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IMF Agrees To Scrap Plan Forcing Romania To Sack 150,000 State Employees – Sources

11:54, 10 Aug. 2009
Romania’s Social Democratic Party obtained in talks with the International Monetary Fund the elimination of a plan to lay off 150,000 public sector employees and the reduction of unpaid vacation to ten days from a previosu three weeks, sources within the party told MEDIAFAX Monday.

Romanian Sailors Aboard Pirate-Seized Italian Ship Buccaneer Were Released -Foreign Min

11:24, 10 Aug. 2009
The five Romanian sailors aboard Italian ship Buccaneer, seized by Somali pirates on April 11 in the Gulf of Aden, were released Monday morning and will soon return home, Romania’s foreign affairs minister Cristian Diaconescu said Monday.

IMF Mission To Romania To Present Conclusions On Monday

18:14, 09 Aug. 2009
The delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will present in a press conference on Monday at 13:30 local time the conclusions of the first evaluation of the stand-by loan agreement with Romania approved by the board of the institution in May, the IMF said on Sunday.

Fetesti-Cernavoda Bridge Toll Brings RON400,000 Daily – Romanian Transp Min

17:48, 09 Aug. 2009
Romanian transport minister Radu Berceanu on Sunday said the toll on the crossing of Fetesti bridge brings 400,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2186) each day and criticized his predecessor for not introducing the toll earlier.

Romanian President Asks Maritime Auth To Cut Prices For Ship Repairs

16:16, 09 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Sunday asked the maritime authorities in a meeting in Constanta, southeastern Romania, to reduce the repair prices for ships that come in the naval sites.

Romania’s Electroputere Craiova To Lay Off Some 400 Employees As Of Monday – Unionist

15:22, 09 Aug. 2009
Some 400 employees of electrical equipment maker Electroputere Craiova in Dolj county, southern Romania, will be laid off starting Monday and will receive between five and nine compensatory wages. The process will go on until the beginning of September, unionists said

Romanian Govt Falls If Social Democrats Reject Public Sector Reform – Democrat Liberal

14:01, 09 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Government will fall in September unless the social democrats assume responsibility for reforms and accept reorganization in the public sector, said Vasile Blaga, Secretary General of Romania’s Democrat Liberal Party, on private television channel Realitatea TV.

IMF, Romanian Govt Talk On Freezing Wages, Pensions, Laying Off 10% Of Public Servants

19:28, 08 Aug. 2009
The IMF is negotiating with the Romanian Government the layoff of 100,000-150,000 state employees until the middle of next year, freezing pensions in 2009 and 2010 except the minimum social ones and wages, until the unitary pay law produces its effects, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romania To See Second Budget Revision In August – PM

18:33, 08 Aug. 2009
Romania’s Government scheduled this year’s second budget revision for August, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday.

Romanian Education Min Wants To Do Away With Spiru Haret Distance Learning Centers

18:17, 08 Aug. 2009
Romanian education minister Ecaterina Andronescu on Saturday said she suggested several measures that should be enforced by Spiru Haret University in order to function legally, and if it rejects them, the ministry will commence procedure to liquidate the institution.

Romanian Govt Assigns EUR420M To Agr, RON600M For Autumn Crops

16:53, 08 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Government approved EUR420 million in Treasury loan for agriculture programs and other 600 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2186) for autumn’s crops, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday after the Government meeting.

Romania’s Social Democratic Party Won’t Assume Responsibility For Laws On Education

16:48, 08 Aug. 2009
Romania’s Social Democratic Party won’t assume responsibility for the set of laws on education, deeming that parliamentary debate is required, party spokesperson Bogdan Niculescu Duvaz told MEDIAFAX Saturday.

Taking Responsibility For Laws Tests Coalition’s Political Will – Romanian PM

16:28, 08 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Saturday told the members of the Cabinet that he wants the government to take responsibility for the laws on wages, pensions and education, and thus test the coalition's political will and the parliamentary support for carrying out these reforms.

Romanian PM Calls For Ready Documents For Agencies’ Reorganization

15:35, 08 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Saturday asked all ministries to prepare until the next government meeting all normative acts needed to restructure agencies, which will be first discussed in the coalition’s meeting on Monday, government sources told MEDIAFAX Saturday.

Romanian Govt To Ensure Tax Exemption For Reinvested Profit – PM

15:18, 08 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Saturday said he tasked three democrat liberal ministers and three social democrat ministers to continue the talks with the IMF and the European Commission, adding the Government won’t hike VAT, will keep the flat tax and ensure the tax-free reinvested profit.

Romanian Govt Might Cut Budget Spending For Local Auth, State Companies By EUR1B – Sources

14:53, 08 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Government is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce the planned budget spending by EUR1 billion, mainly through closer surveillance and a limit on the sums used by the local administration and the large state companies, official sources said.

Romanian Govt Does Away With Foreign Investments Agency

14:19, 08 Aug. 2009
Romania’s Agency for Foreign Investments or ARIS was removed and its activity will be taken over by a special directorate within the Ministry for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, Commerce and Business Environment, government sources told MEDIAFAX Saturday.

Romania’s Govt Wants Public Wage Fund Limited To 6.2% Of GDP By 2015 – Sources

13:58, 08 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Government decided in Saturday’s meeting that the wage fund for the public system will be limited to 6.2% of the gross domestic products (GDP) by 2015, when the average wage will be half of the maximum wage, according to the new unitary wage law, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Four Employees Injured In Blast In Romania’s Mechel Targoviste

11:51, 08 Aug. 2009
Four employees of steel plant Mechel Targoviste, central Romania, were severely injured on Saturday in a blast and were taken to hospital in Bucharest.

