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Romania 3Q GDP -0.7% On Quarter, -7.1% On Year

Romania’s third quarter gross domestic product shrank by a seasonally-adjusted 0.7% compared with the earlier quarter, a flash estimate of the National Statistics Institute, or INS, showed Friday.

EIB Plans To Grant EUR1.5B Loans In Romania In 2010

The European Investment Bank estimates it will grant loans of EUR1.5 billion in Romania next year, for energy projects, SMEs support and local authorities' investments, the bank's vice-president Matthias Kollatz-Ahnen said Thursday in Bucharest.

Romania Current Acct Gap Seen At 4.6% Of GDP In ’09 – Ctrl Bker

Romania’s central bank expects the current account deficit to narrow to 4.6% of the gross domestic product in 2009, from 12.3% of GDP last year, deputy governor Cristian Popa said Thursday.

Romanian Cos Hit Harder By Crisis Than Public Sector – Fin Min

Romanian private environment took a harder blow than the public sector in the financial crisis’ aftermath and the authorities will take measures to correct the asymmetry created, interim Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Thursday.

Romanian Capital’s New Subway Mainline To Cost EUR883M

Construction works on a new mainline of the Bucharest subway to connect the city center to the western Drumul Taberei neighborhood will cost EUR883 million, of which 45% will come from a European Investment Bank (EIB) loan.

NW Romanian International Airport Wants To Built 3,500-Meter Runway, Needs EU Funds

Romania’s International Airport Cluj-Napoca submitted to the Transport Ministry the documents needed to access European funds within the sector operational program to build a 3,500-meter runway, and the project requires a seven-kilometer deviation of river Somes’course.

Romania’s Oct Unemployment At 7.1%, Highest In 5-Years

Romania’s jobless rate rose for the 15th consecutive month in October to 7.1%, from 6.9% in September, according to the National Employment Agency ANOFM.

Romania Registers 1146 AH1N1 Infection Cases, 89 In Last 24 Hours

The Romanian Health Ministry Thursday announced 89 new cases of AH1N1 flu infection were confirmed in 13 counties and capital Bucharest in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 1,146.

Romanian Leasing Companies Ask President To Reject Flawed Legal Amendment

Romanian leasing companies asked President Traian Basescu not to promulgate a draft law stating that leasing installments become fixed and monthly, and the contract period becomes undetermined.

Winter Holidays Tourist Packages Cost 15% Less In Romania This Year, 25% Less Abroad

Tourist packages for the winter season including New Year’s cost an average 15% less this year than in 2008 for destinations in Romania and 20-25% less for destinations abroad, according to Romania’s tour operators’ association ANAT.

Romania’s Transport Min Drafts Railroad Accident Investigation Regulation

Romania's Transport Ministry drew up regulations setting investigation procedures for railroad and subway accidents and the document is to be approved by the Government.

Romanian Econ To Start Growing In 2011 – Ex PM Designate

Romania's economy is likely to revive in 2010 and start growing in 2011, but its revival is delayed by the political crisis, former Prime Minister-designate Lucian Croitoru said Thursday, at the opening bell of the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

Erste Transfers Romanian BCR To Austrian LTD – Ziarul Financiar

Austrian group Erste has put between it and Romanian lender Banca Comerciala Romana, or BCR, two limited liability companies recently established in Austria, EGB Ceps Beteiligungen and EGB Ceps Holding GmbH, business newspaper Ziarul Financiar reported Thursday.

Romania’s Govt Increases Foreign Affairs Min’s Budget To Organize Referendum Abroad

Romania’s Government supplemented the budget of the Foreign Affairs Ministry by 190,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2952) to cover costs for the organization and unfolding of the November 22 referendum to downsize the Parliament.

Romanian Subway Employees Held Two-Hour Warning Strike Thursday

Romanian subway employees were on a two-hour warning strike Thursday morning, displeased with the Government’s decision not to increase their wages, and threaten to go on general strike on November 17.

Romanian President Promulgates Simplified Citizenship Procedures Law

Romanian President Traian Basescu signed Wednesday the decree promulgating the law approving the Government Emergency Ordinance amending the Romanian citizenship law, thus simplifying citizenship granting procedures.

Romanian Subway Employees To Continue Protests, Say Govt Ignores Them

About 200 Romanian employees of state-owned subway company Metrorex picketed the Government Wednesday and a delegation of subway workers’ representatives failed to talk with Prime Minister Emil Boc or Transport Minister Radu Berceanu.

Romania’s Govt Approves Subway Company Metrorex’s Budget, Wage Increase

Romania’s Government approved Wednesday the revenue and expenses budget for 2009 of state-owned subway company Metrorex, including the wage increase decided at the end of last year, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

EBRD: Romanian Banks Should Give More Loans In Lei

Romanian lenders’ main challenge ahead is to offer long-term loans in Romanian lei, because is unhealthy for households and companies to be borrowing in foreign currency while their income is in lei, an official with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said Wednesday.

Romanian Died In Austria Likely Over Complications Caused By AH1N1 Flu – Press

A Romanian national died in a hospital in Schwarzach, Austria, of a heart attack most likely due to complication caused by the A H1N1 virus, Austrian television Oe24 said on its website Wednesday.

