08-07-2009

Cinema Public Fund faces cut

By Iulia Blaga
    The Romanian National Lottery and casinos wil be exempt from contributing to the Cinema Public Fund under a new ruling.

    In an emergency ordinance issued in June by the Romanian government, casinos and the National Lottery will be exempt from contributing with 4% per year to the Cinema Public Fund, as stated in the emergency ordinance concerning cinema, adopted in 2005.

    The decision comes in difficult times. Ad market is droping, and the National Television has not paid its dues to the Cinema Public Fund since 2007. The National Lottery contributed with €330,000 to the Cinema Public Fund for 2007, but did not contribute in 2008, although the deadline was May 31, three weeks before the new ordinance was approved.

    Despite the international recognition, Romanian film production did not receive any budgetary support from the state in 2007. The Cinema Public Fund was then at €11,764,706, with all the money coming from taxes and contributions, not from budgetary support.

    Between 2005 and 2008, Romanian films received a total of €11 milion from the state.

    Representatives from the Ministry of Culture told FNE that discussions will take place with the Ministry of Finance in order to find alternative financing sources.