The state budget should be enacted by January 1, because otherwise the due coming in force of the measures scheduled for early 2015 would be hampered, Premier Victor Ponta said on Tuesday at the weekly sitting of the Government.
“I want to thank all the ministers who participated in the debates within the select committees on the budget. As far as I know, the vote was almost unanimous in all the committees, including that on the social security budget (…) This means that a good budget has been devised following serious talks in the select committees. I can understand to a certain point the political vote in the plenary sitting, but I voice hope that we will have the budget enacted until January 1, because otherwise we are well aware of the effects of this purely political battle – the challenge in the Constitutional Court – ie not all the measures can duly come in force on January 1. This is about what people are expecting from us, the teaching staff and doctors, agriculture, it’s also about European funds and all the rest. I say this again, as long as there haven’t been votes against in the select committees, this means that matters have been thoroughly debated. I just hope that by January 1 we have the budget enacted for us to enforce what we have adopted,” said Ponta.
The Prime Minister added that the last Government meeting this year will take place next week.
“We convene in a Government meeting again next week, for whatever decision we have to take or whatever amounts are still to be allocated to be published in the Official Gazette and be used until December 31. We also have a Government sitting scheduled immediately after New Year, in the first week of 2015, “said the Prime Minister.
The 2015 budget bill cleared Parliament on Sunday by a vote of 339 to 141. Subsequently, Liberal MP Eugen Nicolaescu said that the Liberal parliamentary groups will challenge the budget in the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) , on two grounds: “the principle of legality and the principle of compliance with international commitments,” as Nicolaescu told the plenary sitting of Parliament.
In response, Prime Minister Victor Ponta called for a responsible approach, adding that the challenge of the state budget in the Constitutional Court will result in the delay of pensions growth, the grant of subsidies or the cut of the VAT in tourism.
The Constitutional Court will discuss on December 29 PNL’s challenge to the 2015 state budget, CCR officials announced on Monday.
Gov’t endorses sums needed for Romania’s financial contribution for 2014 and 2015 to ESA operational programmes
The Government on Tuesday endorsed the sums needed to the financial contribution of Romania in 2014 and 2015 for the optional programmes of the European Space Agency (ESA), the Gov’t spokesperson, Corneliu Calota, said.
“The Government adopted a draft law for the endorsement of the financial contribution of Romania for the optional programmes of the European Space Agency priced at 14,665,000 euros on 2014 and at 15,411,140 euros for 2015,” said Calota at the Victoria Palace, at the end of the weekly Gov’t siting.
