer claimed that it is very important for the officials to focus on macroeconomic goals, “to promote the budget policy and the reforms that would determine an even faster economic growth.” He warned that “it’s very important to act, not just to talk about these measures.”At the start of the meeting, interim president Crin Antonescu underlined that the current political crisis does not affect the talks with the IMF, WB and EC delegation, nor the commitments assumed by Romania, pointing out however that according to the Constitution he is not the Head of Government. “I’m acting president, interim president as a result of a special political situation. I believe we can talk about a political crisis, but first of all this crisis does not influence the negotiations because the government has a political programme, has commitments and vision, and the political crisis, which I hope will be over by the end of this month, does not influence, does not affect these talks,” Antonescu explained.
In the same context of the worries mentioned Monday by BNR Governor Mugur Isarescu, PM Victor Ponta yesterday talked for one hour and a half with Central Bank officials, at the headquarters of BNR. He met Mugur Isarescu over the “current situation of the visit made by the EC, IMF and WB,” reaching the conclusion that the signals “are important, of stability and predictability,” according to Mediafax. The premier also agreed to the opinion of the BNR governor on the effects of political tension, saying that we need “calm and dialogue.” “Regardless of what happened before July 29 (the date of the referendum for impeaching president Traian Basescu, which is still waiting a decision of the Constitutional Court) the institutions of the state function, including the National Bank,” Ponta said.“The government does its duty, we no longer enter political battles, nor do we answer political attacks,” he added, voicing his conviction that the results will appear soon.Also, premier Victor Ponta demanded all ministers that the communications about Romania’s accord with the IMF are conducted via the Ministry of Finance, saying that it is not appropriate for the government to speak “on seven voices” and that the information communicated directly by ministers was misinterpreted.
Trade unions and employers ask the government not to give up regarding the labour laws
The main confederations of trade unions and employers’ organisations asked the government to resist the demands made by the IMF and financial structures of the EU regarding the labour legislation of Romania, because these institutions impose – unionists say – conditions that would result in the disappearance of social dialogue. “In their statements, the representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and of the financial structures of the European Union permanently approved these principles. However, in fact, the officials of the IMF and the financial structures of the EU want to impose conditions that will result in ending the social dialogue, by eliminating the Collective Labour Contract at all levels,” reads a press release signed by the leaders of Cartel Alfa, CNSLR Fratia, the National Trade Union Block, the Romanian Confederation of Democratic Trade Unions (CSDR), Meridian, Patrorom, Conpirom, UGIR 1903, the National Union of Romanian Employers (UNPR) and the Romanian Employers Organisation (PR).
