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Romania Eyes Normal Bilateral Ties With A Democratic Moldova

14:39, 07 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said he hopes democratic forces will reach common ground to endorse "the Republic of Moldova in its way toward the European Union,” stressing the Romanian authorities want to secure normal bilateral ties with Moldova.

Romanian President Boasts Fair Play In Relation With Local Press

13:09, 07 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said the Romanian press rejoices "total freedom," adding no journalist in Romania can ever complain about the president taking action against them or the things they wrote.

Romania’s FC Steaua Moves On To Europa League Play-offs

09:24, 07 Aug. 2009
Romania’s FC Steaua Bucharest qualified in the play-offs of UEFA’s Europa League after scoring three goals in the away match against Scottish Motherwell.

Romania’s Transport Min: CFR Marfa Will Be Sold In 2010

18:57, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian rail freight company CFR Marfa will be privatized in 2010 and other two state-owned railway companies CFR Calatori and CFR SA will be reorganized, Thursday said Transport Minister Radu Berceanu after talks with the IMF mission in Bucharest.

IMF Restricts Romania’s Invest In Road Infrastructure – Transp Min

18:14, 06 Aug. 2009
The International Monetary Fund opposes Romania’s authorities decision to continue the construction of roads and highways with funds from the European Investment Bank, as it triggers a higher budget deficit, Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Thursday.

EHF Suspends Romanian Coach, Handball Federation Ex-VP Over Match Fixing Attempts

17:02, 06 Aug. 2009
The European Handball Federation said Thursday that Romania’s national team coach Aihan Omer and the former vice-president of the Romanian Handball Federation, Petru Paleu, have been suspended from all international competitions for five years because they tried to bribe referees.

Romanian PM Wants Govt To Assume Responsibility For Laws On Wages, Pensions, Education

16:03, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Thursday said on the public radio he wants the Government to assume responsibility for the unitary wage law in the budget sector, the law on pensions and on education, adding the Constitution doesn’t limit such initiatives.

Romanians Associate Public Institutions With Bureaucracy, Corruption – Report

15:24, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanians associate local institutions with bureaucracy, corruption and disrespect toward citizens, according to a survey of the National Agency of Public Servants (ANFP) regarding citizens’ satisfaction with the work of local authorities and public institutions.

Romania PM: President Traian Basescu To Represent Democrat Liberals In Presidential Elections

15:06, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian democrat liberal Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday on public radio that acting President Traian Basescu will represent the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) in the presidential race in autumn, adding he doesn’t wish to run for president of Romania.

Romanian PM Meets Local Authorities Monday To Discuss Cost Standards

14:54, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc will meet Monday afternoon, at the government’s headquarters, with representatives of local authorities for a first discussion regarding cost standards, which will become mandatory for all local public institutions.

IMF Financing Might Boost Romania’s Economy – Ctrl Bker

13:54, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu Thursday said that directing the EUR1.9 billion second tranche from the International Monetary Fund loan to finance the budget deficit could help revive the economy.

Romania Proposes Porumboiu’s „Police, adjective” For 2010 Academy Awards

13:50, 06 Aug. 2009
The feature film "Politist, adjectiv"/”Police, adjective” by Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu is Romania’s proposal for the 2010 Academy Awards in the best foreign language film section, officials of the National Center for Cinematography told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Romania’s Curr Acct Gap, Foreign Debt See Positive Evolution – Ctrl Bker

13:03, 06 Aug. 2009
Romania's current account deficit and external short-term debt saw a positive evolution in the first six months, leading to a stable exchange rate, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday.

Romanian PM Hell-Bent On Pension Sys, Public Sector Wage Reforms

12:12, 06 Aug. 2009
The Romanian public sector unitary wage law and the pension system law cannot be enacted unless the Government takes responsibility, as "they will rock the foundations of the public system", while the Government will "enact them or step down", said Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc.

