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Romania’s Min Tax Caused RON100M Loss To State Budget, Left 56,000 People Jobless – SMEs

12:57, 30 Oct. 2009
The Romanian government’s decision this summer to have companies pay a minimum tax depending on their revenue has generated a loss of 100 million lei (EUR1=RON4.3079) to the state budget and left 56,000 people unemployed because 26,000 shut down, Romania’s SMEs council said Friday.

Bucharest Police Arrest Nine Drug Dealers, Consumers

11:43, 30 Oct. 2009
Nine drug dealers and consumers in Romania’s capital Bucharest were taken into custody for a month Thursday following searches in their homes, police said Friday.

Romanian Telecom Auth ANCOM To Lift Romtelecom’s Obligations

20:41, 29 Oct. 2009
Romanian national telecom regulator (ANCOM) will lift all obligations imposed on national telecom company Romtelecom, because of competition from other cable TV and mobile operators, which have pushed Romtelecom from monopoly to a market share lower than 50% in some cases.

Romanian Passenger Railway Carrier CFR Calatori Wants To Buy, Modernize Train Cars

19:00, 29 Oct. 2009
Romanian state-owned passenger railway carrier CFR Calatori plans to purchase in the next four years 400 InterRegio train cars for an estimated 1 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.3079), VAT not included, and modernize 190 train cars for about RON317.3 million, VAT not included.

Romanian Parliament Committees Thumb Down Proposed Culture Minister

16:51, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for culture on Thursday thumbed down proposed Culture Minister Theodor Paleologu with 23 to 20 votes.

EC Urges Greece To Recognize Romanian, Bulgarian Professional Qualifications

16:46, 29 Oct. 2009
The European Commission (EC) has decided to send a letter of formal notice to Greece requesting compliance with a ruling of the European Court of Justice concerning implementation of a Directive relating to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU, the EC said in a statement Thursday.

Romanian Health Ministry Might Ban Public Gatherings To Prevent Spread Of AH1N1 Virus

16:24, 29 Oct. 2009
Romanian Health Minister Adriean Videanu said Thursday the health committee led by secretary of state Streinu Cercel is analyzing the possibility to issue an order to forbid public gatherings to avoid a spread of the AH1N1 virus.

Romania Supreme Court Clears VIP Of Charges In Famous “Cocaine” File

15:50, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Supreme Court cleared Ion Alexandru Tiriac, son of Romanian businessman Ion Tiriac, of all charges in controversial file "Cocaine for VIPs,” overruling prosecutors' appeal against a similar ruling by the Bucharest Court of Appeals in February this year.

Romanian Subway Unionists’ Request For 26% Wage Raise Is Exaggerated – Transport Min

15:48, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania's acting Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Thursday subway workers' claim for a 26% pay rase is exaggerated and talks regarding a possible wage increase will take place at the beginning of 2010, after the company’s budget is approved.

Romanian Passenger Railway Carrier CFR Calatori Opens Online Ticketing System Friday

15:25, 29 Oct. 2009
Romanian state-owned passenger railway carrier CFR Calatori will open Friday an online ticketing service for local and national medium- and high-speed trains, the company announced Thursday.

Bucharest Apartment Prices Return To Falling As ‘First Home’ Boost Fades – Survey

15:15, 29 Oct. 2009
Bucharest old apartment prices resumed falling in October, as the wave of increases following the government’s “First Home” stimulus program gradually faded away, Romanian realty web portal Imopedia said in a survey Thursday.

USA To Use Romania And Bulgaria Bases To Control Caspian Sea Oil – Experts

14:57, 29 Oct. 2009
The United States wish to have control over oil resources in the Caspian Sea and will accomplish this from their bases in Romania and Bulgaria by fueling instability in the Caucasus, the Center for Research on Globalization (CRG) said in an analysis published online.

