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Ford Transit Connect Launched At Romanian Assembly Plant In Craiova

The first car assambled at the U.S. carmaker Ford’s assembly plant in Craiova, southern Romania, Ford Transit Connect, was launched on the market on Tuesday and will be donated to the Municipal Hospital in Craiova.

Romanians Might Pay Duty On Carbon Dioxide Emissions – Official

Romanians might be compelled to pay a tax on carbon dioxide emissions, and the collected amounts would be further invested in carbon storage units, but the issue won't be approached in the near future, Romanian Economy Ministry secretary of state Tudor Serban said Tuesday.

Romanian Household Lending Likely To Recover In Q3 – Survey

Romanian household lending is likely to pick up the pace in the third quarter, but banks expect a further decrease in corporate loans, according to a central bank survey.

Romanian Retailer Leonardo Closes 30 Stores, Sacks 600 People

Romanian footwear and bag retailer Leonardo closed 30 unprofitable stores this year and laid off 600 people as part of its restructuring plan, according to consultancy company Ensight Management Consulting, which assisted the retailer in this respect.

Romanian Energy Sector Is Obsolete And Inefficient – Watchdog Pres

Romania's energy sector is obsolete and inefficient, facing unsuccessful privatizations and "an abuse of non-transparent contracts," and the country currently "re-launches the reform" in this industry, Energy Regulatory Authority ANRE president Petru Lificiu said Tuesday.

Romania To Ink Regional Energy Mkt Pact With Hungary, Austria Soon- Econ Min

Romania is close to sealing an agreement with Hungary and Austria to set up a regional energy market and holds talks with Greece and Bulgaria on the issue, Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said Tuesday.

Romanian PM To Discuss Case Of Controversial Film “Francesa” With Silvio Berlusconi

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said he would meet with Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi to discuss the case of controversial Romanian film "Francesca," which was recently banned in the Italian city of Venice after deputy Alessandra Mussolini complained the film displays insults against her.

Romania Climbs 4 Spots To 64 In WEF’s World Competitiveness Top

Romania picked up four notches to 64 in a global competitiveness ranking released by the World Economic Forum on Tuesday.

Romanian President Backed By Democrat Liberals For Second Term As Independent

Romanian President Traian Basescu cannot be part of any political party, under the Constitution, and will run for a second term independently, backed by the Democratic Liberal Party, democrat liberal leader Mircea Toader told MEDIAFAX Monday evening.

Romania’s Petrom Cuts Pump Prices By RON0.03/Liter

Romania’s largest oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) Monday cut its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.03 lei (EUR1=RON4.2434) per liter, the company said.

Romanian Economy Seen Growing 1.6% In 2010 – ING Bank

ING Bank Romania on Monday revised upward its forecast on Romanian economic growth to 1.6% in 2010 from 0.6% initially estimated, mostly supported by the evolution on international markets and by stimulating monetary policies on the local market.

Romanian Parliament Set Responsibility Assumption Date For Sept 15

Romania's Parliament decided Prime Minister Emil Boc will come before the Parliament on September 15 to assume responsibility for the three packs of laws regarding economic measures, the unitary law regulating wages across the public sector and laws on education, Senate quaestor Ioan Chelaru said.

Romanian Lawmakers Decide President Will Address Parliament On Sept 15

The leaders of the two chambers of Parliament on Monday decided Romanian President Traian Basescu would address Parliament on September 15, at 7 p.m., although Basescu said he wishes to address the Parliament on September 14 regarding the country’s main political issues.

Romanian Leu Seen Falling On Uneven Wage In Public, Pvt Sectors – ING

The Romanian leu is likely to lose ground against the foreign currencies in the coming months, pressured by discrepancies between wage in the public and private sectors, ING Bank said in a report Monday.

Proprietatea Fund’s Hldrs OK Franklin Templeton Manager Contract – Sources

The stockholders of investment fund Fondul Proprietatea approved Monday the offer and management contract of U.S. Franklin Templeton Investments, people attending the shareholders meeting said.

Romanian Govt To Upgrade 10,000 Km Of County Roads

The leaders of the Romanian government coalition discussed Monday a memorandum on the upgrade of 10,000 kilometers of county roads, democrat liberal vice president Gheorghe Flutur said after the meeting.

Romania’s AVAS Mulls Two-Year Extension For Cos To Meet Privatization Obligations

Romania’s privatization authority AVAS might give a two-year extension for the meeting of obligations undertaken upon privatization to companies that received state aid and have to complete restructuring programs and investments, according to a draft emergency ordinance.

Romania Late Payments On Loans Topping RON20,000M Up 4.45% In July

Romanian overdue payments for loans worth at least 20,000 lei (EUR1-RON4.2434) amounted to RON6.076 billion end July, up 4.45% on the month, central bank data showed Monday.

Romanians Injured In Afghanistan In Stable Condition – Defense Ministry

The two Romanian soldiers injured Friday night in Afghanistan were taken to the Regional Medical Center in Ramstein, Germany, said the Romanian Defense Ministry, adding their condition is stable.

Romanian Opera Star Angela Gheorghiu To Perform In Bucharest On Sept 19

World renowned Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu will return to Romania for an open-air performance in Bucharest’s Constitution Square, on September 19, alongside young Romanian tenor Vlad Mirita, under the guidance of the Philharmonic Orchestra, according to the artist’s official website.

