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Musicians Snap! To Hold Concert In Bucharest

The band Snap!, famous for hits like "The Power" – one of the best sold tracks of all time, will hold a concert Friday in Bucharest, according to the organizers.

Romania’s Petrom Hikes Fuel Prices By Up To RON0.07/Liter

Romania’s dominant oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) Monday increased its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.07 lei (EUR1=RON4.2051) and RON0.06 per liter, respectively.

IMF, Romania To Discuss Program Review After Sept 15

The International Monetary Fund’s Executive Board will most likely discuss the report that reviews Romania's economic program supported by the institution in the second half of September, IMF said in a press release Monday.

ArcelorMittal Deals “Unfair Blow” To Romanian Business – Harbor Admins

Romanian harbors and navigable channels authorities said steel processor ArcelorMittal deals a "clearly unfair blow" to Romanian business since it stopped working with Comvex and chose to run raw material transports through the four times more expensive and slower Burgas harbor in Bulgaria.

Romanian PM Designates Team Of Ministers For Talks With IMF, EC

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Monday nominated the team mandated to have talks with International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Commission (EC) on the topics related to state guarantees threshold, resources for investments, tax exemption for reinvested profit and the budget deficit.

Romanian Fin Min Notifies Coalition Upon Receiving EUR1.5B From EC

Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea notified the PSD-PDL ruling coalition that Monday Romania received the first tranche worth almost EUR1.5 billion from the European Commission loan, PDL vice-president Gheorghe Flutur said at the end of the coalition’s meeting.

Romanian Govt Coalition To Appoint Committee For Pres Elections Law

Romanian Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) vice president Gheorghe Flutur said the Government coalition decided to create a committee, formed of Dan Nica, Viorel Hrebenciuc, Vasile Blaga and Mircea Toader, to develop, by the beginning of the Parliament session, a draft law on the presidential elections

CFR Cluj Win Romanian Supercup After Penalties

CFR Cluj lift Romania’s Super Cup winning over Unirea Urziceni on Sunday night after a tense penalty shoot-out, the match having finished 1-1 after both full and extra time.

Bucharest General Mayor Ponders Run For Presidency

Bucharest general mayor Sorin Oprescu told Antena 3 channel on Sunday evening that he’s considering participating in the presidential elections as independent candidate and that he will decide in the upcoming period.

Patients To Have Representatives In Romanian Doctors College

The National Council of the Romanian Doctors College (CMR) on Friday decided that patients will be represented in the special committees of the institution, according to a press release sent on Sunday.

Romanian Govt Mulls EC Approval To Cancel Debts Of Thermal Pwr Plants, Compensate Other Debts

Romania’s Government wants to ask for the European Commission’s approval to cancel the debts accumulated by 35 thermal power plants until 2009, which exceed 1 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2156), and to compensate their other debts and those of local transport companies up to a limit of RON185 million.

Romanian Social Democrats Ask Ruling Partners To Explain Use Of IMF Loan

Romania’s Social Democratic Party asked the finance minister and the Democrat Liberal Party to explain how the first EUR5 billion of the IMF loan and the tranches from the EU and the European banks have been used, what their results are and what it plans for the next EUR2 billion tranche.

Chicane To Perform In Bucharest At Tuborg Green Fest

Chicane, one of the world’s most appreciated electro-dance bands, will perform in Bucharest at Tuborg Green Fest in the first week of September, in Izvor Park near the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, according to a press release.

Romanian PM Calls For Banks’ Fast Response To Loan Requests

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Saturday said he will have talks with the banks’ representatives to ask them to hasten the deadline for responding to companies’ request for loans.

18 People Found With A/H1N1 Virus In C Romania During Summer School

Eighteen people in Brasov, central Romania, of whom five are Romanians, were confirmed to carry flu virus A/H1N1 by Cantacuzino National Institute, the Health Ministry said in a press release.

Romanian Social Democrats Back Parliamentary Investigation For Tourism Min

Romania’s Social Democratic Party supports the setting up of a parliamentary committee to investigate tourism minister Elena Udrea, party spokesperson Bogdan Niculescu Duvaz said on Saturday, pointing to the case of former sports minister Monica Iacob Ridzi.

Romania’s “First Home” Program To Gain Funds Next Yr Too, If Successful – PM

If the “First Home” program is successful, it will be further funded by state guarantees next year, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said in a press conference on Saturday.

Romanian Govt Promotes In ’09 Most Substantial EU-Funded Projects Session – PM

Romanian Prime Minister on Saturday said the government is promoting this year the most substantial projects session meant to absorb European funds in 2009 and 2010, when the projects are likely to be implemented.

Romania Received First EC Loan Tranche Worth EUR1.5B – State Secretary

Romania received the first part worth EUR1.5 billion of the loan from the European Commission, state secretary within Romania’s Finance Ministry, Gheorghe Gherghina told MEDIAFAX.

Colliers: „First House” Program Ups 2-Room Flat Prices In Bucharest By 15%

The price of old two-room apartments in Romania’s capital city Bucharest rose 10%-15% after the government launched the "First House" program, according to real estate consultancy firm Colliers.

