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Romania Nov Economic Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level In EU

13:06, 27 Nov. 2009
Romania’s economic sentiment index dropped to 62.1 points in November, from 62.6 points the month earlier, placing the country at the bottom of an EU ranking, a widely watched European Commission monthly survey showed Friday.

Romania Oct Residential Building Permits -13.1% MM, -27.7% YY

12:09, 27 Nov. 2009
Romania issued 4,103 buildings permits for residential projects in October, down 13.1% compared with September, and 27.7% lower on the year, the National Statistics Institute, or INS, said Friday.

Romanian Incumbent President Traian Basescu Accused Of Hitting A Child In ‘04

09:58, 27 Nov. 2009
A short clip surfaced on the internet, Thursday evening, showing incumbent president Traian Basescu, running for reelection next weekend, seemingly hitting a child during the electoral campaign for the presidential elections in 2004.

Romanian Constitutional Court Decides Nov 22 Referendum Was Legitimate

20:52, 26 Nov. 2009
The Romanian Constitutional Court dejected Thursday the complaint filed by NGOs against the organization procedure for the referendum held on November 22, as judges decided the referendum was legal.

Romania Sells EUR1.42B 1-Yr T-Bills At 4.25% Avg Yield

16:55, 26 Nov. 2009
Romania’s Finance Ministry on Thursday sold one-year hard currency treasury bills worth EUR1.423 billion, almost triple the planned amount, at an average yield of 4.25% on the year.

Romania 7th In Europe, 11th Worldwide Among Countries With AH1N1 Vaccine – Official

16:54, 26 Nov. 2009
Romania is the seventh country in Europe and 11th worldwide to have a pandemic vaccine against the AH1N1 virus, Viorel Alexandrescu, head of the National Reference Center for Flu with the Bucharest Cantacuzino Institute, said Thursday, adding vaccination will probably set off Monday countrywide.

Around 5,000 Homeless People In Romanian Capital Bucharest, 300 Die Each Year – NGO Study

16:12, 26 Nov. 2009
The number of homeless people in Romania is on the rise, with an estimated 5,000 people living on the street in Bucharest alone and 300 fatalities every year, according to estimates by the Samusocial Romania NGO.

AH1N1 Flu In Romania: 211 New Infections, 2,666 Total Cases

14:46, 26 Nov. 2009
The Romanian Health Ministry Thursday confirmed other 211 new infections with the AH1N1 virus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 2,666, and most infections were registered in capital city Bucharest (58), Hunedaoara county (26) and Botosani (20).

Bucharest Underground Cable Sys Netcity To Develop Telecom Operators’ Networks – Official

14:45, 26 Nov. 2009
NetCity, the underground fiber-optic telecommunications network in capital city Bucharest, will develop the infrastructure of local telecom operators, cut upkeep costs and even develop an extended portfolio of telecom and IT services, Netcity Telecom commercial manager, Petru Fuiorea, said Thursday.

Eugene Ionesco, Emil Cioran – Named Post Mortem Members Of Romanian Academy

13:51, 26 Nov. 2009
Playwright Eugene Ionesco and philosopher Emil Cioran have been made post mortem members of the Romanian Academy, Academy vice-president Marius Sala said Thursday.

Romanians Would Discard Landline Telephone, Cable TV Rather Than Internet – Study

13:40, 26 Nov. 2009
Romanian clients of telecom operators find it very easy to discard traditional landline telephone and TV cable services, but few of them would be willing to discard internet services in a bid to cut spending, on harsh economic conditions, Gabriel Mustea, a director with PwC Romania, said Thursday.

Romania Telecom Operators To Benefit From EUR83M To Cover Blank Areas – Min

12:31, 26 Nov. 2009
Telecom operators will benefit from EUR83 million in 2010 to extend their network to uncovered areas, and the financial aid scheme is financed from European funds, Romanian Communications Ministry secretary of state Marius Fecioru said Thursday.

Romanian Telecom Industry Resists Financial Crisis By Adapting Offers To Clients’ Demands

12:27, 26 Nov. 2009
The Romanian telecom industry managed to successfully resist the financial crisis by adapting offers to clients’ demands and stimulating consumption, which led to an over 30% mobile network traffic increase, telecom regulator ANCOM president Catalin Marinescu said Thursday.

