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Romanian President Invites Czech Cos To Invest In Romanian Agriculture, Rural Tourism

Romanian President Traian Basescu met Thursday in Prague with Czech businesspeople, whom he encouraged to invest in Romania’s agriculture and rural tourism, MEDIAFAX Czech Republic reported.

Romania Fin Minister Fined For Non-Payment Of Magistrates’ Bonuses

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Thursday has fined minister of Finance Gheorghe Pogea 20% of the gross wage for delaying the payment of wage bonuses to Romanian magistrates.

Romania Seeks Funds To Resume Works At Bucharest-Danube Canal

The Romanian Government is seeking funds worth EUR350 million to complete works at the Bucharest-Danube navigable canal, which might come from EU funds as well as from the state budget, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romanian PM Wants No Vacation For Public Servants Handling EU-Funded Projects

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Thursday urged the heads of decentralized services to ban public servants approving European Union-funded projects from going on vacation, in order to contract EU funds time and avoid losing them.

Rural Devt Projs Exceeding EU’s EUR700M Limit To Be Financed From State Budget – PM

Romania’s eligible projects of village development that were not eligible for European funding because they exceeded the EUR700 million threshold set by the EU, will be financed from the state budget, in a national rural development program, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romania Agriculture Min Cuts 23 Management Positions

Romania’s Agriculture Ministry will cut management positions by 36% to 42, following the dismantling of 11 out of 32 departments, ministry secretary general Miron Moldovan said Thursday.

Romania Gets EUR11.7M In EU Aid For Flood Damage

The European Commission on Thursday confirmed Romania will benefit from EUR11.78 million aid, following the severe floods of last summer.

Romanian Coach Mircea Lucescu Operated In Donetk After Mild Heart Attack

Romanian coach of Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk Mircea Lucescu suffered a mild heart attack Wednesday night and was operated in Donetk, prosport.ro reported.

Romania Hasn’t Complied With EU Waste Mgmt Rules, EC May Trigger Infringement

Romania hasn’t managed to close all its substandard landfills by Thursday and the European Commission can trigger infringement procedures over defective waste management anytime.

Romania 1Q PC Sales Dn 65.2% On Yr – IDC

The number of personal computers sold in Romania in the first quarter of the year decreased 65.2% compared to the first quarter of 2008, while sales decreased 67.1% in terms of value, research company International Data Corporation (IDC) said Thursday.

Romanian Mugur Isarescu Sets World Record As Longest Serving Central Bank Governor

The governor of the Romanian Central Bank, Mugur Isarescu, 60, has served as governor for 19 years, setting the world record of the Longest Serving Central Bank Governor, World Records Academy, the leading international organization which certifies world records, reported on its website Thursday.

Romania Reported Highest No Of Irregularities In ’08 On Pre-accession Funds

Romania reported to the European Commission in 2008 the highest number of irregularities or suspicions of fraud concerning pre-accession funds, and the European Union has to recover from the Romanian authorities EUR25.5 million following the problems it found.

EXCLUSIVE: International Adoptions Banned Only In Theory, Italians Adopt Romanian Children

Two Romanian children were adopted in Italy at the beginning of the year and Romanian authorities say Italian authorities refused to provide any information on these cases although they breached Romanian laws that ban adoption of Romanian children by foreigners.

Romanian Govt To Convert Into Shrs Oltchim’s Debts To Privatization Auth

Romania’s Government decided to convert into shares the EUR134 million debt of state-owned chemical plant Oltchim (OLT.RO) to the country’s privatization authority AVAS and to start the procedures to guarantee 80% of a EUR300 million loan taken by the company.

Romania, Moldova Union Depends On Both Nations’ Citizens – Romanian Pres

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Wednesday in Prague, in a meeting with representatives of the Romanian community, that, from his perspective, Romania’s union with the Moldova, should it ever come into question, could only be achieved at the desire of citizens in both countries.

Romanian Govt Postpones Vacation Bonus Granting Until Yearend

The Romanian Government decided to postpone the granting of vacation bonuses until the end of the year, when a complete analysis on the evolution of the economy and of the available budget resources will be performed, official sources told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romanian Pres Supports Ex-Communist States’ Accession To EU

Romanian president Traian Basescu supports the accession of Balkan states and former soviet states in the EU, but this needs to be done based on the Lisbon Treaty, Prague Chamber of Deputies spokesman Miroslav Vlček told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Govt Groups Trade Registry Fees Into Fewer Categories

The Romanian executive on Wednesday decided to group registration fees for companies that enroll in the country’s Trade Registry, in a move to simplify administrative procedures and reduce taxes.

Romania Confirms 56th Swine Flu Case

Romania confirmed on Wednesday its 56th infection with the new A/H1N1 flu virus, in a 19-year-old woman who returned from Turkey two days ago, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Romania Backs Construction Of US Radar In Czech Republic

Romania supports the construction of American antimissile radar device in the Czech Republic, Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday in Prague after meeting with his Czech counterpart Václav Klaus.

Romanian Deputies Can Approve Draft Law On Good Practices Code In Extraordinary Session – Agr Min

Romanian agriculture minister Ilie Sarbu said Wednesday he hopes the draft law on the Code of Good Practices in the food products trade will be adopted by the Chamber of Deputies in an extraordinary meeting.

