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Number Of Tourists Entering Romania In July Dn 10.9% YY

The number of tourists entering Romania was 10.9% lower in July compared with the same month a year before, while the number of tourists accommodated was down 14.9% on the year, the National Statistical Institute, or INS, said Thursday.

Romanian Govt Decides On Ten-Yr Compulsory Educ, Sets Professors’ Retirement Age At 65

Romania's Government decided education will be compulsory for ten years and one year of pre-school, discarding the plan for a 12-year compulsory education plus a pre-school year, initially proposed by education minister Ecaterina Andronescu, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Foreign Affairs Min Decided To Attend Dutch Parliament’s Session On Thursday

Romanian minister of foreign affairs decided to participate on Thursday in the session of the Commission for European Affairs in the Dutch Parliament, after a discussion with his Dutch counterpart and after receiving clarifications from Dutch diplomats, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Romanian Govt To Assume Responsibility On Ed, Unitary Pay, Restructuring Laws –PM

The Romanian Government decided to assume responsibility in Parliament for the three laws on education, unitary pay in the public sector and the reorganization of Government-run agencies for further cuts in public spending, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.

Prince Radu Of Romania Drops Out Presidential Race

Prince Radu Duda of Romania said Wednesday in a press release he will not run for president, saying that the left political wing “lies in presidential pocket”, while the right wing chose to ignore the project set up by the Royal House.

Romanian Pensioners Face 15-Day Deadline In Pension-Wage Choice

Romanian pensioners that are working in the public sector will have to choose between suspending pension while they are still employed and ceasing work, if the pension is higher than the gross average salary.

Romanian Environ Ministry Proposes Car Tax Exemption For The Disabled

Romania’s Environment Ministry proposed further exemptions from car tax payment, as part of anti-crisis measures, which target mobile machinery whose engines comply with pollution norms, and vehicles owned by people with disabilities, even if they do not have driving licenses.

Romanian Education Min Drew Up Final Form Of Education Code

Romanian minister of education Ecaterina Andronescu set up Wednesday with education unions the final form of the education Code that will be presented in a Government meeting.

Romanian Seaside Town Mangalia To Invest EUR4.4M In Amusement Park

The mayoralty in Romanian seaside town Mangalia will begin, by the end of September, the construction of an amusement park between resorts Saturn and Venus, in a project that will cost EUR4.4 million, mayor Claudiu Tusac told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Moody’s: Romania Needs Around 40 Yrs To Converge To EU Average

Romania’s convergence to the EU average will spread over a long time, probably around 40 years, given that a more normal long-term growth rate for the country is most likely of 3-4% per year, according to a Moody's report published Wednesday.

Moody’s Sees Romania Inflation At 4.4% In 2009

Moody’s forecasts Romanian inflation will reach 4.4% at the end of 2009, slightly above central bank’s estimation of 4.3%, according to a ratings agency's report released Wednesday.

Romanian PM Not A Partisan Of Political Crisis – Social Democrat Leader

Romanian leader of the Social Democratic Party Mircea Geoana said Wednesday, after a meeting with Prime Minister Emil Boc, the latter does not intend to generate a political crisis.

Romanian Environ Min Proposes 3 For 1 Offer In Car Park Renewal Program

Romania’s Environment Ministry proposed the introduction of vouchers worth 3,800 lei (EUR1=RON4.2372) for scrapping cars that are more than ten years old, and one buyer can use up to three such vouchers to buy a new vehicle, the ministry said Wednesday.

Dutch Criticism Prompts Romanian Foreign Affairs Min To Cancel Visit

The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs MAE said minister Cristian Diaconescu cancelled the trip set for Wednesday to the Netherlands after release there of a highly critical document targeting Romania and Bulgaria.

Romanian Airliner Tarom Eyes Winglet Devices To Cut Costs By $650,000

Romania’s state-owned airliner Tarom plans to cut costs by $650,000 annually, by using Winglet devices meant to improve the efficiency of Boeing-operated flights, the company said Wednesday.

Romania Eyes Agriculture Portfolio In New EC Structure, Also Readies Backup – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, during a meeting with Romanian diplomats at the presidential Cotroceni Palace, that Romania eyes obtaining the agriculture portfolio in the future configuration of the European Commission, adding Romania also readies a backup option.

Lukoil Romania Cuts Fuel Prices By Up To RON0.06 Per Liter

Lukoil Romania, a unit of Russian oil company Lukoil Holdings, said Wednesday it cut its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON4.2229) and by RON0.03 per liter, respectively.

Traffic On Cluj-Napoca International Airport To Be Suspended Four Days In Oct ‘09

Traffic on the international airport in Cluj-Napoca, northwestern Romania, will be suspended for four days between October 3 and 7, for repair works on the take-off runway, which will affect 150 flights.

Romanian Ex General, Sentenced To 15 Yr Jail Term, Filmed In Bucharest Casino – HotNews

Romanian retired general Victor Athanasie Stanculescu, sentenced to 15 years in prison for the killing of civilians in the 1989 anti-communist revolution and released in May on medical grounds, was filmed Tuesday evening in a casino in Bucharest, HotNews reported.

London Serious Fraud Office Suspends Probing Into Romanian Frigate Deal

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office informed Romania’s Anticorruption Department (DNA) it interrupted the investigation into the contracts selling two British frigates to Romania, reserving the right to reopen the case if additional evidence surfaces.

