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Romania Presidential Election Voter Turnout At 40.10% By GMT1400

Voter turnout in Romania’s presidential election runoff was at 40.10% by GMT1400, the Central Electoral Bureau said.

Romania Presidential Election Voter Turnout At 24.01% By GMT1100

Voter turnout in Romania’s presidential election was at 24.01% by GMT1100, the Central Electoral Bureau said.

Romania Registers 12 AH1N1 Deaths, 3,842 Infections

Two people infected with the AH1N1 virus have died over the past 24 hours in Romania and the country has registered 49 new cases of infection during the same interval, taking the total number to 12 deaths and 3,842 infections, the Health Ministry said in a news release Sunday.

Nearly 3,000 Romanians Voted In Italy, Over 2,000 In Spain And Over 4,000 In Moldova By GMT0800

Nearly 3,000 Romanians voted Sunday by GMT0800 in Italy, 2,200 in Spain and 4,100 in the Republic of Moldova, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

Romanian Sibiu Mayor Klaus Johannis Voted For His “Team”

Romanian Sibiu mayor Klaus Johannis on Sunday said he voted for his "team," which consists of a parliamentary majority that has backed him for prime minister over the past two months.

Former Romanian President Ion Iliescu Voted For Change

Former Romanian president and honorary Social Democratic Party president Ion Iliescu on Sunday said he voted for change.

Romanian Liberal Leader Says Voted To Rid Romania Of Nightmare

Romania’s Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu, who came in third in voters’ preferences in the first round of presidential elections two weeks ago and who backs leftist candidate Mircea Geoana, said Sunday he voted to rid the country of a nightmare.

Romanian Presidential Candidate Geoana Voted For Unity, Stability, New Govt

Romania’s social democrat presidential candidate Mircea Geoana, who hopes to unseat incumbent Traian Basescu in Sunday’s election, said after casting his ballot he voted for unity, stability and a new government.

Polls Closed For Romanian Expats In New Zeeland

Polls for Romania’s presidential election closed at GMT0800 in Auckland, New Zeeland, Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

Romanian PM Voted For A President Able To Continue Country’s Modernization

Romania’s acting Prime Minister Emil Boc, whose government collapsed in a no-confidence vote mid-October, on Sunday said he voted for a president able to continue the country’s modernization process, not a president who would take Romania back into the past.

Hungarian Minority Party Leader Marko Bela Voted For Change And Stable Govt

Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) president Marko Bela said Sunday morning he voted for "change" and a “stable” government, stressing that changing the president will bring stability on the political stage.

Romanian President Jokes About ‘Tough Choice’ He Made In Casting Ballot

Romania’s incumbent President Traian Basescu, running for a second five-year term in office against social democrat Mircea Geoana, joked Sunday morning after he cast his ballot saying it was a tough choice.

Romania’s Suspended Interior Min Says Ministry Will Do Its Job Despite Pressures

Romania’s Democratic Liberal Party secretary general Vasile Blaga said Sunday after casting his ballot that the Interior Ministry will do its job regardless of pressures coming from politicians or NGOs that are more or less interested in the outcome of the election.

Over 100 People Queued At Special Polling Station In Bucharest Railway Station Before GMT0500

Over 100 people had queued outside the special polling station in Bucharest’s biggest railway station Gara de Nord by GMT0500, when polls opened.

Romanians Elect President Sunday Amid Political, Economic Crisis

About 18 million Romanian eligible voters are expected to cast ballots Sunday to elect their president for the next five years and will choose between incumbent President Traian Basescu and social democrat Mircea Geoana.

Low Prices, Few Reservations For Holidays In Romanian Prahova Valley Resorts

Many hotel operators in resorts on the valley of the Romanian river Prahova have reduced prices on their Christmas and New Year’s Eve packages compared to last year, but reservations are still at only half last year’s level in some places.

Romanian Women’s Handball Team Wins Against Chile In World Championship

Romania’s national women’s handball team won Saturday against Chile, 51-17 (20-7), in the first match of the C group preliminary round in the World Championship taking place in China.

Romania Registers 3,793 AH1N1 Infections, Ten Deaths

Romania has registered two new deaths and 133 new infections with the AH1N1 flu virus over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 3,793, with ten fatalities, the Health Ministry said Saturday.

Romanian President Says Country Needs Right-Wing Alliance, Liberals Oppose

Romanian President Traian Basescu, running for reelection Sunday against social democrat Mircea Geoana, said Friday at a campaign rally the country needs a strong right-winged alliance of his democrats and liberals, who back Geoana in the race.

Romanian President Guarantees Terror Convict Hayssam Will Do Time In Romania

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Friday night on OTV that Syrian businessman Omar Hayssam, who fled the country after being sentenced to 20 years in prison for terrorism, will end up serving his sentence in Romania.

Four Dutch Railway Industry Companies Interested In Romanian Market

Officials of four Dutch railway companies will visit Romania next week to set up partnerships, Romanian Railway Industry Association secretary general Stefan Roseanu told MEDIAFAX Friday.

