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Romanian Mountain Rescuer Caught In Avalanche In C Romania Found Dead

13:01, 21 Feb. 2010
A 30-year-old mountain rescuer caught in an avalanche Saturday afternoon while he was skiing in Fagaras Mountains was found dead Sunday, mountain rescuers said.

Nine Passenger Train Routes Affected By Landslide In Sw Romania

09:49, 21 Feb. 2010
Nine passenger trains have been cancelled on certain routes and five have been detoured following a landslide Saturday evening in Mehedinti county, southwestern Romania.

Romanian Social Democrats Elect Victor Ponta For Party President

08:50, 21 Feb. 2010
Romanian social democrats have elected Victor Ponta, 38, as their new party president Saturday, to the detriment of Mircea Geoana who was vying for reelection.

Two Romanian Social Democrats Quit Race For Party Headship, Back Victor Ponta

14:54, 20 Feb. 2010
Romanian social democrats Radu Mazare and Miron Mitrea on Saturday said they are backing out of the race to head the leftist Social Democratic Party and want their votes to go to Victor Ponta.

Romanian Chess Grandmaster Hits Two People During Chess Federation Meeting

14:40, 20 Feb. 2010
Romanian chess international grandmaster Elisabeta Polihroniade hit two people at a meeting of the Romanian Chess Federation, which is electing a new president.

IMF Approves EUR2.3B Disbursement For Romania

21:36, 19 Feb. 2010
The International Monetary Fund on Friday approved the disbursement of EUR2.3 billion for Romania after completing new reviews of the country’s performance under a EUR13 billion standby agreement.

Romanian Child Allowance Cap Considered For „Active Solidarity” – PM

16:26, 19 Feb. 2010
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Friday regarding the draft law on children’s state allowances that the intention is not to save money “at the expense of children” but to apply active solidarity, adding the right to an allowance is acknowledged, but the state decides the sum.

Stere Farmache Reelected Bucharest Bourse President

15:33, 19 Feb. 2010
The Bucharest Stock Exchange’s shareholders on Friday reelected Stere Farmache as Chairman of the Board.

J. P. Gaultier Demands EUR760,000 Reparations From Romanian Company For Fake Perfumes

15:30, 19 Feb. 2010
Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier demands EUR760,000 in reparations from a company in Romanian city Sibiu, which introduced into the country and was about to sell over 19,000 bottles of perfume, marked with the official insignia of the company, but which turned out to be counterfeit.

Romanian Businessman Copos To Invest EUR10M In 100-Room Hotel In Poiana Brasov

14:32, 19 Feb. 2010
Romanian businessman George Copos will open a four-star 100-room hotel in Poiana Brasov, a mountain resort in central Romania, in a EUR10 million investment.

NE Romania Remains One Of The Poorest Areas In The EU

13:43, 19 Feb. 2010
The northeastern part of Romania continues to be one of the poorest areas in the EU, and seven Romanian regions are still below 75% of the European purchasing power average, while capital Bucharest is above 90%, as Bucharest citizens are twice as rich as the rest of the country.

Romania Officially Invited To Join South Stream Project – Econ Min

13:06, 19 Feb. 2010
Russia’s Gazprom extended a formal invitation to the Romanian authorities to join the South Stream pipeline project and to expand natural gas co-operation beyond Romania’s borders, Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said Friday.

Romania Plans To Cut Child State Allowance For High Income Families

12:16, 19 Feb. 2010
Romania is working on a law to cut state allowance for children coming from families with high incomes, Labor Minister Mihai Seitan said Friday, adding authorities have yet to decide on the maximum family income entitling children to state allowance.

Romania’s Presidential Couple To Go On Official Visit To Japan In March

11:32, 19 Feb. 2010
Romania’s President Traian Basescu and his wife Maria Basescu will make a state call to Japan between March 9 and March 11, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Friday on its website.

Romanian Troop Injured In Patrol Mission In Afghanistan

11:00, 19 Feb. 2010
Romanian sergeant Eugen Manaila was injured in the right leg Friday morning in Afghanistan during a patrol mission, the Romanian Defense Ministry said, adding he underwent emergency surgery and is now stable.

Romanian Banks See Easier Conditions For Mortgage Loans, First Time In 2 Yrs – Survey

19:55, 18 Feb. 2010
Romanian banks expect, for the first time in the past two years, a relaxation of lending standards for mortgage loans, on the real estate market, by lowering housing prices, according to a central bank survey.

Romania Ups Penalties For Early Retirement To 45% From 30%

16:38, 18 Feb. 2010
Romanian Labor Minister Mihai Seitan said Thursday the country's new pension law increases penalties for early retirement to 45% from 30%, adding the number of people taking early retirement pensions has tripled since 2001.

Romania Romtelecom To Lay Off 600 Staff In May To Improve Efficiency

16:22, 18 Feb. 2010
Romania’s leading hard-line telecom operator Romtelecom, majority owned by Greece's OTE, plans to lay off 600 employees to cut costs and improve efficiency, the phone company said in a statement Thursday.

About 25% Of Disability Pensions Obtained Illegally – Romanian Labor Min

15:58, 18 Feb. 2010
Romanian Labor Minister Mihai Steitan said Thursday Romania pays about 900,000 disability pensions, adding it is estimated almost 25% of them are obtained illegally.

Romanian Military, Police, Special Services Employees To Pay Higher Social Security Contributions

15:48, 18 Feb. 2010
Employees of the Romanian military, police or special services will have to pay 10.5% of their gross wages as social security contributions starting with 2011, up from 5% at present, but their salaries will be increased to account for the tax hike.