Romanian President Wants 2nd IMF Loan Tranche To Fund Budget Deficit

12:01, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Wednesday that he would talk to IMF representatives on using the second tranche of the IMF loan to finance the budget deficit instead of raising central bank's foreign currency reserves.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Revises Dn ’09 Inflation Forecast To 4.3%, ’10 CPI Seen At 2.6%

11:43, 06 Aug. 2009
Romania's central bank revised its forecast on the annual inflation rate in December to 4.3%, from 4.4% estimated in May, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday.

Some 15,000 “Useless” Public Servants Need To Go – Romanian President

09:43, 06 Aug. 2009
Romanian president Traian Basescu said Wednesdayon on public television that his recent statement regarding the laying off of 20% of state employees did not refer to 300,000 people, but to 10-15,000, adding the measure should be based on employee performance evaluations.

Romanian FC Timisoara Qualifies For Champions League Play-Off

09:40, 06 Aug. 2009
Romania’s FC Timisoara tied 0-0 in the home match against Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetk, coached by Romanian Mircea Lucescu, and qualified in the Champions League play-off, after it secured a 2-2 tie in the away match.

Second Climber Severely Injured In Mont Blanc Is Romanian – Foreign Affairs Ministry

21:14, 05 Aug. 2009
The second mountain climber involved in the accident on the Mont Blanc mountain is Romanian, spokesperson of Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Alin Serbanescu told MEDIAFAX on Tuesday evening, adding he is in hospital in a severe condition after suffering multiple fractures.

Romanian Hidroelectrica To Build New Hydro-Pwr Plant By ‘12 In EUR200M Invest

20:21, 05 Aug. 2009
Romanian state-owned hydropower generator Hidroelectrica will complete in 2012 the construction works at a new hydropower plant on Jiu River, in an investment estimated at EUR200 million.

EC Claims Romanian Bridge Toll Is Legal, FORT Complaint Is Pending

19:08, 05 Aug. 2009
A vignette state, such as Romania, can collect road and bridge tolls, according to the EU’s Press Office, adding that the European Commission has not yet received any complaints regarding the toll collected on the Romanian Fetesti-Cernavoda bridge.

Romanian Petrom Considers Shutting Down Doljchim Chemical Plant – CEO

18:29, 05 Aug. 2009
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) might shut down its chemical plant Doljchim, unless it can find a solution to continue operations, Petrom chief executive Mariana Gheorghe said Wednesday.

Romanian Luxury Car Market Plummets In 1H Of ’09

16:03, 05 Aug. 2009
Luxury car sales in Romania decreased in the first half of the year to one third of the sales registered in the same interval of 2008, to less than 60 units, spelling a sharper decline compared to the general car market, which halved in the interval analyzed.

IMF Keeps Initial Calendar For Romania’s Adoption Of Public Sector Pay Law But Is Open To Talks

15:56, 05 Aug. 2009
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintains the calendar for the adoption by Romania of a single and unitary law regulating salaries across the public sector, but is open to talks with government on the matter, said Wednesday, Jeffrey Franks, head of the IMF mission to Romania.

Romanians Think Govt Unable To Fix Economy, Trust Central Bank – Survey

14:19, 05 Aug. 2009
Romanians don’t trust their government to come up with solutions to get the country’s economy back on track but look to the central bank as the only institution that considers their interests, according to a survey by research company GfK.

Romania’s 09 GDP Contraction Seen Above 8% In New Scenario – Sources

12:18, 05 Aug. 2009
Romania’s 2009 economic contraction is forecast at 8%-8.5% in a new scenario to modify the macroeconomic frame on which the country’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund was based, according to people involved in negotiations with the IMF.

Romanian Govt Officials To Meet With IMF Delegation Wednesday

12:02, 05 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc and all ministers will meet with the delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the Romanian Government headquarters, around 17:30 local time, after the weekly meeting of the government, government sources told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Petrom: Presidential Elections Might Affect Reforms In Romania

11:16, 05 Aug. 2009
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) considers local market conditions will continue to be difficult in 2009, on volatile oil prices and the leu's depreciation, while the presidential election due in fall might hinder the government from applying required reforms.

