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August, Worst Month In 10 Years For Bucharest Hotels – Consultant

August was the worst month in revenues and demand of the past ten years for the 4- and 5-star hotels in Romania’s capital city Bucharest, and the occupancy rate fell to 30%-40% because of the economic crisis, according to consultancy company Trend Hospitality.

Romanian Education Minister Issues Order Regulating School Mgmt Appointments

Romanian Education Minister Ecaterina Andronescu issued an order Wednesday that bans school inspectorates from appointing school principals and assistants and stipulates that school managers will be appointed at the proposition of the managing boards of school inspectorates.

Romanian President Reassures Local Politicians No Longer Control Intelligence Services

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, on public television, that he does not think there still are politicians out there who control the country’s intelligence services, stressing he would take a firm stand if that happened.

Romania Reports First Infection With AH1N1 Virus In Southern High School

A high school student in Slobozia, southern Romania, was found to be infected with the new AH1N1 virus flu and her class will suspend activity for a week to avoid further infection among her classmates.

Romanian PM Meets Pope Benedict XVI In First Day Of Official Visit To Italy

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc and Pope Benedict XVI had a short meeting on Wednesday, part of his two-day official visit to Italy.

Romania’s Unirea Urziceni Loses 0-2 to Spain’s FC Sevilla In Champions League Debut

Romania’s Unirea Urziceni made its debut in the Champions League Group G with a 0-2 (0-1) loss to Spain’s FC Sevilla, which put the Spanish team at the top of the group.

One Romanian Brutally Killed By Five Spanish Xenophobes

One Romanian aged 33 was killed, Friday evening, near Madrid, by five Spanish youths, because of his Romanian origins, El Mundo informed.

Dinu Patriciu, Ex Georgian PM Buy Narodny Bank of Georgia – Interfax

Romanian businessman Dinu Patriciu, jointly with former Georgian Prime Minister Vladimir Gurgenidze, bought Narodny Bank of Georgia from Eurooil, a unit of RAKInvestment of the UAE, Interfax reported Wednesday.

Michelin Romania May Raise Shr Cap By RON510M At RON950M

The majority shareholder of Michelin Romania, Compagnie Financiere Michelin, part of French tire maker Michelin Group, might hike the share capital of the Romanian company by 510 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2618) to around RON950 million, by cash contribution.

Salman Rushdie Might Visit Romania In November

World-renowned author Salman Rushdie could visit Romania in November and is in advanced talks about that with Romanian publishing house Polirom, people close to the talks told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Cheapest Cigarette Pack In Romania To Cost RON7.1 Next Year, From Current RON6.4

The cheapest cigarette pack in Romania will cost 7.1 lei (EUR1=RON4.2618) next year, when excises increase, compared with the current price of RON6.4, and will reach RON12.4 in 2016, said Wednesday Philip Gambaccini, fiscal affairs manager of cigarette producer Philip Morris International.

Romania Convicted Ex General Smoked, Had Coffee Waiting For Release On Medical Grounds Ruling

Romanian retired general Victor Athanasie Stanculescu, sentenced to 15 years in prison for the killing of civilians in the 1989 revolution and released in May on medical grounds, had coffee and smoked while judges decided whether to send him back to prison.

Romanian Ex Youth Min Files Criminal Complaint Against Inquiry Committee

Romanian former youth minister Monica Iacob Ridzi filed a criminal complaint with the General Prosecutors' Office against the members of the parliament inquiry committee that investigated the manner in which the "Youth Days" event was organized.

Romanian Senate Adopted Tacitly Pension, Wage Amassment Law

The Romanian Senate on Wednesday tacitly adopted a draft law that prohibits the amassment of pensions and wages for retirees who took new jobs in the public sector and their pensions top gross average wage.

Romanian Parliament Commission Wants To Finish Drafting National Security Laws By Sept ‘10

A parliament commission drafting Romania’s national security laws plans to have the acts completed and submitted for Parliament debate by September 1, 2010, democrat liberal Cezar Preda, the commission president, said Wednesday.

Romania’s Two Pwr Holdings Deemed Operational In ‘10, Work In Vain Till ‘12

The two national power holdings the Romanian Government aims to set up through the reorganization of the country’s energy production will become operational in 2010, but they may operate to no avail until 2012, Economy Ministry’s secretary of state Tudor Serban said Wednesday.

Romanian President Salutes Investments In Rafo Oil Refinery In Times Of Economic Crisis

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, during a meeting with the management of oil refinery Rafo Onesti, that he is happy to see that Rafo paid all its debts to the state budget and that investments in upgrade works continue even in times of economic crisis.

Romania’s 8-Mo Budget Deficit At 4.4% Of GDP – Official

Romania’s consolidated budget deficit rose one percentage point in August, to 4.4% of the gross domestic product, Finance Ministry state secretary Gheorghe Gherghina told Mediafax, citing preliminary data.

Romanian Govt Plans To Write Off RON536.4M Debts Of Thermal Pwr Plants

The Romanian Government plans to write off debts accumulated by thermal power plants by June 30, 2009, totaling 536.4 million lei (EUR1= RON4.2673), including the fiscal obligations not paid for foreign loans taken with state guarantee, in order to ensure heat supply through the winter.