Govt To Approve Subway Company Metrorex’s Budget Wednesday – Romanian Transport Min

Romania's Government will approve Wednesday the revenue and expenses budget for 2009 of state-owned subway company Metrorex, Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Wednesday.

Over Half Of Romanian Parents Agree To Vaccinate Daughters Against Cervical Cancer

Romania’s Health Ministry said Wednesday 52% of Romanian parents agree to have their daughters vaccinated against cervical cancer according to a poll conducted within the ministry’s information campaign targeting the disease.

Romanian Traditional Houses To Be Included Among Tourist Receiving Structures – Senate

Romanian senators Wednesday adopted a law whereby tourist receiving structures would include traditional houses, whose owners handle the business directly, without a staff.

Romania Must Shift Focus To Performing Sectors Or Face Tax Hikes – Ctrl Bker

The Romanian authorities can either redirect budget funds to better performing economic sectors or take the unpopular measure of hiking taxes in a move to consolidate public finances, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.

Romania Energy Watchdog May Keep Household Power Prices Unchanged In Jan

Romania’s energy regulatory authority ANRE on Wednesday said it will most likely keep household electricity prices unchanged as of January 1, though electricity producers and distributors requested price increases on lower consumption.

Romanian Parliament Allows Govt To Submit 2010 State Budget Draft

Romania's Senate on Wednesday adopted with 93 votes in favor the draft amendments to the Law on the organization of the Government, empowering the Executive to send to the Parliament the 2010 state budget, social security budget and fiscal liability laws.

Romanian President Asks Parliament To Reexamine Law Against Human Trafficking

Romanian President Traian Basescu called on the Parliament to reexamine the law on fighting human trafficking, remarking that because of an aggravating circumstance it implements, the punishment for the trafficking of minors is lighter than in the case of the regular crime.

Romanian Actor Gheorghe Dinica To Be Buried Friday At Bellu Cemetery In Bucharest

Romanian actor Gheorghe Dinica, 75, who died Tuesday afternoon at the Bucharest Floreasca Emergency Hospital, will be buried Friday at the Bellu cemetery in Bucharest, on the Walk of Artists, next to the grave of famous Romanian folk artist Maria Tanase.

Traian Basescu, Mircea Geoana Among Contenders With Most Election Campaign Donations

Romanian President Traian Basescu and social democrat head Mircea Geoana are among presidential contenders who obtained the most donations for their election campaign, according to the country’s election authority.

Romanian Ministries To Be Run By State Secretaries After Interim Terms Expire – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on national television that after the interim ministers’ terms will have expired, the ministries will be run be run by state secretaries.

Romanian President Says Country Is Recovering From Recession

Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Tuesday on national television that the country appears to be recovering from the recession and may see economic growth in the first quarter of 2010.

Romania’s Oct CPI + 0.44% On Mo, +4.3% On Yr

Romania's consumer price index rose by 44 basis points on the month in October, driven mainly by higher service and non-food prices, but the annual inflation slowed for the eighth consecutive month to 4.3%, the National Statistics Institute said Wednesday.

Romanian President Vows To Designate New Prime Minister If Negoita Cabinet Falls

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on national television that if the government formed by Prime Minister-designate Liviu Negoita gets a no-confidence vote in Parliament, he will then designate a new prime minister, other than Negoita.

Romanian President To Promulgate Citizenship Law Wednesday

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday, on television station Etno TV, that Wednesday he will promulgate the citizenship law, approved by government emergency ordinance, adding that in 2009 there were more citizenships granted on this ordinance “than there were since 1990".

Romanian Government Takes New Shot At Pushing Pension Law In Parliament

Romanian interim Prime Minister Emil Boc asked the Senate Tuesday to amend the law organizing the Government so that the dismissed Cabinet can enact the state budget for 2010 as well as the draft laws on fiscal liability and the unitary pension system, parts of the agreements concluded with the IMF.

Romania Is Past Economic Crisis Peak, Econ Growth expected In ’10 – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on public television Etno TV Romania is past the peak of the economic crisis, adding the population will have higher pensions and wages by 2014.

Romania Seeks EU’s Support To Delay Excise Duty Hikes Over Weak Leu

Romania will ask the European Commission to allow it a lower increase in the annual excise duties in January next year, due to the leu’s significant depreciation against the euro over the past twelve months, interim Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Tuesday.

Romanian President Doesn’t Want Parliament Dissolved, Will Seek New Majority

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday he has not set out to dissolve the Parliament after presidential elections and will try to form a new majority if Romania doesn’t have a government until then.

Romania Might Implement Fourth Pension Pillar To Protect Elderly – State Secretary

Romanian Labor Ministry state secretary Mihai Seitan said Tuesday that completing the reform of the pension system could also entail implementing a new pillar, Pillar 0, to protect elderly people.

Austria’s Erste Group, Two Associates To Grant Loans To Romanian Small Entrepreneurs

Austria's Erste Group together with Erste Foundation and the Center for Economic Development will grant loans to Romanian small entrepreneurs in rural areas and in small cities, who do not have access to traditional bank services.