Romania Promoted As Incontestable And Attractive Tourist Destination In New Project

12:13, 26 Nov. 2009
Romania’s National Association for Consumer Protection and Promotion of Programs and Strategies in Romania launched a project worth some 993,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2597) meant to promote Romania as incontestable and attractive tourist destination.

Romanian President Wants Immunity Lifted For Ministers, Lawmakers, President

11:51, 26 Nov. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu, running for reelection in a December 6 runoff against social democrat Mircea Geoana, said Tuesday he regrets not polling Romanians about lifting officials’ immunity at the referendum held Sunday, along with the first round of elections.

IMF Loan Helped Romania Avert Potential Currency Crisis – Ctrl Bker

19:04, 25 Nov. 2009
Without the EUR20 billion aid package obtained in the spring, Romania might have been unable to prevent growing pressure on the leu, which in turn would have negatively impacted inflation and the leu-denominated household financial assets, central bank’s governor Mugur Isarescu said.

Bechtel To Build Other 42 Km Of Transylvania Highway In 2010- Romania’s Transport Min

15:15, 25 Nov. 2009
Romania’s Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Wednesday that Bechtel, the U.S. constructor of the Transylvania highway, “can build other 42 kilometers next year” although the budget for 2010 has not been established yet.

Bucharest Apartment Prices Dn 45% On Year In Nov – Survey

15:14, 25 Nov. 2009
Bucharest apartment prices fell by an average 45% between November 2008 and November 2009, with the biggest fall registered by newly-built three-room apartments, according to a national index launched Wednesday by imobiliare.ro website.

Parent Bks Overall Exposure To Romania Dn By EUR1.2B Since End-Mar – Sources

15:09, 25 Nov. 2009
The parent banks of Romania’s top nine lenders have reduced their overall exposure to Romania by EUR1.2 billion (3.8%) between end-March and October, according to participants in the November 18 banking meeting in Brussels.

Tatars Call On Romanian Muslims To Back Leftist Candidate, Criticize President’s Statement

15:04, 25 Nov. 2009
Romanian Muslims should vote for social democrat Mircea Geoana in the presidential election runoff, recommended the Democratic Union of Tatars in Romania (UDT), offended by rival candidate Traian Basescu’s statement that his best deed was christening a Muslim.

Romanian Senators Adopt Law Protecting Consumer’s Right To Annul Contract

14:24, 25 Nov. 2009
Romanian senators adopted Wednesday a law whereby the consumer’s right to challenge or annul a contract may not be prevented or obstructed by any contractual clause or agreement, but that such clauses are considered naturally void.

Romanian Carpatair Teams Up With Hungary’s Malev For New Budapest-Venice Codeshare Flight

13:49, 25 Nov. 2009
Romanian airliner Carpatair, based in western city of Timisoara, will operate a direct flight from Budapest in Hungary to Venice in Italy, as of December 7, based on a code-share partnership with Hungarian airliner Malev.

AH1N1 Flu In Romania: 197 New Infections, 2,455 Total Cases

13:49, 25 Nov. 2009
The Romanian Health Ministry Tuesday confirmed other 197 new infections with the AH1N1 virus, bringing the total number of cases to 2,455, and most infections were registered in capital city Bucharest (77), Hunedaoara county (19) and Botosani (14).

Romanian Social Democrat And Liberal Leaders Sign Party Cooperation Agreement

13:48, 25 Nov. 2009
Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana and liberal leader Crin Antonescu signed Wednesday the agreement of cooperation between the two parties, whereby liberals will back Geoana in the presidential elections runoff.

INTERVIEW: Salman Rushdie: Writing Is My Way Of Responding To The World

13:32, 25 Nov. 2009
Indian-born British writer Salman Rushdie, on a three-day visit to Romania, told MEDIAFAX in an interview that writing is his way of responding to the world, to things that disturb, interest or confuse him.

Romania’s Leasing Mkt Seen In 2010 At This Year’s Level, In Best Case Scenario

11:04, 25 Nov. 2009
Romania’s leasing market will reach in 2010, in the best case scenario, this year’s level estimated at maximum EUR1.5 billion, but it is also likely to go below this threshold, depending on the economic evolution, according to representatives of local leasing companies.

