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Romanian Pres Pleads For National Union Government

19:16, 14 Oct. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, in consultations with the political parties, that “he suggests” a national union government, to prevent parties from pointing fingers at each other.

Local Taxes In Romanian Capital To Rise 15% As Of 2010

19:15, 14 Oct. 2009
Inhabitants of Romania’s capital, Bucharest, may pay 15% higher local taxes in 2010, up to 15.49% more for buildings, depending on their location and the materials they are made up of, according to a City draft law.

Romanian Opposition Initiates Bill To Scrap Lawmakers’ Privileged Pensions

16:49, 14 Oct. 2009
Romanian social democrat, liberal and Hungarian minority lawmakers have initiated a bill to amend the statute of lawmakers and eliminate their privileged high pensions, social democrat leader Mircea Geoana said Wednesday.

Romanians Deem Saving Important, 60% Have No Funds Saved – Survey

16:48, 14 Oct. 2009
Around 83% of Romanians respondents to an IMAS International survey say that saving is important, but over 60% of participants have not saved money so far, and do not expect an improvement in the next five years.

Romanian President Tells EU Ambassadors He Wants PM Familiar With IMF

16:22, 14 Oct. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu, who is expected to nominate a new prime minister after the government collapsed Tuesday, told EU ambassadors Wednesday he is thinking of appointing someone who “speaks the IMF’s language”, people at the meeting told MEDIAFAX.

Romania ‘10 Draft Budget To Be Cleared By Next Govt – Fin Min

16:16, 14 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Finance Ministry is still working on the 2010 draft budget, but the future government will be the one to analyze and sent it to parliament for approval, acting minister Gheorghe Pogea said Wednesday.

Romania’s Parliament Legal Committees Disapprove President’s Call For Referendum

16:14, 14 Oct. 2009
The committees for legal matters within the Romanian Parliament gave a vote of disapproval Wednesday to President Traian Basescu’s letter on organizing a national referendum to downsize the country's Parliament to a single chamber and fewer lawmakers.

Romanian PM Nominee Investigated For Negligence – Sources

16:11, 14 Oct. 2009
The mayor of Romanian city Sibiu, who was proposed for the position of prime minister, is under investigation by prosecutors in Alba Iulia, central Romania, for negligence regarding the restitution of several plots to people who failed to meet requirements, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Three Romanian Parties, Minorities Back Johannis For Independent PM

15:11, 14 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Social Democratic Party, Liberal Party, Democratic Union of Hungarians and the group of national minorities in parliament addressed a letter Wednesday to President Traian Basescu saying they endorse Klaus Johannis for prime minister.

Romanian President Calls Parliament Parties For Talks Wednesday

15:04, 14 Oct. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu, who has to appoint a new prime minister after democrat liberal Emil Boc’s government lost a confidence vote in Parliament Tuesday, has invited parliamentary parties for a new round of talks Wednesday at 5 p.m.

RADET To Supply Heat To Bucharest Households As Of Wednesday

14:30, 14 Oct. 2009
Bucharest city's municipally-owned heating company RADET announced Wednesday it would start heat supply to household users tonight, and based on the weather conditions, the heat supply will continue.

Moody’s: Govt’s Fall Bears No Immediate Impact On Romanian Economy

14:24, 14 Oct. 2009
The government’s collapse will have no significant impact on the Romanian economy in the short run, as the economic sector appears to be well insulated from politics, ratings agency Moody’s said in a report Wednesday.

Businessman Ion Tiriac Is Romania’s Richest In Top 300 Capital

14:23, 14 Oct. 2009
Businessman Ion Tiriac, former Rompetrol owner Dinu Patriciu and the Voiculescus, owners of the Romanian media group Intact, are the top three richest Romanians according to a ranking of Romania’s 300 richest, released annually by business weekly Capital.

