What the newspapers say: March 13, 2009

Friday, the 13th, starts with the same news about the lack of cash as usual. In fact, except for the Finance Minister’s statements that Romania may enter a recession period this year and the IMF loan, there isn’t any significant news at all.

For the first time since the beginning of the crisis, the Romanian Finance Minister, Gheorghe Pogea, admitted that Romania may have an economic growth between -1 and 1.5%. However, the statement comes only after the official met with the International Monetary Fund delegation, Evenimentul Zilei notes.

Cotidianul discusses the same statements, adding that the budget re-shuffling is already required. The budget must be re-analyzed, taking into account the possibility of a 2.5 billion Euros decrease of the economy.

Evenimentul Zilei reopens the Bechtel highway files, this time showing that the construction will not end earlier than 2025, in case the US-based company hangs on to the contract in its current shape. The Transport Minister, Radu Berceanu, repeatedly mentioned that the budget does not allow the beginning of new works, in areas where the construction hasn’t begun yet. For the moment, the Ministry takes into account the possibility to lease the construction of 415 kilometers of highway to private companies.

Also in the economic news, the latest Forbes ranking of the world’s richest people only includes one Romanian this year, oilman Dinu Patriciu. Last year’s champion, the controversial real estate boss Gigi Becali, declared for Gandul that he lost his entire fortune because of the crisis.