Two Romanians Died In Roof Crash In Berlin

11:03, 05 Aug. 2009
Two Romanian citizens died in a labor accident in Berlin, Germany, when the roof of an old building on the construction site of a Romanian Orthodox Church in the German capital collapsed on them, official sources told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romanian Petrom 1H Net Pft At RON923M, Dn 45% On Yr

09:49, 05 Aug. 2009
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) Wednesday reported a net profit of 923 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1281) in the first half, down 45% compared with RON1.66 billion in the same period a year before.

Romania PM Set To Discuss With IMF Officials Wednesday – Sources

09:43, 05 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc wants to meet with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Wednesday evening, after the weekly meeting of the Romanian Government, for talks on the country’s economic situation and anti-crisis measures, according to official sources.

Mark Gitenstein Sworn In As US Ambassador To Romania

19:13, 04 Aug. 2009
Mark Gitenstein was sworn in as Ambassador of the United States of America to Romania by U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden at the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Building, where the Office of the Vice President is located.

CBRE: Bucharest Shopping Centers Value Dn 46% YY In June, Strongest Fall In CEE

18:26, 04 Aug. 2009
The value of the shopping centers in Romanian capital city Bucharest dropped by over 46% between June 2008 and June 2009, on increasing yields and lower rents, being the strongest decrease in the Central and Eastern Europe, according to real estate services company CB Richard Ellis.

Romania’s Rompetrol Raises Pump Prices By Up To RON0.15/Liter

18:00, 04 Aug. 2009
Romania’s second-largest oil group Rompetrol, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunayGaz, will increase Wednesday its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.15 lei (EUR1=RON4.2096) and RON0.09 per liter, respectively.

Romanian Revolutionaries Defender On Hunger Strike, Calls For President’s Support

15:21, 04 Aug. 2009
The head of "21 Decembrie 1989” association, Teodor Maries, went on hunger strike Tuesday, in front of presidential Cotroceni palace, urging Romanian President Traian Basescu to intervene so that all files of the anti-communist Revolution in December 1989 and miners’ riots in 1990 are declassified.

Budget Spending Reaches Absurd Levels – Businessmen Assoc Head

14:31, 04 Aug. 2009
Budget spending has reached absurd levels, and state institutions show that it does not work to the benefit of the companies facing bankruptcy in the upcoming period, given an economic contraction of 7%-8% this year, said Tuesday Florin Pogonaru, head of the Romanian Businessmen's Association AOAR.

Parliamentary Inquiry Committee To Hear Media Representatives Next Tuesday

14:13, 04 Aug. 2009
The parliamentary committee investigating Romanian tourism ministry Elena Udrea decided to hear next week the representatives of the dailies that wrote about the alleged illegal public spending made by the Tourism Ministry.

Romania’s Petrom Hikes Pump Prices By Up To RON0.09/Liter

13:36, 04 Aug. 2009
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) Tuesday rose its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.09 lei (EUR1=RON4.2096) and RON0.06 per liter, respectively, due to the evolution of the international quotations of crude oil products.

Romanian Unionists Told IMF They Oppose 20% Staff Cut In Public Sector

13:35, 04 Aug. 2009
Romanian unionists told the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a meeting on Tuesday that they disagree with a 20% staff cut in the public sector and that the issue should be analyzed in order to maintain the quality of services.

Romania’s Ctrl Bk Cuts Key Rate By 50 Bps, To 8.5%

13:27, 04 Aug. 2009
The Board of Romania’s central bank decided Tuesday to cut the key monetary policy rate by 50 basis points to 8.5% on the year and to lower the minimum reserve requirements ratio on foreign currency-denominated liabilities to 30%, from 35%.