Labour Code to be modified this autumn

Modifying the Labour Code this fall should bring a much simpler partnership between employer and employee, believes the minister of Economy, Adriean Videanu, quoted by Mediafax. According to the minister, Romania should stop wasting resources on useless welfare schemes, as some 11 million Romanians are receiving aid from a state than already ran out of resources.

In a different move, the minister referred to the efforts aimed at restoring the thermal energy production and supply grid, saying it might be possible to revamp co-generation plants with the money obtained by the Government from the sale of carbon dioxide emission certificates. Authorities have not approached yet the transfer of co-generation plants from local authorities to the Ministry of the Economy, he added. Asked whether he could live this winter on a RON 1,500 salary, without heating subsidies, Videanu answered: "I couldn't tell you how I would get along."

Yesterday, during an energy seminar, the minister of Economy said the state should keep its monopoly upon electricity transport, because only the state can guarantee the non-discriminatory access to energy of all companies present in the market, Agerpres reports. Despite a delayed reform, the Romanian energy system is still attractive for potential investors, he added. Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy is revising the strategy of energy, which will be considered from a regional point of view. "The common market is the most important asset provided by the European Union," the minister added. He explained that reinforcing the control and interconnection systems will be a priority of the European Commission's agenda. Videanu also told the audience that electricity generation is an important potential and a matter of interest for the private sector.

Nine O'Clock