Crisis Easier To Overcome If Romania Had Invested In Farming, Not Consumption – President

16:39, 07 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said that Romania could have overcome the economic crisis easier if it had taken care of agriculture in the past 20 years instead of focusing on consumption.

Romania Eyes Normal Bilateral Ties With A Democratic Moldova

14:39, 07 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said he hopes democratic forces will reach common ground to endorse "the Republic of Moldova in its way toward the European Union,” stressing the Romanian authorities want to secure normal bilateral ties with Moldova.

Romanian President Boasts Fair Play In Relation With Local Press

13:09, 07 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said the Romanian press rejoices "total freedom," adding no journalist in Romania can ever complain about the president taking action against them or the things they wrote.

Romania’s FC Steaua Moves On To Europa League Play-offs

09:24, 07 Aug. 2009
Romania’s FC Steaua Bucharest qualified in the play-offs of UEFA’s Europa League after scoring three goals in the away match against Scottish Motherwell.

Romania’s Transport Min: CFR Marfa Will Be Sold In 2010

18:57, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian rail freight company CFR Marfa will be privatized in 2010 and other two state-owned railway companies CFR Calatori and CFR SA will be reorganized, Thursday said Transport Minister Radu Berceanu after talks with the IMF mission in Bucharest.

IMF Restricts Romania’s Invest In Road Infrastructure – Transp Min

18:14, 06 Aug. 2009
The International Monetary Fund opposes Romania’s authorities decision to continue the construction of roads and highways with funds from the European Investment Bank, as it triggers a higher budget deficit, Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Thursday.

EHF Suspends Romanian Coach, Handball Federation Ex-VP Over Match Fixing Attempts

17:02, 06 Aug. 2009
The European Handball Federation said Thursday that Romania’s national team coach Aihan Omer and the former vice-president of the Romanian Handball Federation, Petru Paleu, have been suspended from all international competitions for five years because they tried to bribe referees.

Romanian PM Wants Govt To Assume Responsibility For Laws On Wages, Pensions, Education

16:03, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Thursday said on the public radio he wants the Government to assume responsibility for the unitary wage law in the budget sector, the law on pensions and on education, adding the Constitution doesn’t limit such initiatives.

Romanians Associate Public Institutions With Bureaucracy, Corruption – Report

15:24, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanians associate local institutions with bureaucracy, corruption and disrespect toward citizens, according to a survey of the National Agency of Public Servants (ANFP) regarding citizens’ satisfaction with the work of local authorities and public institutions.

Romania PM: President Traian Basescu To Represent Democrat Liberals In Presidential Elections

15:06, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian democrat liberal Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday on public radio that acting President Traian Basescu will represent the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) in the presidential race in autumn, adding he doesn’t wish to run for president of Romania.

Romanian PM Meets Local Authorities Monday To Discuss Cost Standards

14:54, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc will meet Monday afternoon, at the government’s headquarters, with representatives of local authorities for a first discussion regarding cost standards, which will become mandatory for all local public institutions.

IMF Financing Might Boost Romania’s Economy – Ctrl Bker

13:54, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu Thursday said that directing the EUR1.9 billion second tranche from the International Monetary Fund loan to finance the budget deficit could help revive the economy.

Romania Proposes Porumboiu’s „Police, adjective” For 2010 Academy Awards

13:50, 06 Aug. 2009
The feature film "Politist, adjectiv"/”Police, adjective” by Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu is Romania’s proposal for the 2010 Academy Awards in the best foreign language film section, officials of the National Center for Cinematography told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Romania’s Curr Acct Gap, Foreign Debt See Positive Evolution – Ctrl Bker

13:03, 06 Aug. 2009
Romania's current account deficit and external short-term debt saw a positive evolution in the first six months, leading to a stable exchange rate, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday.

Romanian PM Hell-Bent On Pension Sys, Public Sector Wage Reforms

12:12, 06 Aug. 2009
The Romanian public sector unitary wage law and the pension system law cannot be enacted unless the Government takes responsibility, as "they will rock the foundations of the public system", while the Government will "enact them or step down", said Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc.

Romanian President Wants 2nd IMF Loan Tranche To Fund Budget Deficit

12:01, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Wednesday that he would talk to IMF representatives on using the second tranche of the IMF loan to finance the budget deficit instead of raising central bank's foreign currency reserves.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Revises Dn ’09 Inflation Forecast To 4.3%, ’10 CPI Seen At 2.6%

11:43, 06 Aug. 2009
Romania's central bank revised its forecast on the annual inflation rate in December to 4.3%, from 4.4% estimated in May, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday.

Some 15,000 “Useless” Public Servants Need To Go – Romanian President

09:43, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian president Traian Basescu said Wednesdayon on public television that his recent statement regarding the laying off of 20% of state employees did not refer to 300,000 people, but to 10-15,000, adding the measure should be based on employee performance evaluations.

Romanian FC Timisoara Qualifies For Champions League Play-Off

09:40, 06 Aug. 2009
Romania’s FC Timisoara tied 0-0 in the home match against Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetk, coached by Romanian Mircea Lucescu, and qualified in the Champions League play-off, after it secured a 2-2 tie in the away match.

Second Climber Severely Injured In Mont Blanc Is Romanian – Foreign Affairs Ministry

21:14, 05 Aug. 2009
The second mountain climber involved in the accident on the Mont Blanc mountain is Romanian, spokesperson of Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Alin Serbanescu told MEDIAFAX on Tuesday evening, adding he is in hospital in a severe condition after suffering multiple fractures.

Romanian Hidroelectrica To Build New Hydro-Pwr Plant By ‘12 In EUR200M Invest

20:21, 05 Aug. 2009
Romanian state-owned hydropower generator Hidroelectrica will complete in 2012 the construction works at a new hydropower plant on Jiu River, in an investment estimated at EUR200 million.