The first swine flu case in Banat (West Romania) was recorded this Saturday. Elsewhere in the news, Romania's incumbent president Traian Basescu said Romania met all criteria to declare recession. Boc Government drags Romania into crisis. Last but not least, court in Dublin is analysing the case of a Romanian 15 year old shoplifter mother.

The first swine flu case in Banat (West Romania) was recorded this Saturday: a 7 year-old girl returned from Toronto, Canada together with her great-grandmother, Evenimentul Zilei informs. The girl from Resita had her tests from the Infectious Disease County Hospital in Resita sent to Cantacuzino Institute in Bucharest, which confirmed the A/H1N1 infection. The child is hospitalized with Victor Babes Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Timisoara. The girls' relatives are currently being tested.

Doctors say that the virus has astronger resistance in case of children. Health Ministry intends to equip the Intensive Therapy sections to cope with the virus, which could spread faster in autumn. According to HM officials, not all niche hospitals are ready to take in children, an aspect that needs to be considered. The most well-equipped infectious disease hospitals in Romania are in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca (Central) and Targul-Mures (North).

Adevarulreads Romania's incumbent president Traian Basescu stated in the Government's meeting on Sunday that Romania "meets all criteria to declare recession". He pointed out that the Central Bank's (BNR) optimism is not covered, since the GDP will drop in the second trimester as well. He also said that only during the third or fourth trimester Romania will manage to handle the economy's depreciation. In this case, the Executive has to deal with making sure there's enough money for the salaries. The President assured the Government he will support it during the crisis.

Basesu urged Education Minister Ecaterina Andronescu to not let another year pass without reforming the system. He warned her not to cut sport from the students' schedule and he told her to adapt the curriculum to the current crisis. He said Romania needs mechanics, tinkers and waiters as well, not only philosophers, the publication informs.

Boc Government drags Romania into crisis, Cotidianul reads. According to the latest figures, the population and companies keep paying their taxes to last year's level, when the economy was still working, but the Government wastes money on expenses, especially on the incomes, which have got out of hand. Despite a harsh first trimester, the state tax income is only 2.6% less against its 2008, amounting to 31.5 billion lei. The income tax and capital gains together have increased by 4.6%.

The Government failed to count a positive balance because of low consumerism that shrank the VAT income by approximately 2 billion lei: -14.2%. The state income dropped by 6.6%, helped by the non-fiscal incomes, which dropped by 24.9% (4.32 billion lei). Romania's GDP for 2009 first trimester was 96.5%. The total state income amounted to 38 billion lei. Thus, it results a 39.4% GDP collection, almost as much as last year.

The state expenses are 11.7% larger than last year, especially in the public sector. Employees paid by the state cost 16.2% more than last year. To support the salaries, the state had to get a loan. The expenditure shows an 87.6% increase in the costs, addressing the fiscal credits assumed by the state. The state aims to reach the budgetary deficit agreed with the IMF. "The huge increase in the salary tax is due to the state salaries as well", which have gone up significantly since April 2008, the PM's economic councillor Ionut Popescu said, adding that the state could not just fire people as to reduce state expenses.

A court in Dublin is analysing the case of a Romanian 15 year old mother, who happened to be a shoplifter at the same time, Romania Libera reads, quoting The Irish Examiner, cited by Romanian news agency Mediafax. Dublin Court for the underage judge said that even though certain ethnicities are impenetrable to a certain point, the law regarding minors having sex has to apply to everybody in Ireland.

Neither her nor her child received social assistance, despite the fact that her case was investigated by the Health Services Agency. She lives in Tallaght, together with her 20 year old partner and her family. The teenager was caught stealing three times from shops. She might be taken into care, together with her child. The next court hearing is next month.