Bucharest Hotels’ Q3 Avg Room Rate Dn 20% YY – Survey

14:50, 29 Oct. 2009
The average room rates of Bucharest hotels fell 20.6% on the year in the third quarter, to EUR77.97, on the backdrop of the financial crisis, according to a survey of free online hotel reservation service hotel.info.

Romanian Parliament Committees Thumb Down Proposed Defense Minister

14:42, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for national defense on Thursday thumbed down proposed Defense Minister Mihai Stanisoara with 20 to 13 votes.

Romanian Parliament Committees Rebuff Proposed Economy Minister

14:42, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for economy, industry and services on Thursday gave a no vote to democrat liberal Adriean Videanu, proposed for economy minister in the Cabinet of Prime Minister-designate Lucian Croitoru.

Hassle Around Romania’s Proposed Govt, Waste Of Time – Johannis

14:12, 29 Oct. 2009
Klaus Johannis, the mayor of the central Romanian city of Sibiu who is backed by a Parliament majority for prime minister, told a news conference Thursday he thinks all the hassle around the prime minister-designate’s proposed Cabinet is a waste of time.

Romanian Parliament Committees Thumb Down Proposed Education Minister

14:10, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for education Thursday thumbed down proposed Education Minister Daniel Funeriu with 21 to 15 votes.

Romania Leu Hovers Above RON4.3 Vs Euro, Exch Rate Hits 8-1/2 Months Low

13:41, 29 Oct. 2009
The Romanian leu has lost its slight gains versus the euro in mid trade Thursday, tracking regional markets, while the central bank’s reference broke through the psychological ceiling of 4.3 units per euro for the first time in the past eight and a half months.

Romanian NGOs Want Referendum Challenged At Constitutional Court

13:39, 29 Oct. 2009
Four Romanian non-government organizations called on the country's ombudsman to notify the Constitution Court on potential breach of human rights, saying President Traian Basescu has the upper hand in election over other presidential contenders by appearing on two sets of electoral posters.

Romania To Have 1 Million Jobless People Next Year – Ex Labor Min

13:38, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s former liberal labor minister Mariana Campeanu said Thursday the government has not adopted any measure this year to prompt economic revival and the country might have one million jobless people next year.

Romanian Parliament Committees Thumb Down Proposed Transport Min

12:39, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees who heard proposed Transport and Communications Minister Radu Berceanu on Thursday opposed his nomination for the position 42 to 33 votes.

Fitch Sees Romania’s ’09 GDP -7.5%, Budget Gap At 7% Of GDP

12:28, 29 Oct. 2009
Fitch Ratings forecasts Romania’s economy will fall 7.5% this year, while the budget deficit is seen at 7% of the projected gross domestic product, more optimistic compared with both the IMF and government’s estimations.

Hundreds Of Romanian Subway Workers March Up To Fin Ministry In Protest Over Wages

12:26, 29 Oct. 2009
About 700 employees of Romania’s state-owned subway company Metrorex have gathered outside the Transport Ministry in Bucharest and will march up to the Finance Ministry protesting the management’s refusal to negotiate their wages.

Romanian MEP Adrian Severin To Run For EU High Representative For Foreign Policy – Press

12:12, 29 Oct. 2009
Romanian center-left MEP Adrian Severin will run for the position of EU High Representative for Foreign Policy to be created after the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, EurActiv quoted sources close to the matter in Brussels and Bucharest.

Romanian Parliament Committees Thumb Down Proposed Environment Minister

12:02, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for public administration thumbed down proposed Environment Minister Sulfina Barbu with 21 to 15 votes.

Romania To Borrow EUR370M From EIB For Subway Line

11:12, 29 Oct. 2009
Romania's Government on Wednesday authorized the Finance Ministry to contract a EUR370 million loan from the European Investment Bank for the construction of Drumul Taberei-Universitate subway line in capital Bucharest, acting Prime Minister Emil Boc said late Wednesday.

