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Romanian Court Says It Released Soldiers In Weapon Heist Case As They Couldn’t Influence Trial

Seven soldiers placed under preventive arrest in the trial of the weapon heist at Romanian military base Ciorogarla were released on December 23, 2009, as they could no longer interfere with the investigations, the court explained its ruling Tuesday.

Romania Expects New Wave Of Swine Flu Infections End January – State Secretary

Romania expects a new wave of infections with the A/H1N1 flu virus end January, Romanian Health Ministry state secretary Adrian Streinu Cercel said Tuesday, calling on people to get vaccinated.

Romanian Health Ministry Mulls Introducing Fast Food Tax

The Romanian Health Ministry plans to introduce a tax on fast food, in order to support national health programs.

Romania’s Tourism Minister Plans To Built Golf Course Near Bucharest

Romania’s Tourism and Regional Development Minister Elena Udrea said Tuesday she plans to build a golf course in Snagov, near capital city Bucharest, adding the Snagov City Hall offered to provide the land needed to carry out the project.

Romania Ctrl Bk Cuts Key Rate By 50 Bps To 7.5%

Romania's central bank on Tuesday decided to lower the key monetary policy rate by 50 basis points, to 7.5% on the year, and to maintain the current levels of minimum requirements on both foreign currency-denominated and leu-denominated liabilities.

Romanian Meteorologists Issue Advisory For Rain, Wind, Frost In 14 Counties

Romanian meteorologists issued a code yellow weather advisory forecasting rain, wind and frost in 14 counties in the western and southwestern part of the country, valid Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening.

Romanian Leu Ends Up Vs Euro On Positive Intl Sentiment

The Romanian leu closed the first trading day of the year stronger versus the euro, on a positive sentiment on the regional markets.

Romanian ELCEN Hikes Heating Tariffs By Up To 10% In Bucharest, Constanta

Romanian thermal power producer ELCEN rose the heating tariffs in the capital city Bucharest and the southeastern city of Constanta by 9% and 10%, respectively, as of January 1, following a decision of the country’s energy watchdog ANRE adopted at the end of last year.

Romania Might Enforce Mandatory Home Insurance Law As Of End-March ‘10

The law forcing Romanian homeowners to insure their homes against natural disasters might be enforced toward the end of the first quarter of 2010 if PAID, the company issuing mandatory home insurance policies, manages to conclude a reinsurance contract, PAID head Marius Bulugea said Monday.

Romanian Farmers To Be Included In Country’s Future Single Pension System

Romanian labor minister Mihai Seitan said Monday there will no longer be a special pension system for agriculture and farmers will be included in the single pension system.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Sees Biggest Sales Increase Of 51.4% On French Market In ‘09

Registrations of Romanian new Dacia cars and light commercial vehicles in France registered the biggest increase in 2009 of 51.4%, to 65,956 units, according to the Committee of French Automobile Constructors (CCFA).

Romanian Co Metrorex To Spend Up To RON60M On Subway Line Extension Works

Bucharest subway company Metrorex will pay an estimated 59.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2282), VAT not included, to finalize construction works on subway sector 1 Mai-Parc Bazilescu, part of mainline IV, the company said Monday.

Romanian Leu Slightly Up, Exch Rate At RON4.2265 Vs Euro

The Romanian leu slightly strengthened against the euro in the first trade of the year, and the central bank computed an indicative of RON4.2265 to the euro.

Romania Forex Reserves Fall Slightly In December To EUR28.3B

Romanian foreign exchange reserves fell EUR434 million in December to EUR28.303 billion, according to central bank data released Monday.

Romanian Transelectrica Hikes Pwr Transport Tariff By 5.4%

Romania’s state-owned power grid operator Transelectrica (TEL.RO) raised, on January 1, the average tariff for electric power transport service by 5.4%, from 16.13 lei (EUR1=RON4.2265) per MWh to RON17/MWh, the company said Monday.

Romania’s Petrom Hikes Pump Prices By RON0.06 Per Liter

Romania’s largest oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) raised Monday the gasoline and diesel oil prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON4.2282) per liter, following the international oil price increase, the company said in a statement.

Romanian-Built Car Dacia Ranked Third Most Reliable – French Study

French people consider Romanian-built Dacia one of the most reliable cars, ranking it third after Daihatsu and Lexus in a study ordered by consumer group UFC-Que Choisir.

Romania Drops Plans To Buy France’s AH1N1 Flu Vaccine Surplus

Romania ultimately declined to buy France's surplus of vaccine against the AH1N1 virus, after two months of negotiations, while several other EU states (including Germany, the Netherlands and Spain) are desperately trying to sell off at least part of their surplus, Le Parisien reported.

Bucharest Electoral Auth Declares Lawmaker Seat Candidacies Final

The Bucharest Electoral Bureau on Sunday declared the candidacies of Honorius Prigoana and Radu Stroe for a seat in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies as final, without waiting for the Constitutional Court’s ruling regarding Remus Cernea’s complaint.

Turkey’s Private Hospital Network Medicana Eyes Romanian Mkt

Medicana Hospital, one of Turkey’s leading private healthcare provider networks, plans to expand overseas to countries like Romania and Bulgaria, and seize the opportunities provided by the healthcare tourism industry in the European Union, according to publication Today's Zaman.

