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„First House” Program Should Aim At New Constructions – Romanian ACC Producers

Romania’s “First House” program should aim at new constructions, started in 2009, and it should also finance the own building, according to the autoclaved concrete ACC producers’ association.

Romania Online Advertising Mkt Up 70% On Yr In ’08, To RON72.5M – Study

Romania’s online advertising market increased 70% in 20008, to 72.41 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1928) from RON42.6 million in 2007, according to the latest edition of Romanian Online Advertising Study (ROADS) drafted by IAB Romania and PwC Romania.

Romanians To Benefit From Free Wi-Fi Access In 345 New Hotspots Countrywide

Romanian citizens will benefit by end August from free wireless access to Internet in some 345 new hotspots nationwide, following a government program in partnership with local authorities, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.

Romanian Lifeguards Threaten To Stop Work Citing Unpaid Wages

Romanian lifeguards in the Black Sea resort of Mamaia will no longer attempt to rescue people in danger of drowning, as they have not received their pay from the Government, National Lifeguards’ Association vice-president Adrian Rapa said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Romanian State Guarantee System For „First Home” Program To Be Simplified – PM

The Romanian state guarantee system for the “First Home” program will be simplified so that the procedures can only be unrolled through the SMEs National Guarantee Fund and the Finance Ministry, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.

Romanian Tourism Ministry Mulls Paying Travel Agencies EUR2 Per Foreign Tourist

The Romanian Tourism Ministry plans to introduce, either this year or the next, the so-called “incoming tax”, granting bonuses to tourism agencies for each foreign tourist they bring to Romania, tourism minister Elena Udrea said Wednesday.

Romanian Ex-Fund Manager Maria Vlas Sentenced To Eight Yrs In Prison- Court

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a lower court ruling that previously sentenced Ioana Maria Vlas to eight years in prison in the collapse of the National Accumulation Fund, or FNA, but the decision of the appeals court can be challenged.

EXCLUSIVE: Isarescu Intends To Get A New Mandate As Romanian Ctrl Bk Governor

The National Bank of Romania governor Mugur Isarescu told MEDIAFAX he is interested in obtaining a new mandate to head the central bank, a position he has filled for the past 19 years.

TI: Romanian Govt Efforts To Fight Corruption ‘Ineffective’

More than half of Romanians believe government’s actions against corruption are ineffective, Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International (TI) said Wednesday.

Massive Storm Hits 15 Romanian Counties, Bucharest

Romanian deputy prime minister Dan Nica said Wednesday that, following the storm on Tuesday, there were floods in 15 counties and Bucharest, 140 households in 44 localities, as well as 600 hectares of crops, and five national roads were damaged.

Romanian Bks Offer Rates Up To 14% For Euro, Up To 23% For RON On „First Home” Loans – Sources

More than 20 banks filed indicative offers on their effective annual interest rate, or AER, for the “First Home” program, varying between 5.5% and 14% for euro-denominated loans, and between 13% and 23% for Romanian leu-denominated loans, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Social Democrats To Analyze Ruling Coalition After EP Elections – Party VP

Romanian social democrats, part of the country’s ruling coalition, will analyze how the coalition with democrat liberals is working after elections for the European Parliament, Social Democratic Party vice-president Liviu Dragnea told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Thirteen Romanian Counties Affected By Tuesday Night Storm

Forty localities in 13 Romanian counties have been affected by the storm Tuesday night, with the most damage in the counties of Neamt, Valcea and Braila.

Romania’s Petrom Starts Building Pwr Plant In Brazi In EUR500M Invest

Romania’s dominant oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) began construction works at its gas-fueled electricity plant in Brazi, in the southern county of Prahova, in an investment estimated at EUR500 million, the company announced Wednesday.

President Basescu: I Reconfirmed Romania’s Support For Two-State Solution, Israel And Palestine

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday evening, when he returned to Romania after a three-day official visit to Israel, that he reconfirmed Romania’s support for the peaceful two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, "living side by side in peace and security."

Violent Storm Floods Streets, Fells Trees In Romanian Capital Bucharest

Several streets in Romania’s capital city Bucharest were flooded Tuesday evening during a violent storm that also fell trees and broke people’s windows.

Bucharest Local Authorities In Districts 1,2 Get Green Light For Cable Car Proj

Bucharest councilors approved on Tuesday the draft decision on the partnership of the Local Councils of districts 1 and 2 to execute the cable car project and to outfit the series of lakes on Colentina river, which will be the car’s route.

New Swine Flu Suspicion In Romania

A 19-year-old teenager who arrived from New York recently was admitted to the infectious diseases hospital in Cluj, northeast Romania, with swine flu-like symptoms, health ministry officials said Tuesday.

Romanian President To Meet Bankers On Wednesday – Sources

Romanian President Traian Basescu will meet on Wednesday with representatives of the central bank, of the Romanian Association of Banks and of major banks on the market, official sources told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian Education Unions Call For Pay Raise Law To Be Applied

Romanian education unions threaten to call on the International Labor Organization and European Court of Human Rights if Law 221/2008, increasing their income by 50%, is not applied.

