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Romanian Woman Among Victims Of Train Blast In Italy – Press

A Romanian woman is among the victims of the freight train explosion that occurred in Italy Monday night, according to Italian news website Affaritaliani.it, which published the provisional list of victims citing medical sources.

Romanian Govt Not Currently Planning To Hike Flat Tax, VAT -Fin Min

The Romanian Government does not currently plan to hike the flat tax or the value added tax VAT, minister of Finance Gheorghe Pogea said Tuesday evening, saying he has not talked to fiscal advisors on this issue.

Romania To Cut No Of Govt Agencies To Half By Mid-July

Romania will cut its number of government agencies to half by July 15, except for structures that have been created following negotiations with the European Union, of which Romania is a member,. Prime Minister Emil Boc said late Tuesday.

Romanian Youth&Sports Min Pledges To Resign If Allegations Proven

Romanian Youth and Sports Minister, Monica Ridzi said on Tuesday that she will resign if prosecutors decide they have a case against her, following allegations of fund misappropriation.

Lowest Price No Longer Sole Criterion For Romanian Public Bids – Transp Min

Romanian Transports Minister Radu Berceanu said Tuesday that the criteria according to which public work contracts are awarded in an auction will be changed, so that the price of the offer will have a weight of 40%, down from the 100% provided by current laws.

Romania Unable To Overpass Crisis On Its Own – Pres

President Traian Basescu on Tuesday said Romania would not be able to exit the crisis by itself, but only along with other states, as the crisis is mainly generated by the low export capacity on affected markets.

Romanian Pres: Govt Must Proceed To CEC Bk Capitalization, Not Wait For EC

Romanian Government must proceed to the capitalization of the state-owned lender CEC Bank and no longer wait for the opportunity decision of the European Commission’s bureaucrats, which is advancing too slowly, the country’s president Traian Basescu said Tuesday.

Romanian Privatization Auth Extends Again Avioane Craiova’s Offer Deadline

Romania’s privatization authority AVAS decided Tuesday to extend again, with 30 more days, the validity of the offer for the sale of state-owned airplane maker Avioane Craiova (AVIO.RO), after the Government received a proposal to extend AVAS’s mandate expiring today.

Romania’s Petrom To Cut Gasoline Prices On Excise Drop, Biofuel Introduction

Romania’s dominant oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) will decrease on Wednesday its gasoline pump prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON4.2067) per liter, on the excise decrease and the introduction of the 4% biofuel-added gasoline, just a day after it enforced a RON0.07 price hike.

Romania’s Presence In Operation Theaters To Lower To 1,667 Troops After Iraq Pullout

The number of Romanian troops in operation theaters abroad will be of 1,667 in 2010 following the pullout of troops from Iraq, Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday after a meeting of the county’s Supreme Defense Council.

Romania, U.S. Co-Chair NATO’s DGP Group On Proliferation

Romania and the U.S. will share the presidency of NATO’s Senior Defense Group on Proliferation (DGP) for one year, between July 1 2009 and June 30 2010, the Romanian Defense Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

Former Romanian MPs Set Up NGO To Defend Their Rights And Explain Parliament’s Role

Nine former Romanian MPs have set up a society, called the Association of Former Members of Parliament, which is to contribute to the Constitution’s revision, advise new MPs, watch over the separation of state powers and defend the rights of former MPs.

Romanian Senate Delays Vote On Pension, Wage Amassment Law

Romania's Senate on Tuesday decided to return to the Labor Committee the draft law regulating pensions and salary amassment in the public sector, delaying the vote until the fall.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Cuts Key Rate To 9%, Lowers Reserve Ratios

The Board of Romania's central bank decided Tuesday to cut the key monetary policy rate by 0.5 percentage points to 9%, starting with July 1, and to lower the minimum reserve requirements ratios on both Romanian leu- and foreign currency-denominated liabilities.

Romanian Transp Min Appoints New GM At Civil Aviation Auth, Voices 25% Wage Cut

Romania’s transport minister Radu Berceanu on Tuesday said he dismissed the general manager of the Romanian Civil Aviation Authority (AAC), Adrian Vasilache, and appointed Claudia Varlan to this position.

Romanian Transport Minister Replaces Manager Of Railway Co

Romanian transport minister Radu Berceanu sacked the manager of Romania’s railroad company CFR SA, Viorel Scurtu, and replaced him with Ion Garoseanu, vice-president of the Romanian Railway Group, people close to the matter said Tuesday.

Romanians Willing To Work Abroad Obliged To Entrust Children To Relatives – Senate

Romanians willing to find a job abroad are obliged to entrust their children, who remain in the country, to a family member, or they will be fined 2,500 lei (EUR1=RON4.2175) up to RON10,000, according to a legislative initiative tacitly adopted by the Romanian Senate.

Vaya con Dios Returns To Romania In October

Vaya con Dios, the band famous for songs like “Puerto Rico” and “Don’t cry for Louie”, will return to Romania for a concert on October 13 in Bucharest, organizers Events said Tuesday.

Romania To Issue Electronic Identity Cards As Of Feb 1, 2011

Romania’s National Inspectorate for Population Registration (INEP) on Tuesday said electronic identity cards would be issued as of February 1, 2011, according to a legislative amendment published Monday in the Official Journal of Romania.

Doru Tulus Reinstated Head of Division Within Romania’s Anticorruption Dept

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Monday signed the decree reinstating prosecutor Doru Tulus as head of Division II with the National Anticorruption Department (DNA), after the High Council of Magistrates (CSM) previously approved the proposal in this respect of justice minister Catalin Predoiu.