Romanian Health Min Wants 50% Wage Cut For Ministers

Romanian health minister Ion Bazac agrees with the prime minister’s proposal to reduce by 20% the ministers’ wages, from August until December, and wants to ask for a 50% cut, health ministry spokesperson Oana Grigore told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romanian National Railroad Company Rents Out Train Station Spaces

Romanian national railroad company CFR SA intends to put up for rent commercial spaces in 12 train stations, including Bucharest North, at starting rents between 0.8 lei (EUR1 = RON4.2156) and RON500 per square meter, VAT excluded, per month, according to the company.

Romanian PM Proposes 20% Wage Cut For Ministers In „Rational Spending” Bid

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Friday said he would propose all ministers to have their salaries cut by 20% from August until December, in a move to keep tighter grip on public spending, adding he will accept to have his salary cut.

Romania’s 1H Exports Dn 25% On Yr, Seen Dn Up To 30% In ’09 – Assoc

Romania’s exports fell 20%-25% in the first six months compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the estimations of the National Association of Imports and Exporters in Romania, or ANEIR.

Romanian Police Investigates Alleged Relic Smuggling Operation

Several people, including an Austrian businessman and a former employee of the Romanian Hunedoara County Culture Department, are under investigation by police concerning an alleged illegal export of steam locomotives, which could be part of the national patrimony.

Pension Law In Romania To Adjust Retirement Age, As Stipulated By IMF Agreement

The new pension law will observe the stipulations of the agreement Romania signed with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission on increasing the retirement period particularly for women and adjusting it at 65 years-old after 2014, Government officials said Friday.

Appeals Court: Romania Fin Min To Pay Some RON1.5M Salary Rights To High Court Staff

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that Romania’s Finance Ministry and the Court Of Accounts must pay salary rights of nearly 1.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2325) to Supreme Court magistrates and auxiliary staff.

Heatwave, Rainfall, Windstorms Prompt Yellow Code Advisory For W, C, N Romania

The Romanian weather authority issued a yellow code advisory for hot weather with temperatures exceeding 37 degrees Celsius throughout most of the country, coupled with windstorms and rain in the western, central and northern areas.

Romania To Take EUR1B Loan From Local Mkt To Restructure Debt – Pres

Romanian President Traian Basescu stated Thursday that the government would take a EUR1 billion from the local market, to restructure its short-term debt, adding that the loan conditions would be more advantageous than those of a loan taken from the international market.

Steaua Reaches Third Preliminary Round In Europa League After Victory Over Ujpest FC

Romania’s Steaua Bucharest qualified in the third preliminary round of Europa League after a 2-1 victory in the away match over Hungary’s Ujpest FC on Thursday.

Cutting Budget Spending Is Not A Solution For Now – Romanian President

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Thursday said he does not encourage reducing budget spending at present, although this would be the easiest solution, economically speaking.

Romanian Pres Wants „First House” Progr To Back Newly-Built Houses, Not Flats Already Mortgaged

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Thursday said he hopes the “First House” program will mainly back newly-built houses and that "apartments already mortgaged would not be included in this program."

Bks To Take Over Houses In “First House” Program Unless State Pays Loan Guarantee

Banks will take over the houses bought with state-guaranteed loans if the guarantee is not paid by the state, and will no longer be forced to observe certain conditions in the contract, according to the decision on amending “First House” program norms, approved Wednesday by the government.

Romania’s Steaua Bucharest Fined EUR50,000 Over Home Match Incidents

UEFA’s Disciplinary Body applied a fine of EUR50,000 to FC Steaua following the incidents in the match against Hungary’s Ujpest FC in the second preliminary round of the Europa League, www.sportm.ro reported.

Romania Regional Development Min Calls On Mayors To Sell ANL Houses

Romania’s minister for regional development and housing, Vasile Blaga, on Thursday urged mayors countrywide to sell the houses the ministry built via the National Housing Agency (ANL), arguing that this way, the money will return to local authorities and then be spent to build other houses.

Agriculture Should Become A Priority To Romania – Social Democrat Head

Agriculture should become a strategic sector and a priority to Romania, said social democrat leader Mircea Geoana on Thursday, at the inauguration of a new irrigation system in Dabuleni, southern Romania.

Romanian Travel Agencies Saw 20% Drop In 1H Sales On Outgoing Segment

Romania’s internal tourism saw a slight increase in the first six months of 2009, while the number of holidays spent abroad by Romanians fell 20% compared to the same period a year ago, according to data presented by the National Association of Travel Agencies on Thursday.

Romanian Pres Blasts Education Min, Unions Over Sluggish Reform

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Thursday that education minister Ecaterina Andronescu resorts to unacceptable compromise in the reform of education, prodded by electoral interests, while unions are the main element blocking the improvement of the education system.

Romanian President: No Safeguard Clause Or Restrictive Fin Measures – Important, But Not Enough

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Romania has made progress in the justice sector and the fact that the EC didn’t trigger the safeguard clause or apply restrictive financial measures is important, but it is not enough.

Romanian Tourism Ministry Agrees To Scrap Limit On Holiday Ticket Fees – Official

Romania’s Tourism Ministry agrees with the proposition of associations in the sector to eliminate the cap on fees charged by tour operators for the sale of vacation packages using holiday tickets, set at 10% in the draft law introducing tickets, state secretary Corneliu Popovici said Thursday.