Romanian Decree Blocking Teachers’ 50% Pay Raise Deemed Unconstitutional – Court

Romania’s Constitutional Court decided Tuesday that the provisions of Government Emergency Ordinance 151/2008 regarding wage hikes for teachers, which blocked the 50% pay raise for teachers, are unconstitutional.

Romanian Mefin To Send Its Employees On Technical Unemployment As Of Jun 2

Romanian car parts maker Mefin Sinaia (MEF.RO) decided to send all its 508 employees on technical unemployment between June 2 and July 1, after it scrapped last week the layoff decision announced mid-May, the company said Tuesday.

Romanian Govt Received 16 Bks’ Ok To Join „First Home” Program

The Romanian Government received answers from 16 banks that want to join the “First Home” program, which is due to start by early July, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday.

Apple Distributor In Romania Sees ’09 Sales Up By 20%

Integrated Romanian Information Systems IRIS, the distributor of Apple products in Romania, sees a 10% or 20% sales hike in 2009, from the previous EUR13 million sales estimated for 2008.

S Romania Judges Allow Bail For Another Football Corruption Suspect

The Arges Court, southern Romania, allowed Tuesday the release on bail of Gheorghe Constantin, former head of the Central Commission of Referees (CCA), but anticorruption prosecutors immediately challenged the decision and the appeal will be tried in the Pitesti Court of Appeals.

Romanian Liberal MP Questions Ballot Printing Contract Attribution

Romanian liberal MP Horea Uioreanu accused the Government of having attributed, to a company close to the social democrats, the printing of voting ballots in the EP elections, without having organized an auction.

Romania Extends Flood Advisory To 21 Counties

Heavy rains of up to 50 liters per square meters expected throughout Romania have prompted hydrologists to issue a flood advisory for 21 counties from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon.

Romanian Ruling Coalition Protocol Could Break After EP Elections- Senator

Romanian social democrat senator Alexandru Mazare said Tuesday that several party branches in the country wish to break the protocol signed with ruling coalition partners democrat liberals and a decision in this respect will be made after EP elections.

EC Calls For Romania’s Support In Finding A Swine Flu Vaccine

The European Commission has called for Romania’s support in finding a vaccine against the new H1N1 flu virus, the Health Ministry said Tuesday.

S Romania Judges Allow Bail For Football Corruption Suspect Liviu Facaleata

The Arges Court (S Romania) allowed Tuesday, the release on bail of Pic store manager Liviu Facaleata, after his family put up his 20,000 lei (EUR1 = RON4.1817) bail.

Romania’s Public Sector Unitary Pay Law Can Be Applied As Of 2021 – Union Leader

Romania’s unitary wage law for the public sector will be applicable as of 2021, Vasile Marica, head of the "Sed Lex" union federation, said Tuesday following a meeting of the working group drafting the law.

Romanian President Pushes For Investments In County’s Agric, Food, Tourism Sectors

Romanian President Traian Basescu met Tuesday in Jerusalem with a group of Israeli businesspeople and told them that one can make “successful investments” in Romania in the food industry, agriculture and tourism sectors, assuming they will not vanish away.

Romanian Woman Aboard Missing Air France Flight Is Violeta Bajenaru-Declerck

The Romanian woman who was on board the Air France jet that went missing over the Atlantic Monday is Violeta Bajenaru-Declerck, a university teacher at the Ecole de Bois in Nantes, France, originally from the Romanian eastern city of Buzau, local sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romania’s 6th Potential Swine Flu Case Is False Alarm – Health Min

The boyfriend of the Romanian woman who arrived from New York to Romania on May 29 carrying the AH1N1 virus, is not contaminated, as lab tests revealed he is suffering from a mere respiratory illness and will be released from hospital Tuesday, according to the Romanian Ministry of Health.

Romanian 1Q Residential Constr Dn By 306 To 10,595 Units

The number of residential constructions completed in the first three months of 2009 fell by 306 units on the year, at 10,595 units, the National Statistical Institute, or INS, said Tuesday.

Romanian Woman Onboard Missing Air France Flight

Romanian Foreign Ministry on Monday confirmed one of the passengers aboard the Air France jet that went missing over the Atlantic Ocean is a Romanian woman.

Romania Airports To Get New Health Forms Shortly – Official

Romanian airports will receive the new health forms for people entering the country in the next couple of days, Health Ministry’s undersecretary of state Raed Arafat said Monday.

Romania Identifies 6th Possible Swine Flu Infection

The boyfriend of a 28-year-old Romanian woman infected with the new H1N1 virus was admitted to the hospital with swine flu-like symptoms on Monday, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Romanian Beginner Teachers Could Received Triple Pay Under New Wage Grid

The salary of beginner teachers could grow three times, according to the proposed salary grid in education, to over 3,000 lei (EUR1 = RON4.1817), while the pay of experienced teachers could grow by some 80%, said the vice president of the Romanian Federation of Free Unions in Education, Simion Hance.

Colliers: Bucharest Apartment Prices Slightly Dn M-M In May

The prices of both old and new apartments in Romania's capital city, Bucharest, fell by an average 1% on the month in May, and they were down 10% compared with the beginning of the year, according to a report of real estate company Colliers International.