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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.

Romania Seeks To Be Party To Gas Exploration In Turkmenistan – Pres

17:28, 21 Iul. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said ahead of his departure for a two-day visit in Turkmenistan on Tuesday that Romania is looking for an opportunity to participate in natural gas exploration in the country.

EC Draft Report: EC Continues To Monitor Romania Under MCV, Next Assessment Due In Summer 2010

16:18, 21 Iul. 2009
The European Commission notes, in a draft justice report obtained by MEDIAFAX, that Romania does not meet conditions allowing the activation of a safeguard clause and the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification, or MCV, must continue.

Romanian Food Indus Owners Claim Store Chain Intervention Against Good Practice Code

15:53, 21 Iul. 2009
Large store chains have “swayed” high dignitaries in the Romanian Executive to delay, by all means necessary, and to block the draft Government Ordinance of the Good Practice Code in food commerce, promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, according to owners in the food industry.

EC Draft Justice Report Invites Romania To Strengthen High Court Role In Unifying Jurisprudence

15:21, 21 Iul. 2009
The European Commission’s draft report on Romania’s justice system, obtained by MEDIAFAX, "invites" Romania to strengthen the role of its High Court of Justice in unifying jurisprudence, including through streamlining appeals procedures and setting guidelines on penalties for corruption.

EC Draft Justice Report: Romanian Govt Reacted Effectively, Changes Must Produce Practical Results

15:19, 21 Iul. 2009
The Romanian government reacted effectively to the concerns expressed in the EC’s interim justice report of Feb 12, 2009, but reforms still have to produce practical results for citizens, the European Commission’s said in its draft report on Romania’s justice system, obtained by MEDIAFAX.

EC Draft Justice Report Invites Romania To Publicly Debate Procedure Codes And Adopt Them

15:15, 21 Iul. 2009
The European Commission’s draft report on Romania’s justice system, obtained by MEDIAFAX, "invites" Romania to assess the impact of the four legal codes and carry out a meaningful public debate on the procedure codes, which need to be implemented as soon as possible.

Romania’s „First House” Program To Also Include Mortgaged Newly-Built Flats

14:51, 21 Iul. 2009
Romania's Government will modify Thursday the guarantee contract for the "First House" with a provision to include in the program the newly-built apartments that are financed from loans and already mortgaged by their developers.

Bucharest Parking Spots Cost More Than In Berlin, Lisbon, Warsaw – Colliers

14:38, 21 Iul. 2009
The monthly fee set for a parking spot in Bucharest has grown this year, compared to 2008, by 33%, to $205, thus topping similar fees in Berlin, Lisbon or Warsaw, but remaining below the ones in Sofia and Budapest, according to real estate services company Colliers International.

Romanian Ex Footballer Gheorghe Popescu Never Collaborated With Communist Police – Sources

14:32, 21 Iul. 2009
Romania’s former football star Gheorghe Popescu received Tuesday a certificate attested he never collaborated with the country’s communist-era political police, sources within the institution in charge of communist police archives CNSAS told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Min Deems EC Report Obsolete, Points To Prosecutors’ Silence In Ex-Sport Min Case

14:29, 21 Iul. 2009
Romanian minister for the relation with Parliament, Victor Ponta, said Tuesday that the European Commission report is an obsolete bureaucratic instrument and criticized that the document does not mention the National Anticorruption Department’s silence in the case of former youth and sports minister

Romania’s Transp Ministry To Sign Comarnic-Brasov Hwy Construction Contract In Two Weeks-Min

14:14, 21 Iul. 2009
Romania’s Transport Ministry will sign in two weeks the lease-based contract with consortium Vinci/Aktor for the construction of the highway segment linking central cities Comarnic and Brasov, minister Radu Berceanu said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Romania Transp Min Owes RON90M To Bucharest-Ploiesti Highway Constructors

14:02, 21 Iul. 2009
Romania’s Transport Ministry owes 90 million lei (EUR1-RON4.2378) to companies handling the construction of the Bucharest-Ploiesti motorway, after the Court of Accounts decided to suspend payments due to a series of irregularities, minister Radu Berceanu said.

Bucharest Mayor Lobbies For Authorization To Hire Dalli Staff

13:44, 21 Iul. 2009
Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu said Tuesday he sent the government a memo asking authorization to hire personnel from the street parking management company Dalli Exim, which has been put out of business after local authorities took over public parking services.

Romanian Car Mkr Dacia Grants Over EUR2M In Vacation Bonuses To Employees In ‘09

12:05, 21 Iul. 2009
Romanian automaker Dacia, owned by French Renault, will grant vacation bonuses of 610 lei (EUR1=RON4.2397) this year for each of its nearly 14,000 employees, with the total net value of bonuses amounting to RON8.54 million (EUR2.01 million).

Some 100 Dalli Exim Employees Picket Bucharest City Hall

10:40, 21 Iul. 2009
Some 100 former employees of Bucharest parking lot management firm Dalli Exim gathered Tuesday in front of Bucharest City Hall, surrounding the institution and walking around it, in lack of picketing authorization, as they announced the day before, when they received layoff notices.

Romanian Authorities Confiscate Passports Of Five Israelis On Suspicion Of Egg Trafficking

09:24, 21 Iul. 2009
The Romanian police confiscated the passports of five Israelis suspected of involvement in the human egg trafficking case at the private fertility clinic Sabyc in capital city Bucharest, Ynetnews.com reported.

Romanian MDs To Give Up ‘Soviet Working Hours’ As Of Sep 1 – Min

21:06, 20 Iul. 2009
Romanian doctors will change their working hours as of September 1 to match the hours put in by European medical staff, as Romania is still using a “Soviet schedule,” Health Minister Ion Bazac said Monday.

Five Cos File Bids For ‘Tourist In Romania’ Ad Campaign

20:21, 20 Iul. 2009
Romanian Tourism Ministry on Monday announced five companies submitted bids to develop an estimated four million lei (EUR1-RON4.2397) advertisement campaign for the “Tourist in Romania” project.

Three Placed Under Preventive Arrest In Romanian Human Egg Trafficking Case

18:56, 20 Iul. 2009
The Bucharest Court decided Monday to apply preventive arrest over a 30-day interval for the three suspects detained within the investigation targeting human eggs trafficking.

Romania’s Interior Min Asks Energy Watchdog To Cut Public Lighting Tariff

18:52, 20 Iul. 2009
Romania’s Minister of Administration and Interior Dan Nica Monday asked the energy regulatory authority ANRE to find a solution to cut the electricity tariff for the public lighting system.

Romanian Govt To Write Off RON1.1B Debts Of Heating Plants – Min

18:29, 20 Iul. 2009
The Romanian Government will write off 1.1 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2397) worth of debts of 35 thermal power plants that are under the subordination of city halls, in a three month period at most, minister of Administration and Interior Dan Nica said Monday.