Nearly 80% Of Courthouses In Romania Halted Front Desk Activities – Judicial Auth

Nearly 80% of Romanian courts have decided so far to suspend front desk activities, of which, 12 courts of appeals, 31 courthouses, as well as over one hundred judges with the High Court of Justice, according to Romania’s National Network of the General Assemblies of Judges (RNAG).

Romanian Govt Could Postpone Sending The Wage Law To Parliament Until Monday

The president of Romanian union confederation "Cartel Alfa", Bogdan Hossu, said Tuesday evening, after the talks at the Government, that the Executive could postpone until Monday sending to Parliament the draft unitary wage law for the public system, in a bid to avoid social conflicts.

Romanian Education Unions Displeased After Talks With Govt On Unitary Wage Law

Romanian education unions declared themselves displeased, after talks with the representatives of the Government on the unitary wage law in the public sector, as the executive said the decision is a political one and that nothing will change.

Romanian Democtrat Liberals Urge Presidential Candidate Geoana To Quit Senate Chairman Position

Romania's Democratic Liberal Party said Tuesday social democrat leader Mircea Geoana should resign from the position of Senate chairman, as he is running for president, and not use public financial resources in his election campaign.

Romanian Railroad Unions Propose 18-Measure Recovery Plan

Romanian railroad unions approached national railroad company CFR with a set of 18 measures for the financial mending of the railroad system and expect a reply sometime next week.

S&P Revises Dn Romania’s GDP, Budget Deficit Forecast

Rating agency Standard&Poor's revised down its predictions on Romania’s economic contraction in 2009, from 5% to 7.6%, and the budget deficit from 6% of the GDP to 6.6% of the GDP, which are nevertheless more optimistic than International Monetary Fund’s latest forecasts on Romania.

Romanian Economy Likely To Recover As Of 4Q – Analysts

Romanian economy is likely to enter a positive path as of the fourth quarter this year, though not before bottoming out in the third quarter, economic analysts say, adding a revival depends on euro-zone economic development.

Romanian Co HCR To Build Dinosaur Theme Park In C Romania

A company managed by a former manager of the central Romanian Brasov County Forestry Department, Gabriel Rozorea, will invest EUR5 million in the construction of a dinosaur theme park at Rasnov, in the central Romanian county of Brasov.

Romanian Govt Regulates Antifraud Dept Reorganization To Comply With Constitutional Court Ruling

The Romanian government passed an emergency decree regulating the restructuring process of the country’s Antifraud Department and the Government’s control body to eliminate provisions which the Constitutional Court ruled illegal.

Former Agriculture Min Dacian Ciolos Proposed For EU Commissioner – Romanian PM

Romania's former agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos is proposed for the position of European Commissioner for Agriculture and Romania has the support of France, Germany and Poland for this portfolio, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday.

Romanian Tourism Minister Accuses Parliament Inquiry Committee Of Breaking Laws

Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea on Tuesday left the parliamentary inquiry committee investigating her spending of public money before the meeting was over and accused the committee of functioning illegally.

Romanian Govt Clears Public Roads Auth To Borrow RON200M To Refinance Old Loan

The Romanian government cleared the public roads authority CNADNR to borrow nearly 200 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2231) from the country’s Treasury to refinance a loan contracted in 2004.

Romania 2Q Revised GDP -1.1% QQ, -8.7% YY

Romania’s gross domestic product shrank by a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in the second quarter compared with the previous quarter, amounting to 120.4 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2231), according to revised data released Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute, or INS.

Romania To Scrap 38,500 Cars In Last Stage Of “Junk Car” Program

The third stage of Romania's “Junk Car” program includes several new measures, namely light commercial vehicles were included in the program, people can resort to leasing or buy more cars within the program and companies too can scrap old cars as of September 1.

Low-Cost Airliner SkyEurope Officially Declares Bankruptcy, Cancels All Flights

Low-cost airliner SkyEurope, headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, officially declared bankruptcy on Tuesday, September 1, cancelled all flights and suspended all operations, the company announced Tuesday.

Sabyc Fertility Clinic Head, Secretary To Be Investigated At Large

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that Harry Mironescu, head of Romanian fertility clinic Sabyc, and his secretary Cecilia Borza will be investigated at large but are banned from leaving Romania’s capital city Bucharest.

Selgros Cash&Carry Opens EUR38M Store In Bucharest

Selgros Cash&Carry, a unit of Germany's retailer Rewe, will open Tuesday its 18th store in Romania and the fourth in the capital city Bucharest, following EUR38 million investments.

Romanian Govt To Take Responsibility For Law Packs In Three Stages

Romanian interior minister and deputy prime minister Dan Nica said Monday the government will take responsibility in Parliament, in three stages, for three law packs: economic measures, the unitary wage law and the education laws.

Presidential Elections To Take Place On Nov 22 And Dec 6 – Romanian Interior Min

Romanian minister of interior Dan Nica said Monday the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Liberal Party decided the presidential elections will take place on November 22 and December 6, and the Government will make no amendments to the organization of elections.

Romania To Hold Presidential Elections On Nov 22

Romanian ruling coalition leaders decided the country will hold presidential elections on November 22, said Monday democrat liberal Vasile Blaga after a ruling coalition meeting.