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| The Week in Review |
| (2011-07-09) |
| Last updated: 2011-07-11 13:30 EET |
Romania registers disastrous results at the national high school graduation exams
Romanian high school graduates who took the national final exam this year passed it at a rate below 50%, the worst results ever registered nationwide. Romanian education has been subject to dozens of reform projects in the last 20 years, but in spite of all this it seems that the magic formula has not been found yet.
Dozens of high schools around the country have the dubious honor of having not a single student pass the final exam. This has persuaded a lot of people that another form of examination may be called for, one that differentiates between students who want to pursue a university education and the ones who opt for vocational training.
Education Minister Daniel Funeriu claimed that the disastrous results were revealed by very strict anti-cheating measures set in place this year, such as surveillance cameras. In addition, the students caught cheating were banned from taking the exam in the upcoming session, and can only take it in two years’ time.
Over 80,000 challenges to the grades were filed, double the number registered in 2010.
Romania improves its solvency on international markets
Fitch financial rating agency has improved Romania’s ranking on the international market for long term hard currency credits, bringing it up to triple B minus. For short term loans, the rating was brought up to F3, the rating for long term loans in the local currency was brought up to a clean triple B, while the country ceiling was boosted to triple B plus.
According to a press release from the agency, Romania’s rating goes back to an investment grade rating, which recommends it for investment, with good prospects for the rating to hold on long term.
According to analysts, this improvement reflects Romania’s efforts to recover from the international financial crisis, which are also visible in a rise in the GDP, better exports and a lower budget deficit.
Romania to receive more funding as of 2013 from the Common Agricultural Policy budget
There is no risk that EU funds for the Romanian agriculture should be shelved, says EU commissioner for agriculture, the former Romanian agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos, in an interview to the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation:
“Romania will be one of the few member states to benefit from the future budget of the Common Agricultural Policy. Accordingly, it will benefit from a larger financial allocation, both for the first pillar and for rural development. To this end, however, it will have to define its agriculture objectives paying special heed to three major factors: food safety, a good management of natural resources and the cohesion of rural areas”.
The Romanian official added that the EU has noticed a lack of coordination between Romanian ministries as regards the employment of EU funds.
One way of solving the problems in agriculture, Ciolos argues, would be to establish a ministry especially designed to manage these funds, an idea met with positive reactions among the Bucharest authorities.
Romania’s pollution tax to undergo further change
Romania’s pollution tax, last amended in 2009, is contrary to EU laws, according to a ruling by the Court of Justice in Luxembourg this week. According to EU magistrates, the tax discourages the placing in circulation of second-hand vehicles imported from other member states.
The Court has also ruled against a request filed by the Romanian government to limit the period for which the effects of this ruling are valid. In July 2008, Romanian authorities introduced a pollution tax levied on vehicles when first registered in Romania.
Romanian Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely announced that a new draft law in the field that complies with EU regulations would be adopted this summer and debated in Parliament in an emergency meeting.
The Romanian government approves bill on the extensive confiscation of illegal assets
Unaccountable assets belonging to people convicted for criminal acts may be confiscated under a new bill approved by the government in Bucharest this week. Romania will thus implement a European Union directive which should have been implemented as early as March 2007, said prime minister Emil Boc, who also explained how the law is going to work.
Emil Boc:“People convicted for crimes for which the sentence is more than five years in prison must produce evidence that their assets have been acquired legally or their wealth will be confiscated. In legal terms, this is called extensive confiscation.”
The bill has been submitted to Parliament for approval.
Israeli prime minister visits Bucharest for the first time in 20 years
Bucharest was the host this week of an Israeli government delegation led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On this occasion, it was agreed for the Romanian and Israeli governments to hold a joint meeting in November to discuss bilateral projects connected to agriculture, energy, infrastructure, defence, tourism, healthcare, environment and culture.
Benjamin Netanyahu was received by Romania’s president Traian Basescu and held talks with his counterpart Emil Boc. He said Romania may be a model for the Arab countries as regards democracy and freedom.
The Romanian officials reiterated Bucharest’s position according to which a negotiated solution agreed by both the Israelis and the Palestinians can alone ensure real and solid grounds for sustainable peace in the Middle East.
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