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Justice Ministry Proposal: Damages Paid For Inmates Who Did Not Receive Sentence Compensation

Romania’s Justice Ministry is considering the option of paying damages for inmates who did not benefit from sentence compensation for convictions served in below-par prisons, calculated per number of reduced sentence days which were not granted, according to a draft bill obtained by MEDIAFAX.

Ruling Party Leader: Government To Pass 2019 Budget On Friday

The leader of Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, announced on Wednesday, following a meeting with municipality mayors, that the Government is set to pass the 2019 budget on Friday, following several delays.

Senate Tacitly Adopts Law Abolishing Special Pensions For Dignitaries

Romania’s Senate tacitly passed on Wednesday a bill which eliminates special pensions for all MPs, the ombudsman, diplomats and court auxiliary specialized personnel, among others.

2019 Budget Talks Continue For Third Consecutive Day

Uncertainty regarding Romania’s 2019 budget continues as Government officials, ruling coalition leaders and municipality mayors entered a third day of talks, with little in the way of official announcements.

Flu Epidemic: Death Toll Hits 89 As Two More Victims Confirmed

The death toll of Romania’s ongoing flu epidemic reached 89 on Wednesday morning, after two more people were confirmed by the National Public Health Institute (INSP) to have succumbed to the virus.

KMGI Posts $86M Net Profit in 2018, Plans to Start Building Petromidia Cogeneration Plant

KazMunayGas International (KMGI) plans to start the implementation of projects for the construction of a cogeneration plant at the Petromidia refinery in 2019 and to expand its retail network of gas stations stations in Romania, its main market.

False Italian Plastic Surgeon Caught Trying To Flee Romania

An Italian citizen who was revealed to have performed tens of surgeries in Romania without a medical license was caught on Wednesday morning in Arad county, at the Curtici border point, while trying to cross into Hungary.

Bucharest Mayor: The Current Draft Budgets Cuts 25% Of Capital’s Income

Bucharest General Mayor Gabriela Firea stated on Friday that the country’s capital stands to lose about 25% of last years’ income if the 2019 state budget proposal forwarded by the Government is passed, which would hamper the town hall’s ability to keep several of its commitments.

Flu Epidemic: Two Women And Child Die As Death Toll Reaches 82

The death toll of Romania’s current flu epidemic reached 82 after local data was centralized on Tuesday, with three more deaths attributed to the disease.

Alexandru Mitrache Promoted Head of Transactions – Land & Investment at C&W Echinox

Cushman & Wakefield Echinox announced Tuesday it is strengthening its Capital Markets team by promoting Alexandru Mitrache as Head of Transactions - Land & Investment.

Agricola Group Posts 10% Turnover Growth in 2018, to RON737M

Meat processor Agricola Group had a total turnover of approximately RON737 million in 2018, up 10% on the year, the company said Tuesday.

Prosecutors To Investigate Fake Italian Plastic Surgeon In Bucharest

Bucharest prosecutors launched a criminal probe on Wednesday after an investigative press report revealed that an Italian citizen performed dozens of surgeries in private clinics without having the right to practice medicine.

Fiscal Council Says Govt’s 5.5% GDP Growth Projection Is Surprising, Unwarranted

Maintaining an economic growth projection of 5.5% in 2019 especially after the emergency decree 114/2018 introducing new taxes is surprising and unwarranted, Romania's Fiscal Council said in a statement Tuesday.

Fitch Ratings: Romania 2019 Budget Fails to Lift Fiscal Uncertainty

Romania's draft 2019 budget targets a reduction in the budget deficit, but is based on optimistic assumptions and fails to clarify uncertainty over the new bank tax, Fitch Ratings said in a report Tuesday.

Ruling Coalition Leaders And Government Officials Meet To Discuss 2019 Budget

The leaders of Romania’s ruling PSD-ALDE coalition, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu, will continue discussions regarding the country’s 2019 budget with PM Viorica Dancila and Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici on Tuesday, political sources told MEDIAFAX.

Train Car Loaded With Dangerous Substances Derails In Caras-Severin County

A train car loaded with dangerous substances, including petroleum gas, derailed on Tuesday morning near a train station in Caras-Severin county.

Former Anticorruption Chief Favorite To Lead EU Public Prosecutor’s Office

The former chief of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), Laura Codruta Kovesi, ranks first in a shortlist of candidates favored to lead the upcoming European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), according to a document published on Monday.

Health Minister: Analysis Shows Bucharest Tap Water Chemicals Within Admitted Limits

Romanian Health Minister Sorina Pintea announced on Monday that analysis made on tap water in Bucharest showed that chemical substances were within admitted concentration limits, but that some of them were found to be close to the maximum limits.

Romanian PM Accuses EU Of Double Standards On Corruption Criticism

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila accused the European Union of using double standards when it criticizes the country on issues of corruption and cracking down on protests, in an interview offered for Politico.eu.

PM Economic Counsellor: We Hope To Radically Change The ROBOR Calculation Method

The main economic counsellor of Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, Darius Valcov, told Bloomberg in an interview published on Monday that the Government aims for a radical change in the formula used to calculate Romanian Interbank Exchange Rate (ROBOR) indexes, or their repeal altogether.

