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.

Energy Financing Team (EFT) will supply energy to Stirom factory in Bucharest and the Lukoil refinery in Ploiesti, after having recently signed a contract with the two companies. Stirom has an annual consumption of 45GWh, while the Lukoil refinery, of 200GWh. EFT has also recently signed an energy supplying contract with cement producer Holcim for all its factories in Romania.

Lidl rents out offices for 250 employees in Pipera – in Ziarul Financiar
e-Romania project will swallow another EUR 84 million initially destined to telecom operators - in Ziarul Financiar
Stem-Health shareholders want to create a transplant center with EUR 10 million – in Ziarul Financiar
Sanofi-Aventis, hunting for pharma products - in Ziarul Financiar

The Romanian Government approved in its meeting earlier today (June 23rd) the emergency ordinance which expands the taxation base, according to Mediafax, quoting sources within the Government. The ordinance includes taxes for meal vouchers, gift and holiday vouchers starting July 1st this year. This is when the deductible expenses quota for intellectual property rights will go down to 20 percent of the gross revenues, half of the current quota. Revenues from gambling (including revenues from the lottery) will be taxed by 25 percent.

Media owner and journalist Dan Diaconescu has been taken into police custody for 29 days after having been accused of blackmail and threat by the Romanian Anti Corruption Body (DNA).

Dan Diaconescu, who owns OTV TV station, was accused of blackmailing and threating the mayor of Zarand locality in Arad county, Ion Mot. Diaconescu was previously a witness in a file submitted by Ion Mot against OTV anchor Doru Parv. Parv and Diaconescu had allegedly asked for EUR 200,000 not to broadcast compromising footage for Ion Mot. According to DNA, Mot has paid EUR 30,000 of this amount.

A recent article published in the Financial Times points out the severe austerity measures which will be taken by the Romanian government and the social response to these measures, by comparison to EU standards. “Romania's austerity measures are severe, even by current European Union standards: a 25 per cent pay cut for the country's 1.4m public sector workers, 200,000 civil service job cuts, and a 15 per cent reduction in pensions and unemployment benefits,” writes the Financial Times.

Romanian media

Bechtel and Enka, EUR 800 mln revenues, EUR 60 mln profits for 42 km of highway - in Ziarul Financiar...

Telecom operator Vodafone has recently signed an agreement with local telecom dealer Fonomat, which used to be a dealer for competitor Orange until April this year and which will now become an exclusive Vodafone dealer. Fonomat, which runs 167 stores in Romania, will still run under its existing brand but will change the signage in its stores accordingly in the following period.

Fonomat's shareholder in private equity fund GED, which bought four GSM retail companies – Dasimpex, Plus GSM, GSM Land and Puls and re-united them under a new brand. Fonomat used to be the largest Orange dealer since April 2008.

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.

Energy Financing Team (EFT) will supply energy to Stirom factory in Bucharest and the Lukoil refinery in Ploiesti, after having recently signed a contract with the two companies. Stirom has an annual consumption of 45GWh, while the Lukoil refinery, of 200GWh. EFT has also recently signed an energy supplying contract with cement producer Holcim for all its factories in Romania.

Lidl rents out offices for 250 employees in Pipera – in Ziarul Financiar
e-Romania project will swallow another EUR 84 million initially destined to telecom operators - in Ziarul Financiar
Stem-Health shareholders want to create a transplant center with EUR 10 million – in Ziarul Financiar
Sanofi-Aventis, hunting for pharma products - in Ziarul Financiar

The Romanian Government approved in its meeting earlier today (June 23rd) the emergency ordinance which expands the taxation base, according to Mediafax, quoting sources within the Government. The ordinance includes taxes for meal vouchers, gift and holiday vouchers starting July 1st this year. This is when the deductible expenses quota for intellectual property rights will go down to 20 percent of the gross revenues, half of the current quota. Revenues from gambling (including revenues from the lottery) will be taxed by 25 percent.

Media owner and journalist Dan Diaconescu has been taken into police custody for 29 days after having been accused of blackmail and threat by the Romanian Anti Corruption Body (DNA).

Dan Diaconescu, who owns OTV TV station, was accused of blackmailing and threating the mayor of Zarand locality in Arad county, Ion Mot. Diaconescu was previously a witness in a file submitted by Ion Mot against OTV anchor Doru Parv. Parv and Diaconescu had allegedly asked for EUR 200,000 not to broadcast compromising footage for Ion Mot. According to DNA, Mot has paid EUR 30,000 of this amount.

A recent article published in the Financial Times points out the severe austerity measures which will be taken by the Romanian government and the social response to these measures, by comparison to EU standards. “Romania's austerity measures are severe, even by current European Union standards: a 25 per cent pay cut for the country's 1.4m public sector workers, 200,000 civil service job cuts, and a 15 per cent reduction in pensions and unemployment benefits,” writes the Financial Times.

Romanian media

Bechtel and Enka, EUR 800 mln revenues, EUR 60 mln profits for 42 km of highway - in Ziarul Financiar...

Telecom operator Vodafone has recently signed an agreement with local telecom dealer Fonomat, which used to be a dealer for competitor Orange until April this year and which will now become an exclusive Vodafone dealer. Fonomat, which runs 167 stores in Romania, will still run under its existing brand but will change the signage in its stores accordingly in the following period.

Fonomat's shareholder in private equity fund GED, which bought four GSM retail companies – Dasimpex, Plus GSM, GSM Land and Puls and re-united them under a new brand. Fonomat used to be the largest Orange dealer since April 2008.