Romanian Dacia Sales In Europe Up 28.6% In 1H ‘09

The number of new Dacia cars registered in the EU and Iceland, Norway and Switzerland grew, in the first half of the year, by 28.6%, to 117,131 units, with the brand seeing the strongest growth, according to data presented Wednesday by the European car makers' association ACEA.

Over 1,000 Prison Sys Employees Picket Romanian Justice Ministry

Over one thousand employees in Romania’s prison system picketed the headquarters of the Justice Ministry Wednesday, dressed in their uniforms, and called for the resignation of justice minister Catalin Predoiu and the management of the National Administration of Penitentiaries.

Romania, Hungary Approve Trans-Border Cooperation Projects Worth EUR13M

Romania and Hungary shortlisted 90 projects, out of 196 projects submitted via the Program of Trans-Border Cooperation between the two countries, which will be financed from European Union funds worth EUR13 million, Romania’s Regional Development and Housing Ministry said Wednesday.

Romanian Ex Justice Min Monica Macovei To Lead EP Delegation To Republic Of Moldova- MEP

European democrat liberal lawmaker Monica Macovei was nominated for the presidency of the European Parliament delegation to Moldova and her election is a certainty, democrat liberal MEP Marian-Jean Marinescu told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romanian Econ Ministry Extends Public Debate On Energy Sector Reorganization Until Aug

Romania's Economy Ministry will extend until the end of July or early August the public debates on the reorganization of the country's energy production sector, as talks with companies, trade unions and employers in the energy sector have not been completed yet.

Romania Calls For Preferential Access Of Its Workers To Western Europe Labor Mkt

Romania’s deputy prime minister Dan Nica will attend the informal Reunion of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Stockholm, Sweden and the Romanian delegation will call for preferential access of Romanian workers to the labor market in Western European countries.

Bechtel To Build 42 Km Of Transylvania Hwy In ’09 If Auth Relocate Utilities

American company Bechtel, in charge of building the Transylvania Highway, said a 42-kilometer segment of the highway will be completed this year if Romania observes the deadlines for the relocation of utilities and solves this problem by August.

Negligent Parents In Romania Should Have Parental Rights Terminated Sooner–State Secretary

Parents neglecting their children should lose parental rights sooner and underage children should become eligible for adoption after the mother has been counseled, if she claims she cannot raise her child, Ileana Savu, state secretary with Romania’s authority for children’s rights said Wednesday.

Romanian President Expresses Dislike With Cabinet Members

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Tuesday told the ministers attending the investiture ceremony of the new Youth and Sports minister that he stands united with the government, not because he likes them but because the economic crisis.

Romanian Pres Accuses Media, Politicians Of ‘Dirty’ Deal In EP Campaign

Romanian president Traian Basescu on Tuesday pointed to a “dirty” understanding between private television stations and politicians on the free broadcast of some electoral videos in the campaign for the European Parliament elections in exchange for unregistered public money from the candidates.

Nabucco Pipeline To Ensure 15% Of Romania’s Natural Gas Consumption

Romania will benefit each year from 2.58 billion of cubic meters of the total quantity of natural gas transported through the Nabucco pipeline, accounting for 15% of the current national gas consumption, state-owned gas pipeline operator Transgaz (TGN.RO) stated Tuesday.

Romanian PM: TMK-Artrom To Get Cheap Gas From Local Production

Romanian steel pipe producer TMK-Artrom Slatina (ART.RO) will receive gas from the domestic production, which is cheaper than imported gas, while the company’s slag resources will be used in infrastructure works such as asphalt preparation, Premier Emil Boc said Tuesday.

Renault Resumes Works At Its Romanian Car Testing Unit In Titu

France's Renault will resume in a few days the construction works at its Renault Technologie Roumanie (RTR) unit in the southern Romanian town of Titu, as the financing contracts are seen inked by September, RTR manager Philippe Prevel told MEDIAFAX on Tuesday.

Luminita Sorina Placinta Appointed Romanian Youth&Sports Minister

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Tuesday signed the decree appointing democrat liberal Luminita Sorina Placinta minister of Youth and Sports.

Romanian Youth&Sports Min Steps Down Amid Fraud Probe

Romanian Youth and Sports Minister, Monica Iacob Ridzi announced Tuesday she will step down to avoid damaging the government’s image.

Bucharest Subway Co. Pays RON56M For Disabled Access Elevators

Bucharest subway company Metrorex will pay some 55.9 million lei (EUR1-RON4.2175), VAT exclusive, to mount special elevators and platforms for the locomotor disabled.

Romania’s Jan-May Curr Acct Deficit Narrows 75.5% YY To EUR1.78B

Romania's current account deficit narrowed 75.5% in the first five months of 2009 to EUR1.78 billion, from almost EUR7.24 billion in the same period a year earlier, due largely to the lower trade deficit, the central bank said in a statement Tuesday.

Romanian Social Democrats Want Homeowners To No Longer Pay 20% Of Thermal Upgrade Costs

Romanian social democrats want homeowners’ associations to no longer pay 20% of apartment thermal refurbishment costs, Adrian Nastase, head of the National Council of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said Tuesday in a press conference.

Romanian Magistrates File Complaint Against Justice Min

The president of the Romanian Magistrates Association (AMR), Mona Pivniceru, said she will file a complaint against justice minister Catalin Predoiu at the Prosecution Office within the High Court of Justice, claiming the minister issued “a memo that defies the law”.