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

21:21, 23 Iul. 2009
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

21:17, 23 Iul. 2009
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

20:38, 23 Iul. 2009
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

20:20, 23 Iul. 2009
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

19:43, 23 Iul. 2009
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

19:19, 23 Iul. 2009
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

17:38, 23 Iul. 2009
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

16:58, 23 Iul. 2009
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

16:54, 23 Iul. 2009
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

15:56, 23 Iul. 2009
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.

Israeli Doctors Needed Romanian Ministry’s Permission To Work In Sabyc Clinic – Health Min

14:53, 23 Iul. 2009
Romanian health minister Ion Bazac on Thursday said the Israeli doctors were not allowed to work in the Sabyc fertility clinic without the approval of the Health Ministry, adding that they didn’t ask for such an authorization from the ministry.

Romanian Prosecutor Gen Requires Parliament Approval To Investigate Ex Youth Min

14:41, 23 Iul. 2009
Romanian prosecutor general Codruta Kovesi required Parliament approval Thursday for the opening of criminal investigations on former youth and sports minister Monica Iacob Ridzi over misappropriation of public money.

Romanian Justice Min Deems Reform Process In Legal Sector A Priority

14:05, 23 Iul. 2009
Romanian justice minister Catalin Predoiu on Thursday said that finding a solution to continue the reforms and the changes in the legal system in times of deep crisis should be the priority in the upcoming period.

Romanian Govt To Consult With IMF On Unitary Pay Law Before Completing Draft

13:32, 23 Iul. 2009
The Romanian government will consult with the International Monetary Fund starting next week on the structure and application of the unitary pay law in the public sector and will then complete the draft law, government sources told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Hungarian Police Arrests New Suspect In Romanian Handball Player Murder

13:29, 23 Iul. 2009
Hungarian police arrested Wednesday a 26-year old man connected to the murder of Romanian handball player Marian Cozma in February, said Police spokesman Zoltan Csanyi, quoted by Hungarian press agency MTI.

Romanian Tourism Min Says Parliament Should Investigate All Former Liberal Ministers

13:12, 23 Iul. 2009
Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea said she thinks the Parliament should set up inquiry committees for all the liberal ministers of the country’s former government, to check how they spent public money.

Romanian National Integrity Agency To Check Wealth Of Youth Min – Sources

12:48, 23 Iul. 2009
The Romanian National Integrity Agency (ANI) took notice and initiated investigations regarding the wealth of new youth and sports minister Sorina Placinta, agency sources told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Romania Halts Tourism Brand Proceedings Over Bid Challenge

12:39, 23 Iul. 2009
Romanian Tourism Ministry has suspended proceedings to select the winner of a EUR2 million contract to create the country’s tourism brand, pending settlement of four challenges to the auction process, minister Elena Udrea said Thursday.

Romania’s Tourism Law Hopefully In Parliament In Fall – Minister

12:02, 23 Iul. 2009
Romania’s new tourism might enter debates in Parliament at the resuming of works in fall, after the summer recess, Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea said Thursday at the seminar Mediafax Talks about Romanian Tourism.

Romania’s Steaua Bucharest Rattled By Bomb Threat In Budapest

11:07, 23 Iul. 2009
The staff and team of Romanian football club Steaua Bucharest was waken up Wednesday night, around 02:00 local time, following a bomb threat at their hotel in Budapest, according to Romanian sports daily ProSport.

Romanian Prosecutors To Probe Fraud Allegations Against Ex-Youth Minister

08:56, 23 Iul. 2009
Romanian anticorruption prosecutors on Wednesday requested prosecution against former youth minister Monica Iacob Ridzi on corruption charges, the head of National Anticorruption Department (DNA), Daniel Morar, said.

Romania’s Govt OKs „First House” Program’s Changes – Sources

19:34, 22 Iul. 2009
Romania’s Government approved Wednesday the changes brought to the "First House" program and agreed during the bank managers’ Tuesday talks with Prime Minister Emil Boc, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Cos Need Optimism To Overcome Crisis – PM

15:54, 22 Iul. 2009
The Romanian Government will support companies that face difficulties, but a note of optimism is also needed to overcome the harmful effects of the economic crisis, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.

Bucharest Court of Appeals Suspends Hwy Consultancy Contract Attribution

15:50, 22 Iul. 2009
The Bucharest Court of Appeals decided Wednesday to suspend the attribution procedure involving the consultancy contract sold by the National Company for Highways and National Roads (CNADNR) in the construction of the Medgidia-Constanta highway.

Romanian Chamber Speaker: EC Report, Sign Of Confidence In Govt

15:47, 22 Iul. 2009
Romanian Chamber of Deputies speaker Roberta Anastase said Wednesday that the European Commission’s positive report on Romania’s justice system may be considered a sign of confidence on the part of the EU executive in the Romanian government.