Lower Chamber To Appoint New Standing Bureau Secretary, Quaestor

Minorities MP Dragos Gabriel Zisopol will be appointed secretary of the Lower Chamber’s standing bureau, following the former secretary's resignation from the ruling party; the bureau will also appoint a new chamber quaestor, political sources told MEDIAFAX on Monday.

Amerocap Evaluating Investments in Port of Constanta

Amerocap, a US-based investment firm, which supported Chimcomplex’s acquisition of Oltchim assets, is seeking expansion of its own private equity investment activity and evaluating investments in the Port of Constanta, it said in a statement.

Smithfield Buys Local Meat Business in Arad, Western Romania

Smithfield, the largest pork producer in Romania and globally, has recently acquired local meat processor Maier Com in Arad, western Romania.

Government To Postpone Passing 2019 Budget For Friday Meeting

Romania’s Government could delay adopting the state budget yet again, despite the fact that PM Viorica Dancila announced that the cabinet would make every effort to pass the project during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, political sources told MEDIAFAX.

Flu Epidemic Death Toll Grows To 72

Two more people infected with type A influenza died during the weekend, raising the death toll of Romania’s current flu epidemic to 72, according to the country’s National Public Health Institute (INSP).

Flu Epidemic: Three More Die As Death Toll Reaches 67

Three more people were confirmed to have died due to influenza in Romania on Friday, brining the death toll of the current epidemic up to 67.

Hungarian Minority Party Leader: 2019 Budget Share Is Neither Fair Nor Acceptable

The chairman of Romania’s top Hungarian minority party UDMR, Kelemen Hunor, joined in voices criticizing the Government’s proposed budget for 2019 on Friday, stating that county councils will lose between RON17 million and 70 million because of the new spending share.

Two Lorry Drivers Dead Following Collision In Caras-Severin County

A collision between two lorries in Caras-Severin county on Friday morning left both drivers dead, as fire also engulfed both vehicles

Education Minister Proposes Changes To PhD Grad School Reviewing, Rectors’ Council Opposes

Romanian Education Minister Ecaterina Andronescu proposed a draft decree which changes the manner in which PhD grad schools are verified, heavily reducing the responsibility of higher education quality watchdog ARACIS, a move opposed by the country’s National Rectors’ Council (CNR).

Liberals To File Motions Against Justice, Finance And Defense Ministers

Liberal Party (PNL) Chairman Ludovic Orban announced on Friday that the group’s MPs will file motions against Romania’s justice, finance and defense ministers at the beginning of the upcoming parliamentary session next week.

Romania Forex Reserves Drop to EUR31.922B in January

Romania's foreign exchange reserves fell to EUR31.922 billion at the end of January from EUR33.065 billion at the end of 2018, central bank data showed Friday.

Opposition Leaders Criticize 2019 State Budget Project, Say Growth Projection Is Unfeasible

Leaders of Romanian opposition parties heavily criticized the Government’s proposed state budget project for 2019 on Friday, with the main point of discontent revolving around the economic predictions on which the budget is based.

AmCham Warns of Speedy Decrease in Quality of Public Policy, Law-Making, Governance Romania

The American chamber of commerce in Romania (AmCham Romania) on Friday warned of the accelerated decrease in the quality of public policy, law-making and governance in Romania.

Romania’s Supreme Court: Cases To Stay With 2018 Five-Judge Panels If No Evidence Was Submitted

Romania’s Supreme Court decided on Thursday that all cases which were assigned to five-judge panels drawn in December 2018 will remain with the same panels, if no evidence was submitted, instead of being assigned to the panels selected for 2019.

Flu Epidemic: Death Toll Reaches 63

Two men, aged 57 and 46, from Bucharest and Arges county, respectively, became the latest victims of Romania’s flu epidemic on Wednesday, according to the National Public Health Institute (INSP), bringing the death toll up to 63 for the flu season.

Romanian President To Meet With EU High Representative For Foreign Affairs

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will meet on Friday with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, at the Presidential Palace in Bucharest.

Dismissed Bucharest Prefect Appointed Counsellor To Mayor

The controversial former Bucharest Prefect, Speranta Cliseru, was appointed contractual counsellor on issues of mobility and infrastructure for Bucharest Mayor Gabriela Firea, Bucharest Town Hall representatives told MEDIAFAX.

Government To Approve 2019 Budget Next Week

The Romanian Government will not pass the state budget proposals for 2019 this week, with the executive to approve to finish and approve the draft in a meeting early next week, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Health Minister: Bucharest Tap Water Chlorine Levels Within Admitted Limits

Romanian Health Minister Sorina Pintea announced on Wednesday that tap water analysis from districts of Bucharest which reported unclean water showed chlorine concentration within admitted limits, but recommended caution until a microbiologic analysis is finished.

Bucharest City Council Meeting Ends In Scandal, Deputy Mayor’s Political Support Withdrawn

Thursday’s meeting of the Bucharest City Council reportedly ended in a physical altercation, as the local Social Democrat Party (PSD) withdrew political support for Deputy Mayor Aurelian Badulescu and unsuccessfully tried to have him dismissed.