The Romanian press follows the air crash in south-east Romania. Elsewhere in the news, the recent floods from Romania might put up national prices for food by 8%. Last but not least, the Coalition in power is preparing to overtax wealth.
Evenimentul Zileifollows up the air crash in Tuzla (S-E Romania). Specialists take down the "hero-who-saved-three" thesis presented by the Defence Ministry. Air Operations colonel Victor Strambeanu declared yesterday that no one in the plane managed to jump out before the plane hit the ground. Three survivors (now only two) were allegedly saved by a marine colleague close to place of crash, namely colonel Marian Marin, the man who saw the tragedy happen. But militaries in Tuzla and specialists contradict the official version. Sources from Tuzla aerodrome say the pilot, Daniel Baslanu, jumped from the AN-2 aircraft. He's the one least injured and his condition is stable.
Marius Nazare is said to have jumped second. He survived, but is badly injured. Lieutenant Liviu Antim was the last to manage to jump. He died in hospital. Some investigators say, off the record, that the woman-pilot Lavinia Guita jumped as well. Her carbonised body was discovered near the plane. Instructor colonel pilot Cezar Osiceanu claims the only possible explanation for the existing survivors is that they were not inside the aircraft when the accident took place. One of the victims, soldier Cosmin Florescu, was due to leave for Afghanistan.
Adevarul calculated that the recent floods from Romania might put up national prices for food by 8%. Natural calamites have destroyed so far 15% of the cereal crops. Therefore farmers will put up prices and food will be significantly more expensive, bearing in mind that the VAT has been recently increased by 5% by the Government. 232,126 hectares of wheat, corn and sun-flower have been devastated. Romania has a total of 6 million hectares of crops. Food imports are very likely to be the solution sought by authorities. It would be difficult for farmers not to raise the prices, since this year they will not receive any subsidy. They lack any financial resource for the autumn agricultural campaign, which also means Romania's 2011 production is affected as well.
Romania Libera informs the Coalition in power is preparing to overtax wealth. UNPR wants people with a wealth higher than 500,000 Euros to pay a certain "tax on listed wealth". This is an additional tax for the already declared and already taxed wealth. UNPR deputy Eugen Nicolicea, who was assigned the law draft project, said this is a measure to be enforced only until Romania gets out of the downturn. The money raised will be at the Government's disposal, in a special fund. This is yet another version of "solidarity" tax, thought by the Romanian Government to bring two billion Euros to fill up gaps in the budget.