About 10% Of Romania’s Special Pensions To See Avg Reduction Of EUR1,500 – Labor Min

15:41, 18 Feb. 2010
About 10% of special pensions in Romania could be reduced by an average EUR1,500 following recalculation under the new pension law, but reduction could be by as much as 80%, Labor Minister Mihai Seitan said Thursday, adding magistrates, aviators and diplomats would be the most affected.

Hungary Opposes Gold Mining Proj In W Romania But It’s Romania’s Decision – Diplomat

14:42, 18 Feb. 2010
Hungary’s ambassador to Bucharest, Oskar Fuzes, told a news conference Thursday Hungary opposes the gold mining project in Rosia Montana in western Romania, but underscored the decision belongs to Romanian authorities.

Businesspeople See Romania’s 10 GDP Growth At 0.5%-1%

14:03, 18 Feb. 2010
The Romanian Businessmen Association AOAR predicts Romania will post an economic growth of 0.5%-1% in 2010, below authorities' official forecast of 1.3%.

ING Bank Romania Eyes 10% Revenue Growth In 2010

13:57, 18 Feb. 2010
ING Bank Romania expects a 5% to 10% revenue growth in 2010, fueled by higher lending, general manager Misu Negritoiu said Thursday.

Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan To Ink Gas Deal In March

13:57, 18 Feb. 2010
Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan will sign in March an agreement for the construction of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in the Romanian southeastern Constanta seaport and a location in Georgia, an investment estimated at EUR4 billion to EUR6 billion.

Romania Hopes To Scrap At Least 60,000 Cars In 2010 Clunkers Program

13:06, 18 Feb. 2010
Romania’s government estimates it will scrap at least 60,000 used cars this year within the clunkers program after last year’s program only managed to scrap about half the number of cars planned, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romania Not Involved In Official Talks On Hosting Nuclear Waste Dump -Minister

13:05, 18 Feb. 2010
Romanian Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said Thursday on RFI Romania has not received any official request for Romania to host a nuclear waste storage facility, after British paper The Times reported the country could host a regional nuclear waste dump.

Russia’s Gazprom Invites Romania To Join South Stream

11:11, 18 Feb. 2010
Russian gas giant Gazprom invited Romanian state-run gas pipeline operator Transgaz (TGN.RO) to join the South Stream project, Romania's Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said Thursday.

Romanian Cos Hiring Unemployed People Exempt From Social Security Contributions For 6 Mos

19:02, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian companies which in 2010 hire people who have been unemployed for at least three months will be exempt from paying social security contributions for the new employees for six months, as long as the new workers are kept on at least one year and the employer lays off no one.

Romanian Food Expert Mencinicopschi Refutes Egg Producers’ Accusations

16:47, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian professor Gheorghe Mencinicopschi told MEDIAFAX on Wednesday that the statements the Poultry Breeders’ Union accuse him of making were actually made by officials of animal rights organization “Vier Pfoten,” and that he will sue the Union for libel and restricting the right to information.

Romanian Egg Producers Sue Animal Rights Organization Over Recent Statements

16:03, 17 Feb. 2010
The members of the Romanian Union of Poultry Breeders (UCPR) demanded reparations from professor Gheorghe Mencinicopschi, whom they accuse of misinforming the population and seriously damaging the image of egg producers in Romania, which could have grave consequences.

Romania Ups Housing Program’s Guarantee Cap To EUR75,000

15:50, 17 Feb. 2010
Romania's government on Wednesday raised the upper guarantee cap for the first-time homebuyer credit to EUR75,000 per loan, from a previous EUR60,000, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said.

Gazprom Could Give Up Middlemen In Gas Deal With Romania – Ministry

15:22, 17 Feb. 2010
Russia’s giant Gazprom could deliver natural gas to Romania directly via state-run Romgaz Medias, without third party distributors, Romanian Economy Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

Romanian State-Made Homes May Be Bought Through “First Home” Program

14:21, 17 Feb. 2010
Homes built through the Romanian National Housing Agency (ANL) may be bought through the “First Home” program, Prime Minister Emil Boc announced Wednesday after the Cabinet meeting.

Romanian Fraud Convict Nicolae Popa Close To Being Deported From Indonesia – Paper

14:19, 17 Feb. 2010
Indonesia’s Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar has given local police the green light to extradite Romanian Nicolae Popa, convicted in absentia for fraud, Indonesian police said, quoted by the online edition of the Jakarta Globe.

Romania Dec Construction Output Rises At Fastest Pace In EU

13:49, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian construction output rose 9.9% on the month in December last year, the highest increase in the European Union, official data showed Wednesday.

Romanian Automaker Dacia Employees To Get RON300 Salary Raise In Two Stages In 2010

13:43, 17 Feb. 2010
The employees of Romanian automaker Automobile Dacia will receive a salary raise of 300 lei (EUR1=RON4.1137), which will be paid in two stages in 2010, after union leaders and the company’s management have managed to reach common ground Wednesday.

Romania Romgaz, Gazprom To Carry On Gas Talks – Official

13:10, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian natural gas supplier Romgaz Medias will continue negotiations with Russia’s giant Gazprom on gas storage co-operation, Romgaz general manager Marcel Piteiu said Wednesday.

Romanian Liberal Deputy Makes Propositions To Revise Constitution

13:06, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian liberal deputy Tudor Chiuariu, former justice minister, presented several Constitution revision propositions to do away with the position of president, set up a Government with maximum 15 ministries and a Parliament with 200 lawmakers, and limit to three the number of secret services.

Romania Likely To Introduce Mandatory Energy Certification As Of End March

12:45, 17 Feb. 2010
Romania is likely to introduce mandatory energy certification for buildings as of March 30, Development Ministry state secretary Ioan Andreica said Wednesday, adding the ministry will propose to exempt thermally rehabilitated buildings.