ING Revises Romania ’09 GDP Growth Forecast To -6.5%

ING Bank Romania slightly upgraded its forecast on Romania's economic growth in 2009, saying that it now expects the country’s gross domestic product to decline by 6.5% at year-end, from a 6.7% contraction previously estimated.

Romanian Leu Tempers Rise Vs Euro, Exch Rate At RON4.2062

The Romanian leu slowed down its appreciation against the euro in mid trade Friday and settle slightly below 4.21 units, while the central bank’s reference hit a new two-month low at RON4.2062.

European Commission OKs Romanian Temporary State Aid Scheme

The European Commission authorized Friday, in accordance with EU norms on state aid, an aid program proposed by Romania to support, with up to EUR500,000, companies hit by the crisis.

Romania Jan-Nov Budget Gap Rises To 6% Of GDP – Fin Min

Romania’s consolidated budget deficit rose to 29.6 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2171), or 5.95% of the gross domestic product at the end of November, Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Friday, citing preliminary data.

Romania’s 3Q Finished Dwellings At 14,669, Up 259 Units YY

Romania's finished dwellings were at 14,669 in the third quarter of 2009, up by 259 units compared with the same period a year before, the National Institute for Statistics said Friday.

Romania 3Q Investments Dn 30% On Year To RON16.14B

Investments in Romanian economy fell 29.9% on the year to 16.14 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2171) in the third quarter, on nearly halved investments in machinery and vehicles and other investments, the National Statistics Institute, or INS, said in an estimate Friday.

Romanian CFR Cluj Missed Qualification For Europa League’s Last 32, Dinamo Stays In Competition

Romanian football team CFR Cluj on Thursday missed qualification for Europa League’s last 32, while FC Dinamo is the only contender of four Romanian football teams engaged in the competition to continue its Europa League adventure after its victory against Austria’s SK Sturm Graz on Thursday.

Romanian Presidential Candidates Debate National Security Concepts

Romanian presidential candidates Traian Basescu and Mircea Geoana debated Thursday evening national security issues, with the two agreeing that national security needs to be a complex that includes sanitary, food and energy components.

Romanian Pres Refuses To Appoint Fmr Head Lidia Barbulescu For Supreme Court President

Romanian incumbent President Traian Basescu said Thursday, during the presidential runoff debate, that he will not appoint Lidia Barbulescu as president of the High Court of Justice.

Romanian Presidential Candidates Debate Black Sea Plateau And Foreign Policy

Romanian presidential candidates Mircea Geoana and Traian Basescu Thursday debated the country’s relationship with neighbor Ukraine and the use of the resources in the Black Sea continental plateau.

Romania-Russia Relations Discussed In Presidential Runoff Debate

Social democrat presidential contender Mircea Geoana told incumbent president Traian Basescu during the presidential runoff debate that he is not welcome in Russia because of his aggressive foreign policy, while Basescu replied saying business relations with Russia are good.

Romanian Social Democrat Candidate Geoana Asks Basescu To Keep Debate Civilized

Romanian social democrat presidential candidate Mircea Geoana said Thursday evening, in his statement opening the electoral debate, that he has projects in store for Romania and asked rival candidate Traian Basescu to not resort to personal attacks as was the case in the election campaign.

Romanian Draft Amendment To Provide Adjustment Leave And Stipend For Adopting Parent

The adopter or one of the adopting parents may opt between three months adjustment leave and a monthly 800 lei (EUR1=RON4.2171) stipend, or a quarter reduction in work hours, with the same salary, covered entirely by the employer, according to a proposed amendment to the Romanian law on adoptions.

Romania’s B’estfest Nominated At European Festival Awards

Romanian B'estfest festival has been nominated for Best Medium Festival at the European Festival Awards, along Creamfields (UK), Rock En Seine (France), Spirit of Burgas (Bulgaria), Provinssirock (Finland), Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Melt! Festival (Germany).

Romanian Businessman Dinu Patriciu Countersues Incumbent President Traian Basescu

Romanian businessman Dinu Patriciu sued Thursday incumbent President Traian Basescu, asking the Bucharest District 1 Court to impose the payment of EUR1 in damages to Basescu, in a trial set to start on May 4, 2010.

Romania Registers 3,551 AH1N1 Infections, Six Deaths

Romania has registered 124 new infections with the AH1N1 flu virus over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 3,551, and six people with the illness have died, the Health Ministry said Thursday.

Romanian Wanted In Investment Fund Collapse Case Arrested In Jakarta

Romanian Nicolae Popa was arrested on December 2 by the authorities in Jakarta, Indonesia, after in 2006 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Bucharest Court on charges of fraud and the court’s ruling remained definitive in 2009.

Romania 3Q Revised GDP Dn 0.6% QQ, Dn 7.1% YY

Romania’s gross domestic product shrank by a seasonally adjusted 0.6% in the third quarter compared with the previous quarter, amounting to 120.4 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2496), according to revised data released Thursday by the country's statistics institute INS.

Over 50% Of Romanian Townspeople To Spend Less For ’09 Winter Holidays – Survey

Over 50% of Romanians living in urban areas are set to spend less for this year’s winter holidays, compared with 2008, citing the economic crisis which affected their budget, according to the most recent survey by Mednet Marketing Research Center.