Financial Press Review, 8 April

"Romania’s biggest problem is the imbalance between the number of taxpayers and people who receive social care and pensions", as well as the fact that ‘the public infrastructure, power, healthcare and education have fallen behind.

Romania infrastructure has deteriorated’ the Bursa quotes NBR Governor Mugur Isărescu. "Public investment is being wasted in tens, hundreds, thousands of unfinished projects", he claims.

The Ziarul Financiar discusses the statement that Ionuţ Dumitru, Fiscal Council President, made upon presenting the annual report.

"Dumitru reminded that losses and arrears piling up at state companies are threatening the sustainability of public finances in the long run. The first ten companies in debt amount to 73 percent of the arrears".

"Arrears are piling up because the budgets of public enterprises are approved without making sure that the budget obligations can be paid", the Bursa reads.

The Ziarul Financiar prints the conclusions of a seminar on power under the headline "Romania can host investments of billions of Euros, but the lack of decision is blocking the money".

"Many specialists have left the public sector, and now the private sector in asking for solutions from a sector left without any competent human resources. And even if they exist, they are stifled by people who have been named on political criteria on the boards or in executive positions".

"There has been much talk in Romania of power champions, of projects worth billions of Euros, of long-term strategies, of an attractive legal framework for green energy investors, but none of these projects has been carried out."

"The fact that the authorities have not agreed on how this system should be structured is even more worrying. They all agree however that this is one of the few treasures Romania still has", the daily concludes.

Under the headline "Casualties of the Healthcare Reform", the Bursa points out that the "healthcare reform has had dramatic effects: two men have died in the past 48 hours in the vicinity of hospitals that have been closed down on 1 April".

One of them died "on Wednesday in the ambulance that was taking him to the hospital in Constanta, 100 km away from his home. People consider the Government’s decision is threatening their lives".

The Curierul Naţional opens with the headline: "Medical holidays, a chance for tourism".

"Currently 60 000 foreigners spend 250 millions of dollars on medical treatments in Romania", the daily points out.

"The market might double until 2014, when we will be able to receive 500 000 such visitors, thrilled by the low prices and the reputation that Romanian doctors have".

"Thus, tourists who want to visit the Danube Delta, the Bran or Peleş castles, the seaside of the monasteries in Bucovina might undergo dental treatments much cheaper than in their own countries. There is huge potential", Andrei Răzvan Nacea, spokesperson for the National Association of Tourism Agencies in Romania stated.

Under the headline "Delta without a hospital", the Adevărul reads: "People who live in isolated villages in the Danube Delta are desperate. The medical unit in Sulina has been shut down. It takes the naval ambulance in Tulcea at least 90 minutes to reach them", the daily reads.

Translated by: Gabriela Lungu
MA Student, MMTLC, Bucharest University