The recently-announced five percentage points VAT increase in Romania will lead to a hike in prices on all levels of the economy and to a drop in the Romanians' purchasing power. A higher inflation and unemployment rate will kick in, analysts have warned. The 24 percent VAT rate in Romania will be among the highest in the European Union and the highest so far in the country. The previous VAT increase in Romania, in 1998, was also of four percentage points, to 22 percent. The lower VAT rate of 19 percent was enforced in 2000 and stayed the same ever since.

The Romanian Government has decided to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current 19 percent to 24 percent, after a Government meeting held earlier today. The decision came after the Romanian Constitutional Court has ruled the 15 percent pensions decrease as unconstitutional. The measures should trigger an increase in the budget, after the failed attempt to cut budget spending

The EUR/RON exchange rate surged by 1,17 percent today, to a rate of 4.2808 RON/EUR, while the USD was quoted at 3.4911 RON, 1.38 percent higher than the previous day, after the Romanian Constitutional Court ruled that the 15 percent pensions cuts announced by the Government are not constitutional.

The austerity measures meant to reduce budget spending in Romania, namely the 15 percent pensions cuts are not constitutional, the Romanian Constitutional Court has decided. However, the 25 percent cut of state clerk salaries is constitutional, the Constitutional Court has decided.

Austrian investment fund CA Immo, which has properties on the Romanian market, has acquired Europolis, another fund active locally, CA Immo has announced. The purchase price was of EUR 272 million, while the book property value of Europolis' assets is of EUR 1.5 billion.

H&M enters in Unirii, Plaza and Mall – in Ziarul Financiar, Decathlon sells EUR 1 mln of sportswear each month – in Ziarul Financiar, Taxation on stocks changes in a week, but nobody knowns how changes will apply – in Ziarul Financiar, Dorin Boboc from Allianz leaves services for agriculture – in Ziarul Financiar

Romanians still prefer loans in foreign currencies – in Gandul

H&M fashion retailer will open the first store in Romania in 2011, according to a recent report published by the company...

The Swiss Government has approved a EUR 130 million non-reimbursable loan for Romania, which will fuel investments in the environment, infrastructure and the promotion of the private sector in the next five years

The value of loans granted by banks to individuals and companies (the non-governmental loans) went up by 1.4 percent in May this year compared to the month before. The increase compared to May last year was of 2 percent. The governmental loans went up by as much as 60 percent in May this year compared to May last year.

French retailer Carrefour will open its fourth Carrefour Market supermarket in Bucharest tomorrow (Friday, June 25th) in Ghencea area of the city. The store covers 1,200 sqm and is located within Home & Design Mall. This is the second supermarket opening for Carrefour in Bucharest this week, after another store opened on Panduri street, a 700 sqm unit.

The recently-announced five percentage points VAT increase in Romania will lead to a hike in prices on all levels of the economy and to a drop in the Romanians' purchasing power. A higher inflation and unemployment rate will kick in, analysts have warned. The 24 percent VAT rate in Romania will be among the highest in the European Union and the highest so far in the country. The previous VAT increase in Romania, in 1998, was also of four percentage points, to 22 percent. The lower VAT rate of 19 percent was enforced in 2000 and stayed the same ever since.

The Romanian Government has decided to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current 19 percent to 24 percent, after a Government meeting held earlier today. The decision came after the Romanian Constitutional Court has ruled the 15 percent pensions decrease as unconstitutional. The measures should trigger an increase in the budget, after the failed attempt to cut budget spending

The EUR/RON exchange rate surged by 1,17 percent today, to a rate of 4.2808 RON/EUR, while the USD was quoted at 3.4911 RON, 1.38 percent higher than the previous day, after the Romanian Constitutional Court ruled that the 15 percent pensions cuts announced by the Government are not constitutional.

The austerity measures meant to reduce budget spending in Romania, namely the 15 percent pensions cuts are not constitutional, the Romanian Constitutional Court has decided. However, the 25 percent cut of state clerk salaries is constitutional, the Constitutional Court has decided.

Austrian investment fund CA Immo, which has properties on the Romanian market, has acquired Europolis, another fund active locally, CA Immo has announced. The purchase price was of EUR 272 million, while the book property value of Europolis' assets is of EUR 1.5 billion.

H&M enters in Unirii, Plaza and Mall – in Ziarul Financiar, Decathlon sells EUR 1 mln of sportswear each month – in Ziarul Financiar, Taxation on stocks changes in a week, but nobody knowns how changes will apply – in Ziarul Financiar, Dorin Boboc from Allianz leaves services for agriculture – in Ziarul Financiar

Romanians still prefer loans in foreign currencies – in Gandul

H&M fashion retailer will open the first store in Romania in 2011, according to a recent report published by the company...

The Swiss Government has approved a EUR 130 million non-reimbursable loan for Romania, which will fuel investments in the environment, infrastructure and the promotion of the private sector in the next five years

The value of loans granted by banks to individuals and companies (the non-governmental loans) went up by 1.4 percent in May this year compared to the month before. The increase compared to May last year was of 2 percent. The governmental loans went up by as much as 60 percent in May this year compared to May last year.

French retailer Carrefour will open its fourth Carrefour Market supermarket in Bucharest tomorrow (Friday, June 25th) in Ghencea area of the city. The store covers 1,200 sqm and is located within Home & Design Mall. This is the second supermarket opening for Carrefour in Bucharest this week, after another store opened on Panduri street, a 700 sqm unit.