Monica Bellucci, Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave To Shoot In Bucharest

12:57, 14 Oct. 2009
Monica Bellucci, Rachel Weisz and Vanessa Redgrave will shoot for The Whistleblowers directed by Larysa Kondracki, in Bucharest’s MediaPro Studios, Sebian actor Serghei Trifunovic, part of the cast, told Serbian daily Blic.

Romanians’ Mandatory Private Pension Constributions Set At 2.5% In 2010 – Regulator

12:16, 14 Oct. 2009
Romanians' contributions to mandatory private pensions (Pillar II) will increase by half a percentage point in 2010, to 2.5% of the contributor's gross wage, the vice-president of the country's private pension system regulator CSSPP, Ion Giurescu, said Wednesday.

Romanian Social Democrats Endorse Liberals’ Independent PM Nominee

22:40, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana said Tuesday evening that, in the meeting held with the liberals and Hungarian minority party UDMR, the decision was to support an independent prime minister, Klaus Johannis, and a government of technocrats.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Want One Of Their Own As PM, Names Not Said

21:03, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian democrat liberals are to meet Tuesday evening with President Traian Basescu and propose a democrat liberal prime minister without making any nomination, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Liberals Want Technocrat Govt With Independent PM

20:48, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian liberal leader and presidential hopeful Crin Antonescu said Tuesday, after a meeting with the head of state, that a government of technocrats led by an independent prime minister could continue activity after the presidential elections, “as long as it gets the job done”.

Romanian Pres Fingers Social Democrats, Liberals, Magyar Union As Crisis-Starters

20:47, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday that those who claim the need for political stability are the same ones who started the political crisis, namely those who resigned the Government “en masse” and filed the no-confidence motion that brought down the Government.

Romanian Accused Of Murder, Attempted Murder In Prague Risks Life Sentence

20:06, 13 Oct. 2009
A Romanian citizen, aged 35, accused of theft, murderattempted murder and physical assault against a student in Prague, risks life sentence, MEDIAFAX said Tuesday.

Fin Min Official: 2010 State Budget Draft Won’t Be Sent To Parliament In Due Time

20:04, 13 Oct. 2009
The budget draft would not be sent to Parliament in due time, by the legal deadline October 15, Romanian Finance Ministry state secretary Gheorghe Gherghina told Mediafax Tuesday.

Romanian Liberal Ludovic Orban Assigned Chamber Of Deputies’ Vice President

19:51, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian liberal vice president Ludovic Orban was elected by the majority of liberal lawmakers as vice president of the Chamber of Deputies to replace Bogdan Olteanu who resigned, liberal lawmaker leader Calin Popescu Tariceanu said Tuesday.

Madonna Donates Favorite Shoes For Romanian Halloween Charity Ball

17:59, 13 Oct. 2009
US pop singer Madonna donated one of her favorite Christian Dior pairs of shoes for the fifth edition of the Halloween Charity Ball that will take place on October 31 in Romania’s capital city Bucharest, according to the event’s website.

Romanian Pres Invited Parties To Talks, Following Boc Cabinet Removal

17:59, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday, after Parliament adopted the censure motion removing the Boc Cabinet, that he has invited political the parties to talks, the first stage of which is to begin at 5 p.m. today and end some time in the evening.

Romanian Social Democrat Leader Urges President To Appoint Govt With Parliament Support

16:46, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana called on President Traian Basescu Tuesday, after the Parliament voted to overthrow the government, to rise above political interests and swiftly appoint a government that has parliamentary support.

Romanian PM Says Govt Lost A Battle, Not The War

16:45, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc, whose minority government was overthrown by Parliament Tuesday, said the government has lost a battle, but not the war, adding his government stays in office until a new Cabinet is sworn in.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Shelters Leu After Government’s Fall – Dealers

16:19, 13 Oct. 2009
Romania’s leu topped 4.3 units per euro immediately after the government collapsed following a no-confidence vote in parliament Tuesday afternoon, and dealers said the central bank stepped in and guided the leu back to 4.29 units per euro.