Orange Romania 9-Mo Revenues Down 18.1% YY, To EUR800M

11:11, 29 Oct. 2009
Mobile telephony operator Orange Romania saw a 18.1% decrease in revenues, to EUR800 million, in the first nine months of 2009,compared with EUR977 million in the same period in 2008, on the backdrop of harsh economic conditions and fierce competition, Orange Group said in a press release Thursday.

Romanian Govt’s Budget Reserve Fund For 2009 Has Only RON7M Left – PM

10:31, 29 Oct. 2009
The Romanian government’s budget reserve fund for 2009 currently has only 7 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2995) left but can be refilled by the end of the year with money left unspent by ministries, caretaker Prime Minister Emil Boc said late Wednesday.

Cancelling Public Sector Employees’ Unpaid Leave Entails Additional Expenses – Romanian Fin Min

22:07, 28 Oct. 2009
The postponement of the decision regarding the unpaid leave for employees in the public sector will require additional measures so that the budget deficit be no higher than 7.3% of the GDP, as negotiated with the International Monetary Fund, Romanian Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Wednesday.

IMF Mission Meets Romanian Ctrl Bk Governor, Finance Minister

21:19, 28 Oct. 2009
A mission of the International Monetary Fund met Wednesday with central bank Governor Mugur Isarescu and held talks with the representatives of the Finance Ministry.

Romanian Parliament Committees Opposed Proposed Agriculture Minister

20:16, 28 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for agriculture and public administration opposed proposed Agriculture Minister Adrian Radulescu with 26 to 43 votes.

Romanian Parliament Committees Oppose Proposed Justice Minister

19:28, 28 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for justice and human rights opposed proposed Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu with 26 to 36 votes.

Romanian Govt Allots RON15 Installment Of Subsidy For Sheep Farmers

19:24, 28 Oct. 2009
Romania's Government decided Wednesday to allot a 15 lei per head (EUR1=RON4.2995) installment of the subsidy granted to sheep farmers, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Parliament Committees Endorse Proposed Foreign Affairs Minister

19:12, 28 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for foreign policy and European affairs endorsed proposed Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu with 32 to 10 votes.

Romanian Parliament Committees Oppose Proposed Labor, Finance Ministers

18:55, 28 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for labor and equality of chances opposed proposed Labor Minister Mihai Seitan with 18 to 28 votes, and the committees for budget and finances opposed proposed Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea with 15 to 23 votes.

Romanian Parliament Committees Endorse Proposed Development Minister

17:10, 28 Oct. 2009
Romania’s Parliament committees for public administration, economy and industry endorsed proposed Regional Development and Tourism Minister Vasile Blaga with 34 to 28 votes.

Romanian Employers Say Minimum Wage At RON705 Would Entail Massive Job Cuts

17:01, 28 Oct. 2009
Romanian employers said Wednesday that increasing the minimum wage to 705 lei (EUR1=RON4.2995) without amending the Collective Labor Contract would be “irresponsible” and would lead to massive layoffs.

Half Of Romanian Pharmacies Can’t Pay Debts To Medicine Suppliers, Budget

16:59, 28 Oct. 2009
About half of Romanian pharmacies risk not being able to pay their debts to medicine suppliers and the state budget by the end of the year, after the government gave health insurance houses six months to pay their bills instead of three, the Romanian Pharmacists’ College said Wednesday.

Romania’s Constitutional Court Postpones Rulings On Controversial Laws Until After Elections

16:29, 28 Oct. 2009
Romanian Constitutional Court postponed Wednesday until after presidential elections rulings on the legitimacy of three laws the government enacted after gaining a confidence vote in Parliament mid-September.

PepsiAmericas Says 3Q Results Hurt By Falling Sales In Romania

16:25, 28 Oct. 2009
PepsiAmericas Inc., the world’s second-largest Pepsi bottler, Wednesday said its third-quarter revenue on the European markets was negatively affected by the economic downturn in Romania.