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Romanian Ctrl Bker: I “Foolishly” Hope No Fiscal, Salary Excess In ‘09

Valentin Lazea, the chief economist of the National Bank of Romania, stated Friday that he “foolishly” hopes there will be no fiscal and salary excesses in 2009, an election year, like it happened in 2008, which was also an election year.

Romania’s Tourism Promotion Campaign To Set Off In Paris on June 5

Romania’s Tourism Ministry said the campaign promoting the national tourism internationally, by means of former gymnast Nadia Comaneci, former tennis player Ilie Nastase and former football player Gheorghe Hagi, will set off on June 5 in Paris, alongside events within the Roland Garros tournament.

Romanian Szekler County Gets “.sic” Internet Domain Name

The president of the Romanian National Szekler Council (CNS), Izsak Balazs, announced Friday, in a press conference, that the Szekler County will soon be present online, as the Council obtained the ".sic" Internet domain extension for the area.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Arrest New Suspect In Football Graft Case

The manager of Romanian company Pic, Gheorghita Pieca, was detained Friday by anticorruption prosecutors, after about three hours of hearings, and was taken to the custody of the Arges County Police.

Romania Could Lose EUR1B Of EU Funds Unless It Amends Public Procurement Law – Liberal

Romanian Liberal Party vice-president Ludovic Orban called on the government to speed up amendments to the public procurement law, saying it breaches EU legislation and the country could lose E funds worth EUR1 billion.

Romanian Families To Pay EUR600/Apt For Thermal Refurbishment

Romanian authorities’ plan to thermally refurbish apartments might costs citizens around EUR600 per family, secretary of state with the Housing Ministry, Ioan Andreica said Friday.

Romania’s Econ Growth To Remain Negative In Next 2, 3 Q – IMF

Romania will continue to register a negative economic growth in the next two-three quarters, recovering at yearend or at the beginning of 2010, Jeffrey Franks, the IMF's mission chief to Romania, stated Friday in Bucharest.

Romanian Curriculum And Evaluation Center Director Resigns

The director of the Romanian National Center for Curriculum and Evaluation, Cristian Mirescu, resigned following the incident where the national history exam subjects contained a typo.

Bks Selected In Home Loans Guarantee Progr To Accept Charge-Free Early Loan Repay

The selection criteria of Romania’s banks that will further take part in the government’s program meant to guarantee loans contracted for the purchase of the first home will include charge-free early loan repayment and dwelling’s evaluation procedures, Premier Emil Boc said Friday.

Romania To Give Gazprom Tech Data For South Stream Gas Pipeline

Romania will give Russian group Gazprom some technical data for the construction of South Stream gas pipeline and aims to further partner with the group in projects for the construction of gas-run power plants for producing electric power.

New Prosecutor Dismissal In Romanian Inmate Release Aftermath

Romanian prosecutor Marius Vladoianu, under disciplinary investigations of his involvement in the scandal connected to the temporary release of inmate Serghei Gorbunov from prison, was excluded from the magistracy Thursday by the High Council of Magistrates, on grounds of “severe negligence”.

Italian Daily Il Giornale Dubs Romanian UEFA Cup Winning Coach “Gypsy”

Italian daily Il Giornale wrote Thursday that "the gypsy" Mircea Lucescu, the Romanian coach of football team Shakhtar Donetsk, won the UEFA Cup and brought the latest trophy in the competition to Ukraine.

Housing Loans Guarantee Program Also Depends On Bks

The state guarantee of the loans for buying the first home may stimulate the real estate and constructions market, but the result depends on how the program will be applied and on banks’ reactions, according to the representatives of real estate agencies, developers and construction companies.

Prince Charles Arrived In Romania, To Meet President, PM

Prince Charles of Wales arrived in Romanian capital Bucharest on Thursday afternoon and will meet with President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Emil Boc, and check on the projects he is carrying out in Transylvanian villages, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Ctrl Bk To Release EUR800M From Reserves – Gov

The National Bank of Romania BNR will release around EUR800 million out of reserves, following its decision to eliminate the minimum required reserve ratio for forex-denominated liabilities with a maturity of more than two years, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday.

Romanian Scriptwriter Ioan Antoci Wins ScripTeast Award At Cannes Film Festival

Romanian scriptwriter Ioan Antoci won the "Krzysztof Kieslowski" ScripTeast Award Wednesday, May 20, during the ceremony held in Plage des Palmes, within the Cannes Film Festival organized during May 13 –May 24.

Romania’s Economy To Start Recovery From „V” Recession – Ctrl Bker

The Romanian economy will go through a "V" shaped recession, with a sharp fall followed by a gradual recovery, and the deepest point was in the first quarter, the central bank’s governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday.

Romania’s Econ To Return To Positive Growth „Only” In 2H ’10 – IMF Official

Romania’s economic activity in the next quarters will depend on domestic policies and on global conditions, but the positive growth will resume only in the second half of 2010, said Tonny Lybek, IMF’s representative for Romania and Bulgaria.

Romanian Supreme Court Postpones Ruling In Bankrupt Fund File For June 4

Romania’s High Court of Justice postponed Thursday, for the third time, until June 4, a ruling in the case involving the country’s former National Investment Fund, or FNI, which went bankrupt in 2000.

Romania’s New Fiscal Code To Be Approved In 2H Of ’09 – Fin Min

The Romanian Fiscal Code will be approved in the second half of the year, after talks with social partners, said Wednesday finance minister Gheorghe Pogea.