Fewer Romanians Spent New Year’s In The Country Or Abroad

The number of Romanian tourists who spent the New Year’s in boarding houses or hotels countrywide was down 8% on the year, to 95,400 people who spent 124.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2282), down 13% from 2008, according to Romania’s Federation of Tourism Employers’ Associations (FPTR).

Code Yellow Warning Of Snow, Blizzards In S, SW Romania

Romanian meteorologists on Saturday issued a code yellow warning forecasting snow and blizzards in southern and southwestern Romania on Sunday, between 3 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Two Romanian Sailors On UK-Flagged Ship Seized In Gulf Of Aden

Two Romanian sailors are among the 25-member crew of UK-flagged vehicle carrier Asian Glory seized by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden late Friday, according to the ship’s owner, British ship management company Zodiac Maritime Agencies.

Code Orange, Yellow Warnings For Floods in W, NW Romania

Romanian hydrologists on Friday issued orange and yellow code warnings targeting floods in the country’s western and northwestern regions, between 2 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Romania Beats Australia 2-1 At Hopman Cup

Romania’s Sorana Carstea and Victor Hanescu have beaten Australia’s Samantha Stosur and Lleyton Hewitt 7-5, 6-1 Saturday in mixed doubles to give Romania a 2-1 win in the opener of the Hopman Cup teams tennis tournament held in Perth, Australia.

Romania Cigarette Prices Most Impacted By Excise Duty Hike In 2010

The excise hike and the higher exchange rate used for computing excise duties as of January 1 would significantly impact cigarette and tobacco products prices, which are expected to grow by 14%, while the prices of the other excisable products would only register a single-digit growth.

Romanian GDP Seen Up On Higher Exports In 2010 – Analysts

The Romanian economy is seen growing by an average of 1.2% in 2010, mainly supported by exports and the industry, while the constructions sector would continue to be the most impacted by the financial crisis, according to analysts polled by MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Farmers To Get State Guarantee Of Up To EUR2.5M For Loans

Romanian farmers can take bank loans with a state guarantee of up to EUR2.5 million, Agriculture Minister Mihail Dumitru said Tuesday after a Cabinet meeting.

Romania’s Govt To Limit Budget Revisions – Draft Law

Romania’s government will no longer be able to make more than two budget revisions during a year, and the budget won’t be revised in the first half of the year, according to the fiscal responsibility draft law.

Romanian Govt To Reduce Variable Salaries, Layoff Employees To Limit Staff Expenses

The Romanian Government may not increase public sector salaries in the last six months of its term, but variable salary rights may be decreased in order to meet the quarterly limits on staff expenses, together with layoffs.

Romania’s Defense Council To Discuss Rosia Montana Gold Mining Project Based On Expertise

Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Tuesday on OTV the country’s High Council for Defense (CSAT), which he heads, will discuss the gold mining project Rosia Montana when an expertise on it is ready.

Romania Nov Residential Building Permits -15.6% MM, -15.4% YY

Romania issued 3,463 building permits for residential projects in November, down 15.6% compared with October, and 15.4% lower on the year, the statistics institute INS said Wednesday.

Romanian President Says Job Cuts In Education Target Substitutes, Pensioners

Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Tuesday on OTV the government’s decision to scrap 15,000 jobs in the education system next year targets substitute teachers and retired teacher who continue to work.

Romania Nov Overdue Loans Up 11.5% MM To RON8B

Romanian non-government overdue loans rose 11.5% on the month to 8 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2099) in November, central bank data showed Tuesday.

Two Romanian Sailors Aboard UK-Flagged Tanker Captured By Somali Pirates

Two Romanian sailors are aboard the UK-flagged ship St. James Park seized by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, said Adrian Mihalcioiu, International Transporters Federation representative in Romania.

Romania PM Calls On Lawmakers To Debate Fiscal Liability Law With Urgency

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc on Tuesday said the fiscal liability law will be approved by the government and sent to Parliament, and called on lawmakers to debate the draft with urgency.

Romanian Govt Counts On Recent Measures To Cut Budget Spending To 2.5% Of GDP

Romania’s government estimates its recent measures to freeze pensions, scrap several social facilities and defer some of its obligations will cut public spending by 13.5 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2099), or 2.5% of GDP, and failure to adopt these measures would boost the budget deficit to 8.4% of GDP.

Romanian Clunkers Program To Continue In 2010 – PM

The Romanian Government will continue the clunkers program in 2010, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday.

Romanian Senate To Hold Vote On Govt’s Ability To Pass Decrees During Parliament Recess

Romanian senators will convene in extraordinary plenary meeting on January 6, 2010 to debate and hold a vote on the draft law regulating government’s ability to issue decrees during the Parliament’s recess, Senate’s quaestor Dumitru Constantin said Tuesday.

Romanian Parliament Holds Plenary Meeting To Adopt State Budget On Jan 11

The Romanian Parliament will hold an extraordinary plenary meeting on January 11 to debate the 2010 state budget, Chamber of Deputies vice-president Ludovic Orban told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.