Romania’s President Accuses Parliament Of Blocking Corruption Files

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Tuesday in a speech in Parliament that “during the last five years the constitutional reform has not been concluded and no dignitary was convicted” while the Parliament is still blocking certain corruption files.

Romanian President Says Center-Left Ruling Coalition Was Necessary Compromise

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday evening in a speech in Parliament that the country’s center-left ruling coalition, which resulted from parliamentary elections last year, was a necessary political compromise.

Romanian President Urges For Reorganization Of High Council Of Magistrates

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Tuesday in a speech in Parliament, he is in favor of reorganizing the High Council of Magistrates, to have civil society representatives account for one third of the council's members.

Romanian President Presents List Of Priorities Before Parliament

Romanian President Traian Basescu presented Tuesday evening, at the end of his speech in Parliament, a list of 23 medium-term priorities he will uphold, such as constitutional reform and the fiscal responsibility law.

Romanian Pres Says Magistrates Enjoy Freedom But Don’t Know What To Do With It

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Tuesday evening before the Parliament that magistrates enjoy total freedom but they don’t know what to do with this freedom, and continued mentioning article 21 of the Constitution, the one referring to free access to justice.

Romanian President Salutes Govt Initiative „To Modernize Romania”

Romania’s president Traian Basescu said Tuesday after the Government asked the Parliament for a confidence vote to enact the three packs of laws he admires the courage of the Executive and the ruling coalition in their attempt to modernize the country.

Romanian PM Presents State Agency Restructuring Law

The government decided to reorganize its agencies after noting the number of employees has grown unjustifiably and the revenues are used for yachts, headquarters and bonuses, said Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc.

Romanian Magistrates Gross Wages Will Not Decrease – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday in Parliament that the gross salaries of magistrates will not be reduced under the unitary wage law for the public sector, but the judges and prosecutors will not be eligible for the same types of salary hikes applied to teaches and doctors until 2015.

Romanian PM Says Unitary Wage Law Upsets Those Who Lose Privilege

The Romanian unitary wage law for the public sector displeases certain categories of staff because it removes privileges and restores balance in a chaotic system, said Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc.

Romanian Actor Nicu Constantin Dies At Age 70

Romanian actor Nicu Constantin died Tuesday, at age 70, following a cardiac arrest after four months of hospitalization due to severe pulmonary illness.

Over One Thousand Romanian Unionists Protest In Front Of Parliament

Over one thousand Romanian unionists protest in front of the Parliament against the decision of the Government to ask the Parliament for a confidence vote today, to enact the law on education, the unitary wage law and a law reorganizing public institutions and government agencies.

Romanian PM Says Parliament’s Confidence Vote Is Necessary For Reform

The laws for which the Romanian Government is asking for the Parliament’s confidence vote are necessary to carry on with reform and a government unwilling to reform doesn’t justify its existence, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday in Parliament.

Romanian Parliament Starts Confidence Vote Meeting 45 Minutes Late

The Romanian Parliament meeting on Tuesday, in which the Government will ask for a confidence vote to pass three laws, started 45 minutes late, with most ministers present but in the absence of liberal lawmakers, who preferred to work on motions and challenges to the laws instead.

French Carmaker Renault Launches First Electric Car In Romania In 2011

French carmaker Renault presented Tuesday at the Auto Showroom in Frankfurt four electric car concepts, and one of the electric cars will be launched in Romania at the end of 2011, Dora Pasare, manager with Renault Romania, said Tuesday.

Moldova To Lift Visas For Romanians This Week, Says Interim President – Press

Romanians will be able to travel freely to the neighboring Republic of Moldova, as all other EU citizens, starting later this week, said the country’s interim President Mihai Ghimpu, cited by RFI Romania online.

Romania Wants To Exploit, Buy Uranium From Kazakhstan

Romania proposed Kazakhstan to exploit, through the National Uranium Company, the Asian state's reserves and to buy through long-term contracts the uranium needed for the operation of the future two nuclear reactors, Economy Ministry state secretary Tudor Serban said Tuesday.

Romania Transport Min Threatens To Fire Rail Co Mgmt – Sources

Romanian Transport Minister Radu Berceanu on Tuesday threatened to fire the general managers of the country's railroad companies along with sub-secretary of state Constantin Axinia unless they come up with financial solutions for the sector, people close to the talks said.

Romanian Tourism Min Says Need For Govt Resources Will Keep Social Democrats At Bay

Romanian tourism minster Elena Udrea said in a press conference Tuesday that the social democrats are interested in remaining in power and they will vote for the law packs for which the government intends to take responsibility later in the day.

Romanian Social Democrats Not Familiar With Law Packs Govt Takes Responsibility For

Romanian social democrat honorary leader Ion Iliescu left a party meeting Tuesday upset that social democrat leaders are still not familiar with the final format of the three packs of laws for which the Government will take responsibility before the Parliament later in the day.

Romania’s Population On Upward Trend In July ’09, First Growth In Last 6 Mos – INS

Romania’s population increased in July 2009, for the first time over the past six months, on the backdrop of a positive growth rate, the National Institute of Statistics, or INS, said Tuesday.

Romanian Auto Mkt Ranks 14th In EU By 8-Mo New Car Registrations

Romania’s auto market went down three spots in the EU in the first eight months of the year and ranks 14th, with a steeper decline in new car registrations that the EU average, the European carmakers’ association ACEA said Tuesday.