Romanian Placed In Preventive Arrest In Hungary Under Charges Of Terrorism

One Romanian citizen from Romanian village Sambrias, Maramures county, Szasz Endre Istvan, was placed under preventive arrest for 30 days in Hungary, under charges of terrorism.

Romania Govt To Pull Initial Draft Legal Codes From Parliament

The Romanian Government decided to withdraw from the Parliament the initial draft Criminal and Civil Codes, in order to take responsibility for the new texts, and the Secretariat General of the Government will send to Senate a request in this respect, according to talks in today’s Government meeting

Romanian Government Approved Unitary Pension Law Principles

The Romanian Government has approved the principles which will be the base of the new unitary public pension system, deciding that the principle of mandatory occupational pensions be regulated by the Private Pension Supervision Commission (CSPP).

Radu Ghetea To Be Re-Elected President Of Romanian Bk Assoc – Sources

Radu Ghetea will be re-elected Thursday as president of the Romanian Banking Association, or ARB, for the fourth consecutive mandate, as many bankers told MEDIAFAX a change in the association’s management is not opportune in times of crisis.

Romania’s Gas Tariffs May Be Cut, According To EU Prices

Petru Lificiu, the president of Romania’s energy watchdog ANRE, said during the Government’s Wednesday meeting that the price of natural gas might be cut as of July 1 by a percentage set according to the tariffs in the European Union.

Romania’s Rompetrol Hikes Gasoline Prices By RON0.03 Per Liter

Romania’s second-largest oil company Rompetrol increased Wednesday its gasoline prices by 0.03 lei (EUR1=RON4.1630) per liter, while keeping the diesel oil prices unchanged.

Romania To Increase State Aid Ceiling For SMEs – PM

Romania will increase the ceiling for state aid granted to small and medium-sized companies, or SMEs, Prime Minister Emil Boc told government members at the beginning of the Cabinet meeting Wednesday.

Drought, Frost Damaged Over One Seventh Of Romanian Crops

Droughts and freezing have damaged over one million hectares of crops in fall and spring, from a total surface of seven million hectares, said Wednesday agriculture minister Ilie Sarbu.

Romania’s Water Consumption Could Be Restricted By 15% In Worst-Case Scenario

Romania’s water reserves are sufficient and, should meteorologists’ forecasts come true, no restrictions will be levied against the population, industry or agriculture as regards water consumption, the national authority “Apele Romane” (ANAR) said in a statement Wednesday.

Romania’s 2009 B’estfest Edition To Cost EUR3.3M, Gather 70,000 Fans

This year’s edition of B'estfest festival, taking place between July 1 and July 5 in Bucharest, has a budget of EUR3.3 million and a total 70,000 people are expected to attend, organizers Emagic said Wednesday during a press conference.

Romania Supreme Court Suspends High Profile Graft Trial

Romania’s Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to suspend the trial in which former labor minister Paul Pacuraru and Ilie Morega, member of the General Assembly of Shareholders in thermal power producers Rovinari and Turceni, are prosecuted on corruption charges.

Romanian Football Federation Pres, Officials, Subpoenaed In Corruption Case – Sources

The president of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), Mircea Sandu, the president and vice president of the FRF Appeal Committee, Doru Viorel Ursu and respectively Ion Cazacu, and the president of the FRF Discipline Committe, Daniel Cernat, were subpoenaed by anticorruption prosecutors.

Romanian Govt Will Consider Min Wage Hike After 1H Results – PM

The Romanian government doesn’t exclude the possibility of raising the minimum wage but talks on this issue will be held after the analysis of economic results in the first half of the year, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.

Romania Pledges Rough Anti-Corruption Measures In Healthcare

Romania’s Health Ministry recently told the officials of the European Commission’s evaluation mission in healthcare that it plans to introduce the co-payment system in healthcare and conduct an audit to monitor public purchases and check the integrity of medical staff in a bid to reduce corruption.

Romania Faces No Systemic Risk In Bk Sector – Ctrl Bker

Romania faces no systemic risks in the banking sector, and potential problems of certain lenders will be solved by recapitalization, but not from public funds, central bank's chief economist Valentin Lazea said Wednesday.

Romanian Ctrl Bk May Be Authorized To Request Changes In Bk Mgmt, Hldr

The National Bank of Romania might be authorized to request changes in the banks’ management or shareholding, if their activity is considered unsatisfactory, central bank’s chief-economist Valentin Lazea said Wednesday.

Romanian President Welcomes Prince Akishino Of Japan And Princess Kiko

Romanian president Traian Basescu and his wife Maria on Wednesday welcomed Prince Akishino, second son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan, and his wife, Princess Kiko, at the presidential Cotroceni palace.

Fin Crisis May Represent An Opportunity To Launch Reform Process – Romanian PM

The financial crisis may represent for Romania an opportunity to develop a process of economic reform, which has been delayed for 20 years, and to regulate certain issues, such as state salaries, the pensions system, and the decentralization, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc stated Wednesday.

S Romania Customs Employees Under Arrest On Bribery Charges

Eight employees of Romania’s roads and highways company, who work as cashiers in Giurgiu customhouse, southern Romania, were placed under 24-hour arrest on bribery charges.

This Year’s Romanian Fashion Week Put Off For Spring 2010

This year’s edition of Romanian Fashion Week, organized in the eastern Romanian city of Iasi, was postponed for spring 2010 on lack of funds, organizers said.