Romania’s Govt Attests Parang-Petrosani Area As Tourism Resort Of National Interest

15:46, 13 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Government attested Tuesday Parang-Petrosani area in Hunedoara county, central Romania, as tourism resort of national interest.

Romanian Lawmakers Overthrow Minority Govt

15:42, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc’s minority government lost a confidence vote in Parliament Tuesday, less than two months ahead of presidential elections, raising doubts over the country’s ability to meet conditions set under an IMF-led EUR19.5 billion bailout loan agreement.

Over 9,000 People Bitten By Stray Dogs In Capital City Bucharest In Jan- July ‘09

15:07, 13 Oct. 2009
Bucharest prefect Mihai Cristian Atanasoaei on Tuesday said a recent report from the infectious diseases institute Matei Bals indicates that 9,178 Bucharest people, of which 7,500 adults and 1,678 children, were bitten by stray dogs from the beginning of the year until the end of July.

More Than Half Of Romania’s Surface Vulnerable To Nitrate Pollution

14:58, 13 Oct. 2009
The Romanian Waters Administration (ANAR) announced that more than half of Romania’s surface is vulnerable or potentially vulnerable to pollution with nitrates, but the latest analyses show that 90% of samples collected point to acceptable levels of nitrates.

113,000 Romanian Cos Suspended Ops In Jan-Sept, 11-Fold Higher YY

13:20, 13 Oct. 2009
About 113,000 companies suspended their activity in the first nine months of 2009, 11-fold higher from the same period a year earlier, the National Trade Register Office ONRC said Tuesday.

Romanian Minority Lawmakers Won’t Vote On No-Confidence Motion

13:02, 13 Oct. 2009
The group of lawmakers representing national minorities in Romania’s Parliament will not cast votes on the opposition’s no-confidence motion, which seeks to overthrow the democrat liberal minority government, group leader Varujan Pambuccian said.

Romania’s Jan-Aug Curr Acct Gap Narrows 78.6% YY To EUR2.45B

12:59, 13 Oct. 2009
Romania's current account deficit tightened 78.6% in the first eight months of 2009 to EUR2.45 billion, from almost EUR11.45 billion in the same period a year earlier, due largely to the narrower trade deficit, the central bank said in a statement Tuesday.

Romanian Petrom Hikes Fuel Prices By Up To RON0.07 Per Liter

12:55, 13 Oct. 2009
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) Tuesday rose its gasoline and diesel oil prices by 0.07 lei (EUR1=RON4.2840) and by RON0.06 per liter, respectively.

Romania Jan-Sep Budget Deficit At 5.03% Of GDP

12:50, 13 Oct. 2009
Romania’s consolidated budget deficit rose to nearly 25 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2840) in the first nine months, amounting to 5.03% of the gross domestic product, a Finance Ministry official said Tuesday.

Romanian Subway Unionists Demand 26% Pay Raise, Threaten Strike In Nov

12:45, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian subway unionists threatened to go on strike next month demanding a pay raise of nearly 26% and calling for negotiations on a new collective labor contract, as the current contract expires on November 1.

Romanian Govt Eyes Savings Of RON317M From Cutting Heating Aid

12:30, 13 Oct. 2009
The Romanian Government estimates to cut social assistance costs by 126.7 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2840) until the end of 2009, by cutting back on the number of people entitled to heating aids, and additional savings of RON190.1 million in the first months of 2010.

Romanian PM Accuses Opposition Of Dodging IMF-Required Pension Bill

11:34, 13 Oct. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc accused Tuesday opposition liberals and social democrats of submitting a no-confidence motion to dodge the IMF-required pension reform, which lowers pensions for lawmakers and for which the government plans to seek a confidence vote in Parliament.

Romanian Local Authorities To Receive Another RON1B For Infrastructure Projects

11:16, 13 Oct. 2009
The Romanian Government’s program to develop infrastructure and create sports bases in rural areas will be granted an extra 1 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2840) and its length will be extended by three years, until the end of 2012.