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Romanian-State Owned Railway Co CFR Calatori To Install Automated Ticket Dispensers Friday

Romanian state-owned railway passenger carrier CFR Calatori will install Friday two automated ticket dispensers in Bucharest’s Gara de Nord station, which will at first only accept payment by card, but later also in cash, the company announced.

Some 40% Of 212,000 Used Cars Sold In Romania In ’09 Older Than 10 Yrs – Carmakers

Some 40% of the 212,000 used cars sold in Romania in 2009 are older than ten years, and 95% of used car businesses are not subject to taxes, Ernest Popovici, head of Romania’s Association of Car Producers and Importers, or APIA, told a press conference Thursday.

Romanian Economy Won’t Grow Without Quick Reforms – IMF Official

Romanian economy cannot post significant growth without swift structural reforms and an overhauling of the public expenditure by reducing current spending and increasing investment, according to Mihai Tanasescu, Romania's representative to the International Monetary Fund.

Romania Tax Collecting, Soc Security Systems Need Improvement – IMF Official

Romania must improve its tax collecting system and rethink the social security sector, because it’s bleeding money and the existing framework program does not provide sufficient monitoring of the collected amounts, an official at the International Monetary Fund said Thursday.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia To Make Small Class Cars

Romanian carmaker Automobile Dacia, the local unit of France’s Renault, is ready to start making small class cars, considering the demand for such vehicles, Dacia vice-president Constantin Stroe said Thursday.

Romanian Economy Seen Growing 6% In 2012 – IMF Official

Romanian economy is likely to reach its growth potential of 5% to 6% per year as of 2012, Romania's representative at the International Monetary Fund, Mihai Tanasescu said Thursday.

Romania Withdrew From Transnistria Conflict Negotiations Due To Govt Error – President

Romania’s President Traian Basescu told Pro TV Chisinau television station Wednesday that Romania participated in negotiations regarding conflicts in Transnistria, but withdrew due to an error of the country’s government in 1991.

Romanian Govt To Issue Law Allowing Furlough Come Feb 1

The Romanian Government will approve early February a draft law regulating furlough measures to protect employees, starting with February 1, 2010, in a fashion similar to the system applied last year, said Prime Minister Emil Boc, after talks with unions and employers.

Romania’s PM Confirms IMF Agrees To EUR1B Hike Of Public Guarantee Cap In 2010

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc confirmed Wednesday that the ceiling on general government guarantees will be increased by EUR1 billion in 2010, the additional funds ensuring the necessary resources to co-finance European projects for local administrations and companies.

Romania’s PC Sales Drop More Than 55% In 2009, To Nearly 500,000 Units

Personal computer (PC) sales in Romania saw a sharp decline of over 55% in volume in 2009, to nearly 500,000 units, compared with 1.08 million units in 2008, PC producers said Wednesday, citing preliminary data from market research company International Data Corporation (IDC).

Romanian Mayor Sentenced To 3 And 1/2 Years In Prison For Graft

The mayor of the southern Romanian town Ramnicu Valcea, Mircia Gutau, and former deputy mayor Nicolae Dicu have been sentenced to three years and a half in prison each for bribe taking.

Romanian-Moldovan Small Border Traffic Agreement To Be Active By March 30

Romanian President Traian Basescu announced Wednesday in Moldovan capital Chisinau that the agreement on small border traffic concluded with Moldova will be functional and applicable by March 30, because there are technical requirements that need to be met.

EIU Says It Is Unclear Whether Hostile Relations With Russia Are In Romania’s Interests

Russia is particularly annoyed by Romanian President Traian Basescu’s “irredentist attitude” to the Republic of Moldova, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said in a report, adding it is unclear whether Romania’s interests are best served by having a hostile relationship with Russia.

Romania To Set Up Citizenship Special Agency – President

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, during an official visit to Chisinau, the country’s Government will issue an emergency ordinance to set up a special agency granting Romanian citizenship to those who lost it.

Romanian Unionists At Loggerheads With U.S. Builder Bechtel Over Planned Layoffs

Cartel Alfa unionists in Cluj, northwestern Romania, on Wednesday accused U.S. company Bechtel, which builds Romania’s Transylvania Highway, of plotting to sack 200 workers under the pretext they are unfit for the job, although they have been working on the site for five or six years.

Romania To Give Moldova EUR100M Between ’10-’13 For Infrastructure, Local Projects

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday in Moldovan capital Chisinau that Romania will offer non-reimbursable financial support worth EUR100 million to Moldova for education infrastructure projects and for locally relevant projects.

Bucharest Needs 140,000-170,000 New Homes To Catch Up With Warsaw, Prague, Budapest – Study

Romanian capital Bucharest has 404 apartments for every 1,000 people, and a further 140,000-170,000 need to be built before it reaches the level of other European capitals such as Warsaw, Prague and Budapest, according to a study by Colliers International.

EU To Assess Romania’s Budget Deficit Corrective Measures

The European Commission will assess, over the next weeks, whether Romania and Poland have taken effective actions in respect to the correction of their budget deficits, as part of the excessive deficit procedure launched against the two countries mid-2009, the Commission said Wednesday.

Romanian Leu Strengthens Vs Euro, Exch Rate At RON4.1179

The Romanian leu traded stronger against the euro at mid trade Wednesday and the central bank’s reference rate touched the week’s high at RON4.1179 to the European currency, from RON4.1319 the day earlier.