Romanian Presidential Election Final Results: Basescu – 32.44%, Geoana – 31.15%

11:02, 25 Nov. 2009
Romania’s incumbent president Traian Basescu obtained 32.44% of the votes in the first round of elections and social democrat candidate Mircea Geoana got 31.15%, according to final results released Wednesday by the Central Electoral Bureau after the counting of ballots in all polling stations.

Romania’s Unirea Urziceni Defeats FC Sevilla 1-0 In Champions League

09:23, 25 Nov. 2009
Romania’s champion team Unirea Urziceni defeated Spain’s Sevilla with a 1-0 win in the Champions League on Tuesday after an own goal by Ivica Dragutinovic.

Romania Labor Ministry Wants 8,000 Work Permits Released For Foreigners In 2010

15:58, 24 Nov. 2009
Romania might release 8,000 work permits in 2010 for citizens of non-European Union countries, which would bring nearly EUR1,600,000 in revenues to the state budget, according to a draft decision put up for debate by the country’s Labor Ministry.

Romania Farming Agency Paid RON642M To Farmers

15:06, 24 Nov. 2009
Romania's Farming Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture (APIA) paid 642.3 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2648) to beneficiaries of the Single Area Payment Scheme (SAPS), the 70% downpayment of the approved amount, the institution announced Tuesday.

Romanian President Says Won’t Negotiate Votes For Election Runoff

14:08, 24 Nov. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday in a campaign speech he doesn’t plan to negotiate votes for the presidential election runoff on December 6, where he is to compete against social democrat Mircea Geoana, adding votes belong to Romanians, not politicians.

Romanian Leu Rises Vs Euro, Exch Rate Hits 7-Wk High At RON4.2648

14:06, 24 Nov. 2009
Romanian leu edged higher against the euro in mid trade Tuesday, amid growing international confidence in the German economy, and the central bank’s reference rate gained 0.4% on the day at RON4.2648, the strongest level in the past seven weeks.

Appetite For Consumption, Retail Expansion In Romania Seen Reviving In 2H 2010

14:03, 24 Nov. 2009
Romanians’ appetite for consumption and investors' initiative for retail expansion will return in the second half of 2010, officials of real estate service company Cushman&Wakefield said Tuesday.

Romania Registers Second AH1N1 Fatality

13:39, 24 Nov. 2009
Romania has registered a second fatality due to the AH1N1 flu virus, the country’s Health Ministry said Tuesday.

Romanian NGOs Challenge Legality Of Referendum Before Constitutional Court

13:37, 24 Nov. 2009
Romanian NGOs “Pro Democratia” and the Press Monitoring Agency (AMP) filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court against the referendum held Sunday, November 22.

Romania Oct Private Lending +0.7% On Mo, At RON201.2B

13:09, 24 Nov. 2009
Romanian private lending rose 0.7% in real terms on the month in October to 201.2 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2809), but inched down 0.1% on the year, central bank data showed Tuesday.

Over 90% Of Bucharest Buyers Would Pay Below EUR100,000 For Housing – Survey

11:57, 24 Nov. 2009
Over 90% of Bucharest citizens intend to buy apartments for less than EUR100,000, while only 2% can afford to buy dwellings priced at over EUR150,000, according to real estate portal Imopedia.

Romanian Presidential Election Prelim Results At GMT0800: Basescu – 32.42%, Geoana – 31.17%

10:23, 24 Nov. 2009
Romania’s incumbent president Traian Basescu obtained 32.42% of the votes in the first round of elections and social democrat candidate Mircea Geoana got 31.17%, according to preliminary results released Tuesday by the Central Electoral Bureau after counts in 99.92% of poling stations.

Romanian Pharmacists On Go-Slow Strike Tuesday, Wednesday

09:35, 24 Nov. 2009
Romanian pharmacists will be on go-slow strike Tuesday and Wednesday in protest they did not receive the money from health insurance authorities for the medicines sold in the last five months, and ask the Government to find solutions.

Most Romanian-Owned Retail Chains Entered Insolvency In ‘09

18:47, 23 Nov. 2009
The leading Romanian-owned supermarket chains were deeply affected by the economic crisis this year, as they were confronted with a sluggish demand, high debts and a lack of financing, and most of them entered insolvency procedures.