18th May
2007
Romania decides president's fate
Romanian voters go to the polls on Saturday in a referendum that will decide the
fate of the country's suspended president, Traian Basescu.
Mr Basescu was accused of violating the constitution and was suspended by parliament
on 19 April.
According to opinion polls, he has a strong chance of being reinstated. Turnout
is expected to be high, but the political acrimony and divisions rocking the country
are likely to continue, whatever the result. It has been a bitter, polarising
campaign in which appeals for civility and restraint have all but been ignored.
The voters will have to decide whether President Basescu is a threat to democracy
or a political hero pushing for renewal and good governance. The opposition Social
Democrats, who initiated the impeachment process, describe Mr Basescu as dictatorial
and corrupt, a failure who has never lived up to his constitutional duties. The
president claims that his enemies are desperate to stop his anti-corruption drive,
which has rattled what he calls "the economic mafia".
The referendum will give the people's verdict, but it may not end the crisis.
If the president wins, he will still be facing his opponents in parliament, who
also control the government. The president has called for them to resign, but
legally he cannot force them to go. If Mr Basescu loses, then new presidential
elections have to be held within three months. However, the opposition parties
appear to lack a strong candidate, so Mr Basescu could yet return as frontrunner.
Some analysts say that only a general election could calm the situation, but the
next poll is more than 18 months away. Polls open at 0800 (0500 GMT) on Saturday
and close at 2000, with results expected overnight.
Source: BBC
Coffee Republic enters Romanian market
Coffee Republic has agreed a deal with Krruss Holdings S.R.L for the franchise
rights of the company in Romania. Salim Thava, CEO of Krruss Holdings, who also
has extensive retail and property interests in Romania, commented: “We are
very excited to have the opportunity to introduce the Coffee Republic Deli format
to Romania (population 23 million).
Having just joined the EU in January 2007, we believe that the stage is set for
a brand such as Coffee Republic to capitalise on the expected economic growth
". Commenting, Steven Bartlett, CEO of Coffee Republic, said: “We are
extremely pleased to announce the International Franchise Agreement for Romania.
Salim Thava has vast experience in the Romanian retail sector and has exciting
plans for the growth of the Coffee Republic brand in Romania. We have now completed
three international franchise deals and are at an advanced stage of discussions
with further territories ".
Source: The Appointment.co.uk
Bulgaria and Romania 'ready to attract more American
tourists'
Property investors looking to Eastern Europe could be boosted by the news that
US tourists are increasingly looking towards countries like Bulgaria and Romania
for holidays abroad, according to a recent report.
With the dollar trading at historically weak levels, traditional European holiday
destinations like London and Paris have become prohibitively expensive. However,
the Bulgarian lev and the Romanian leu are currencies that represent better value
for those from the US - and while cheapness alone is not enough to make a good
holiday, the countries offer a range of attractions for all tourists, said Seattle
Times writer Carol Pucci. "For adventure-seekers looking for an escape from
$5 cups of coffee and hordes of tourists, these and the other ex-Communist countries
are the final frontier for European budget travel," she commented.
And as "times are changing fast", with their accession to the European
Union, Bulgaria and Romania also offer the usual mod-cons western travelers would
expect in other holiday spots. In related news, the Sofia Echo has reported that
Bulgaria's growth GDP growth rate is expected to hit 6.2% over 2007, citing a
report from UniCredit Group.
Source: BBJ.hu
Starwood and Hyatt hotel groups coming to Bucharest
The American Starwood Group holding brand-names such as Sheraton, might open a
hotel in Bucharest, and so might Hyatt, who announced its intention to build a
hotel here two years ago, who could follow the example of the Radisson Group that
will operate on the location of the former Bucharest Hotel starting this year,
stated Tinu Sebesanu, General Manager of Trend Hospitality Consulting, quoted
by Rompres.
The majority of international hotel chains such as Sheraton and Hyatt will enter
the Romanian market in the next five years, said Sebesanu. “Almost all the
international hotel chains will come to Romania in the next five years. I think
that some of them have waited because they come not to build hotels, but to manage
them,” explain Sebesanu, who has been involved in the Howard Johnson project
in Bucharest.
“Bucharest will attract most of the five-star hotels of the groups that
are to come. However, in the country there is a need for three and three star-plus
hotels that are the most sought after and that have a long-standing prospect,
as well as for motels, because if you drive to the Black Sea, there is nowhere
to stop if you want,” explain Sebesanu.
Source: Nine O'Clock
Tourism contributed over EUR 1 bln to budget in 2006
Revenues from tourism for the first time exceeded EUR 1 bln in late 2006, Cristina
Motorga, director general of the Tourism Promotion Directorate with the Ministry
for Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce, Tourism and Liberal Professions told
Mediafax yesterday.
European Capital of Culture programme triggered an increase in the number of foreign
tourists in Romania and in the amounts they spent in Romania, according to officials
for the central authority for tourism. Last year, foreign tourists spent EUR 1.034
bln on tourism packages, as against EUR 852 M in 2005. However, the tourism sector
concluded the year with a EUR 1 M deficit, as against a EUR 102 M surplus in the
previous year.
“Sibiu will have an extremely significant impact on total revenues. There
is outstanding interest in the city, on the foreign tourists’ part, and
the number of visitors has increased considerably since the beginning of the year.
Accommodation facilities in Sibiu are virtually unable to cope with the demand,”
Cristina Motorga explained.
According to the official for the tourism authority, the Romanian tourism sector
faces problems in terms of resources, training and information. The service quality
below prices is another issue that needs solving in this sector, although there
are rather significant differences between various accommodation units. The National
Tourism Authority (ANT) estimates that the number of foreign tourists to visit
Romania this year may increase by 15-20 per cent as compared to the 1.4-1.6 million
visitors in 2005, with Sibiu as the main destination.
Last year, the number of foreign visitors registered in check points reached six
million, up 3.4 per cent as compared to 2005, according to the National Statistics
Institute (INS).
Dragos Michael Anastasiu, the owner of the group of firms Touring Eurolines, was
elected yesterday president of the National Association of the Tourism Agencies
from Romania (ANAT), replacing Gheorghe Fodoreanu in this office, declared for
Mediafax the spokesman of ANAT, Traian Badulescu.
Anastasiu was the only candidate for this office, which he will hold for a period
of two years. Several members of the association requested in ANAT General Assembly
from April 28 the resignation of the president of that time, Gheorghe Fodoreanu,
who had hold the office for one year. ANAT Extraordinary Assembly called on May
17 organised the new elections.
Source: Nine O'Clock
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