Romania Can’t Afford A Mercedes Benz Public Sector – IMF Official

Romanian public spending is limited and household consumption must be adjusted to the current income, an official of the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.

Romania Will Never Sign Treaty Redefining Border With Moldova – President

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, after a meeting with Moldovan interim President Mihai Ghimpu, Romania will not sign a treaty to redefine the border between the two states, as Romanian authorities recognized the Republic of Moldova’s borders after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Romania Unemployment Seen Growing In 1H ’10 – IMF Official

Romania’s unemployment will continue to grow during the first half of 2010, and the number of jobless people might reach one million, Jeffrey Franks, head of the International Monetary Fund mission to Bucharest, told ProTV television station in an interview Wednesday.

Romanian President Welcomes Moldova’s Endeavor To Get Closer To EU

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday in Chisinau that the Republic of Moldova shows positive signs of getting closer to European Union, adding Moldova’s new ruling power was "pretty convincing" that it strongly wishes to come closer to the European community.

World Bank Commends Romania’s Progress Of Reforms, Prepares Another Visit

The World Bank team to Romania commended the country’s significant progress in achieving the agreed reform agenda part of the second Development Policy Loans (DPL) program and committed to return to Bucharest as progress continues, the institution said Wednesday.

IMF: New Mission To Visit Romania Late April-Early May

A new mission of the International Monetary Fund will arrive in Bucharest late April or early May to assess Romania’s compliance with the terms set under a EUR13 billion loan package, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Wednesday.

IMF Puts Off To April 2011 Romania’s Deadline To Cancel Arrears

The International Monetary Fund has extended the deadline by which Romania must eliminate the government arrears until April 2011, due to a difficult monitoring of the local debt, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Wednesday.

Romanian Lawmakers To Pass Fiscal Responsibility Law In March, Pensions Bill By June – IMF

Romanian authorities agreed with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund that the Parliament would approve the fiscal responsibility law in March while the pensions law would be approved by June, Jeffrey Franks, chief of the IMF mission to Bucharest, said Wednesday.

Romania Agric Min To Pay Farmers 2009 Overdue Subsidies In Two Stages In Feb

Romania’s Agriculture Ministry will pay farmers, in the first half of February, 990 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1319) in overdue subsidies for October and November 2009, while overdue subsidies of RON370 million for December 2009 will be paid until the end of February this year.

Romanian Lending To Recover In 2010, Pressure Still Remains – IMF

Romanian lending activity will start to recover in 2010, but the financial system will remain under pressure, an official of the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.

EU To Disburse EUR1B Loan Tranche To Romania In March

The European Commission mission to Bucharest said the second and the third review of Romania's financial aid are broadly positive, and the EU will release the second installment worth EUR1 billion in March.

Romania To Post Slight GDP Growth In 1Q – IMF

The International Monetary Fund expects the Romanian economy to return to growth in the first quarter, after a small contraction in the fourth quarter of 2009, Jeffrey Franks, head of the Fund's mission to Bucharest, said Wednesday.

IMF Says To Unblock EUR2.3B Tranches To Romania, Half Goes To Budget

The International Monetary Fund is set to release in February EUR2.3 billion of the EUR13 billion stand-by loan, as the program agreed with the fund is broadly on track, Wednesday said Jeffrey Franks, head of IMF's mission to Bucharest.

Romanian Transp Min To Make Highway Construction Contract Public, Check With French Constructor

Romania's Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said the lease-based construction contract for the highway segment linking Comarnic to Brasov in central Romania will be made public after French construction group Vinci informs him of the issues the latter wants to keep confidential.

Romanian President’s Visit To Chisinau To Target Direct Help For Moldova

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, before taking off for an official visit to Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova needs Romania’s direct help apart from political support.

Romania’s Energy Watchdog May Keep Gas Prices Unchanged In ’10

Romania’s energy regulatory authority ANRE may keep unchanged the prices of natural gas in 2010 if the country does not face very low temperatures for a long period of time or problems with the national gas transport system, ANRE’s representatives said Monday.

Romanian Transport Min Plans To Give State Guarantees To Infrastructure Builders

Romania’s Transport Ministry wants to give state guarantees to infrastructure builders, a measure discussed with Prime Minister Emil Boc and the International Monetary Fund, Minister Radu Berceanu said Tuesday.

Cigarette Maker Philip Morris Shuts Bucharest Factory For 2 Weeks, Puts 450 Employees On Furlough

Cigarette maker Philip Morris Romania will shut down its factory in Otopeni, near capital Bucharest, for two weeks as of February 19 and its 450 employees will be put on furlough, the company said Tuesday.

Romanian Central Bank Governor Awarded For Professional Merits

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Tuesday awarded central bank governor Mugur Isarescu the “Romanian Star” Order, the highest civilian decoration in the country, for "exceptional results" at the helm of the central bank.

Passenger Train Derails In C Romania, Passengers Not Injured

A passenger train went off track Tuesday afternoon in Harghita County, central Romania, and no passengers were injured.

Romanian Draft Unitary Public Pension Law Establishes Individual Categories, Contribution Levels

Romanian individuals with an annual income worth more than four average gross wages, including those with income from copyright, civil agreements or collaboration contracts, will have to pay social security contributions, according to the draft unitary pension law, up for public debate.