Romania May Defer Tax Exemption Of Reinvested Pft For ’10 – SMEs Min

15:04, 22 Iul. 2009
Romania’s Government decision to not tax reinvested profit will be postponed, most likely for next year, as it requires changes in the Tax Code, the minister for small- and medium-sized enterprises Constantin Nita said Wednesday.

Romania, Bulgaria Gained Reform Momentum, Monitoring Continues Under CMV – EC

15:04, 22 Iul. 2009
Romania and Bulgaria, the European Union’s newest members, have gained momentum in making reforms, but the European Commission feels the countries should continue to be monitored, Commission spokesman Johanes Laitenberger said Wednesday at the presentation of the reports on the two countries.

Romania To Finish ROP Contracts Two Yrs Ahead 2013 Deadline – Min

15:00, 22 Iul. 2009
Romania’s Development Ministry plans to finish signing the contracts financed through the Regional Operational Program (ROP) by end 2011, two years ahead the deadline imposed by the EU, to avoid possible application problems, Minister Vasile Blaga said Wednesday.

Romania Gets Code Yellow Warning For Hot Weather, Valid Until Saturday

14:56, 22 Iul. 2009
Romanian meteorologists on Wednesday issued a code yellow warning for hot weather, valid from Thursday afternoon until Saturday for 33 counties, where temperatures could go above 38 degrees Celsius and the thermal discomfort will exceed the critical threshold.

Romanian My Air Passengers Can Use Blue Air Flights, Paying Airport Taxes

14:04, 22 Iul. 2009
Airline company Blue Air informed the passengers of the cancelled My Air flights that they can use the company’s planes on the route Romania-Italy and back, regardless of the departure or landing spots, paying just the airport taxes connected to the flight.

Guano Apes To Perform In Bucharest In September

13:25, 22 Iul. 2009
Guano Apes, one of Europe's best known rock bands, will perform at Tuborg Green Fest in Bucharest in the first week of September, an event which will feature over 15 Romanian and international artists, the organizers said.

Romanian Fuel Consumption Seen Slightly Up By YrEnd, After 10% Fall In 1H – MOL

13:16, 22 Iul. 2009
MOL Romania, the local unit of Hungary's oil group MOL, expects a slight increase in fuel consumption by the end of the year, after a fall of over 10% on the segment of corporate clients in the first half of the year.

Five My Air Flights Due To Take Off From Bucharest Cancelled Wednesday

12:24, 22 Iul. 2009
Low-cost airliner My Air on Wednesday cancelled five of the six flights due to take off from Bucharest’s Baneasa airport, according to the airport’s general manager, Gheorghe Mihalcea, who stressed My Air officials failed to offer any information whatsoever in this respect.

Spiru Haret University Degrees Valid Until Situation Resolved – Romanian Education Min

10:14, 22 Iul. 2009
All degrees issued by Spiru Haret University will stay valid until the situation in the institution is resolved, education minister Ecaterina Andronescu said in a press conference.

Ec Draft Report: Romania Should Not Politicize Judicial Reform Process

20:50, 21 Iul. 2009
Romania has regained its reform momentum, but in order to be able to demonstrate sustained progress, the judicial reform process should not be politicized, the European Commission said in its draft justice report, obtained by MEDIAFAX.

Dacia’s New SUV To Come With A 7-Seat “Kanjara” Version – Paper

19:45, 21 Iul. 2009
Romanian carmaker Dacia’s new SUV, based on the Duster concept showcased in Geneva this year, is reportedly to come with a 20 centimeters longer seven-seat version, dubbed Kanjara, the French magazine L’Automobile said Tuesday.

EC Report Notes Local Authorities Lack Initiative In Fight Against Corruption

18:34, 21 Iul. 2009
Territorial prosecution offices and local education, healthcare and fiscal authorities show lack of initiative in detecting local corruption, but the initiative of Romania’s General Prosecutor to adopt local anticorruption strategies is appreciated in the EC’s draft report on justice.

ING Bank Romania Withdraws From „First House” Program, Launches Its Own Loan Offer

18:14, 21 Iul. 2009
ING Bank Romania withdrew from the "First House" program, planning to launch a similar mortgage loan product, but without the state guarantee, with a 5.5% interest rate and a maximum ceiling of EUR80,000, the bank’s retail unit manager Albert Roggemans told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

EC Draft Report Criticizes Trial Suspension Over Unconstitutionality Exceptions

17:57, 21 Iul. 2009
The European Commission states in its draft report on Romania’s justice system, obtained by MEDIAFAX, that suspending trials over exceptions of unconstitutionality causes unacceptable delays and the procedure should be mended.

EC Draft Report: Reappointment Of Romania’s Anticorruption Chief Is Important Step For Stability

17:33, 21 Iul. 2009
The reappointment of Daniel Morar as head of Romania’s National Anticorruption Department (DNA) is an important step in ensuring stability and continuity in the fight against high level corruption, the European Commission said in its draft justice report, obtained by MEDIAFAX.