Romania Ruling Coalition To Assume Resp For Education, Public Spending, Unitary Pay Laws Sept 15

Romanian democrat liberal leader Gheorghe Flutur said Monday the country’s ruling coalition decide the Government will take responsibility before Parliament on September 15 for the laws on education, unitary pay and spending cuts in the public sector.

Romania Securities, Insurance, Pvt Pension Regulators, Ctrl Bk Not Targeted By Unitary Pay Law

The Romanian government decided the unitary law regulating wages across the public sector would not be applied to the employees of the central bank, the securities watchdog, the insurance regulator and the private pension watchdog.

Romania To Save Over RON950M In 2009 Following Spending Cut Law

The Romanian government estimates to save an immediate 950 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2436) with the application of the law of measures cutting spending in the public sector, which it plans to enact by assuming responsibility before Parliament.

Public Sector Employees To Take Days Off Without Pay Btw October-December ’09

The Romanian Government postponed the enforcement of the measure to cut wage spending by 15.5% by making public sector employees take days off without pay in the interval October-December 2009, a month later than initially decided.

Bucharest HQ Of Hungarian Minority Party Broken Into

The Bucharest headquarters of Romania’s Hungarian minority party UDMR was broken into Saturday night and police on Sunday morning found the party’s offices in disorder, but could not say whether anything had been stolen.

Romania Sends Unitary Pay Law To IMF, WB For Consultations

The Romanian government sent the draft unitary pay law to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for consultation and Prime Minister Emil Boc and cabinet members will have a final talk on Sunday on all the laws for which the government will take responsibility before Parliament.

France Draws 1-1 With Romania In World Cup Qualifier

Romania was given a 1-1 draw Saturday evening with France in the World Cup qualifiers, as France defender Julien Escude scored an own-goal, and the country dropped more points and has no chance of being the first in group 7.

Romanian Govt Sends Draft Laws It Wants Adopted To Parliament Monday

The draft laws the Romanian government wants to adopt by assuming will be sent to Parliament Monday morning, Prime Minister Emil Boc and the ministers of labor, education and justice decided in a talk Saturday.

Romanian Ambulance Services To Protest Countrywide Wednesday Over Unitary Pay Law

Romanian ambulance services across the country will trigger nationwide protests Wednesday morning, as unionists are displeased with how the draft law regulating wages across the public sector was negotiated, the Executive Office of the National Ambulance Union Federation said Saturday.

Two Romanian Soldiers Injured In Afghanistan

Two Romanian soldiers were injured Friday night during an insurgent attack on their military base, 60 kilometers northeast of Qualat, Afghanistan, official sources said Saturday.

The Unitary Wage Law Has Been Finalized – Romanian Fin Min

Romanian Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Friday, after talks at the Labor Ministry, that the unitary wage law in the public sector has been finalized and that he is confident this law will solve many of the problems that were discussed during negotiations.

Unionists To Protest If Romanian Govt Assumes Responsibility For Current Wage Draft Law

Unionists will start protests if the Romanian Government assumes responsibility before Parliament for the current unitary wage draft law, which is not ready despite latest amendments, said "Sed Lex" union head, Vasile Marica.

Romanian Rompetrol Cuts Diesel Oil Price For 2nd Time This Week

Romania’s second-largest oil group Rompetrol, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunayGaz, will cut Saturday its diesel oil prices by 0.04 lei (EUR1=RON4.2436) per liter, for the second time in just two days.

Romania Beef Consumption At 10% Of Total Meat Consumption, Well Below EU Avg

Beef accounts for only 10% of Romanians’ total meat consumption, compared to an EU average of 40%, and Romanians only ate 2.6 kilograms of beef per capita in the first five months of the year, according to data of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Romania Gets Advisory For Cold Weather, Rain, Storms During Weekend

Romanian meteorologists on Friday issued a yellow code warning for 39 out of 41 Romanian counties and capital Bucharest for cold weather come Friday night, expecting rain, hail and storms during the weekend.

Romania’s July Net Salary Up 0.8% M-M To RON1,390

Romania’s net average salary was at 1,390 lei (EUR1=RON4.2442) in July, up 0.8% compared with RON1,379 in the previous month, the National Institute for Statistics said Friday.

Romanian Liberal Presidential Candidate Denies Recruitment Of Prince Radu

Romanian liberal head and presidential hopeful Crin Antonescu told MEDIAFAX Thursday that former presidential candidate Prince Radu has not joined his camp, adding there have not been any talks to this end and he regrets Prince Radu’s withdrawal from the race.

Romanian Private Radio, TV To Grant Free Airtime To Presidential Candidates

Romanian private television and radio stations are obligated by law to grant free airtime to the candidates in the November presidential election, similar to airtime provided by public radio and TV, according to a Government Emergency Ordinance amending the presidential elections law.

Romanian Parliament To Set Responsibility Assumption Calendar Monday

The Romanian Government’s letter regarding its decision to assume responsibility for three packs of laws reached Parliament and the reunited Standing Offices of the legislative power will meet Monday to set up a calendar for the procedure.

Romania’s Petrom Cuts Diesel Oil Prices 2nd Time This Wk

Romania’s largest oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) cut Thursday its diesel oil pump prices by 0.03 lei (EUR1=RON4.2442) per liter, for the second time this week.