Over 50 Romanian Pupils Exposed To British Pupils Infected With A-H1N1 Virus

Vasile Guzganu, principal of the Romanian “Ioan Holban” high school in Iasi, eastern Romania, on Monday told the press that 53 Romanian pupils were exposed to the two British pupils diagnosed with the A-H1N1 virus, adding they are monitored by the local Public Health Department.

Romanian Beer Law Sent Back To Chamber Budget Committee

The Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Monday decided, at the proposal of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), to send the beer law, which stipulates facilities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the field, back to the Chamber's budget-finance committee.

Romanian Parliament Committee Continues Inquiry Against Youth Min – Official

The Parliament committee investigating Romania’s youth and sports minister Monica Iacob Ridzi will continue its activity and the legal committee with the Chamber of Deputies will analyze the liberals’ request on the start of prosecution against Ridzi, Chamber secretary Dumitru Pardau said Monday.

Romania Confirms Two More AH1N1 Flu Cases, Toll Reaches 27

Romania’s Cantacuzino Institute confirmed Monday two more cases of infection with the H1N1 virus, in two teenagers who arrived in Iasi, eastern Romania, from the U.K., on June 23, the Health Ministry said.

Total Costs In „First Home” Program, 42%-49% Lower Than Mortgage Loans – Romanian Fin Min

Romania's Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea on Monday said some offers of the 20 banks for the “First Home” program were below the limit imposed by the government, thus the total costs will be 42%-49% lower than for mortgage loans.

Romanian Health System Union Sanitas Threatens To Picket Ministry HQ, Citing Insufficient Salaries

Romanian health system employees threaten to picket the Health Ministry’s headquarters on July 14, unhappy with the fact that wages in the system will not be covered until the end of the year, Sanitas union federation vice-president Adrian Barea told MEDIAFAX on Monday.

Romanian Prosecutor General Asks President To Order Investigation Of Former Privatization Minister

Romanian prosecutor general Codruta Kovesi asked President Traian Basescu on Monday to order the criminal investigation of Ovidiu Musetescu, former privatization minister and former president of privatization authority APAPS, in the file on the privatization of Alro Slatina and Alprom SA.

Romanian Ctrl Bk: Lenders May Be Indirectly Affected By Cos’ Foreign Curr Loans Inked Abroad

Banks operating in Romania might be indirectly affected by the foreign currency loans contracted by large companies directly from abroad, according to the 2009 Financial Stability Report published Monday by the National Bank of Romania BNR.

Romania’s Fincl Sector Able To Deal With Moderate Shocks – Ctrl Bk

Romania’s financial system has proven able to absorb shocks of a relative moderate intensity and persistence during the economic crisis, as the risks were reduced due to the low external exposure, the central bank said Monday in its 2009 Financial Stability Report.

Romanian Mobile Ops To Unlock Coded Phones As Of Sept

Romanian mobile operators will unlock as of September, upon request, mobile phones that can only be used in their network, the Romanian telecom regulator ANCOM said Monday.

Romania Youth Min Calls For Cease Of Parliament Inquiry In The Wake Of Criminal Prosecution

Romania’s youth and sports minister Monica Iacob Ridzi urged the Parliament Monday to cease its investigation against her, arguing anticorruption prosecutors already launched a criminal probe on June 23 to check the way funds were spent for celebrations on Youth Day.

Fincl Crisis In Romanian Agriculture To Peak In Autumn – Interagro

Romania's agriculture sector will reach the peak of the financial crisis at the end of September and the beginning of October, when the farming cycle restarts, Interagro president Ioan Niculae said Monday.

About 300 Ethnic Roma Assault Police Squad In Rome, Two Romanians Arrested

About 300 ethnic Romas living in a camp in Rome, Italy, assaulted five police officers during a check-up and two Romanians were arrested following the incident, Italian daily La Repubblica reported in its online edition Monday.

Romania Confirms New H1N1 Infection; Total Cases Reach 25

Romania confirmed on Sunday its 25th swine flu case in a 35-year-old man who recently flew in from Spain, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Romania Healthcare Salary Might Increase By 35% – Draft Law

Romania’s latest version of the single and unitary salary law in the public system stipulates a 35% pay raise for personnel in the healthcare system, compared to the 75% raise in the previous version of the draft law.

Romania’s Ctrl Bk Likely To Cut Key Rate By 0.5% – Analysts

Romania’s central bank is expected to cut its key interest rate by 0.5% to 9% Tuesday, on a milder inflation and a deeper-than-anticipated drop in the GDP in the first quarter, analysts said Sunday.

Romania Tourism Min To Introduce 2% Flat Hotel Tax

Romanian Tourism Ministry plans to set a flat hotel tax nationwide of 2% of the net value charged for one night, according to the draft tourism Law.

Romanian Agric Min Set To Complete New Irrigation Sys By March 2010

Romania’s Agriculture Ministry will complete by March next year the design of a new irrigation system, as the existing one is obsolete, Minister Ilie Sarbu said Saturday.

Romanian IAR Ghimbav To Sack 280 Employees As Of Jul 1, Other 350 In Apr ’10

Romania’s sole helicopter maker IAR Ghimbav (IARV.RO) will lay off 280 employees July 1 and another 380 persons in April 2010, as part of a reorganization program approved Thursday by the company’s stockholders.

TI-Ro Head Victor Alistar Vows To Sue Integrity Agency For Slander

Transparency International Romania (TI-Ro) head, Victor Alistar, told a press conference Friday he would sue the National Integrity Agency (ANI) over slander and also apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).