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Romanian Saving Bk CEC Changes Name To CEC Bank

Romania’s last remaining state-owned savings bank Casa de Economii si Consemnatiuni, or CEC, changed its name to CEC Bank, part of its reorganization process, the bank said Tuesday.

Romania’s 1Q Industrial Sales Up 1.2% On Yr

Romania’s industrial sales rose 1.2% in the first quarter of 2008 from the year-earlier period due to growth in the energy sector, the National Statistics Institute said Tuesday.

Romania’s Anticorruption Department Re-Opens Controversial Duty-Free File

Romania’s Anticorruption Department (DNA) re-opened the file concerning duty-free shops at Bucharest’s international airport “Henri Coanda” Otopeni after it rejected the start of prosecution in August 2006.

Investors Not Interested To Buy Romanian Ball Bearing Plant Rulmentul Brasov

Investors expressed no interest until Monday, May 5, in taking part in the fifth auction to sell Romanian ball bearing plant Rulmentul Brasov at a starting price of EUR56 million, lower by 20% than the evaluation price.

Romania’s Rosia Montana Area To Become Natural Reservation

The Romanian Senate approved Monday a legislative proposal dubbing the Rosia Montana natural and archeological reservation, creating the administration of the reservation, which evaluates the natural resources in the area and issues environment agreements, protecting, preserving and restoring the area.

Romanian Ftbl League Chief Indicted For Corruption

Romanian prosecutors on Monday brought formal criminal corruption charges against Dumitru Dragomir, head of the national football league LPF, the anticorruption department said in a statement.

Romanian Official Says Sub-Commission Appointed To Debate High-Level Graft Cases

A sub-commission formed of seven rapporteurs is to discuss the request of the Romanian Anticorruption Department (DNA) to prosecute former transports minister Miron Mitrea and former prime minister Adrian Nastase in graft cases, Bogdan Olteanu, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, said Monday.

Romanian Transport Min Mulls Upgrading Cap City’s Rail Beltway By 2011

Romanian transport ministry mulls upgrading the rail beltway of the country’s capital city Bucharest in the next three years, transport minister Ludovic Orban said Monday.

Romanian AVAS Puts Off Avioane Craiova’s Sale Until May 20

Romanian privatization authority AVAS postponed again the deadline to submit the bids for the privatization of airplane maker Avioane Craiova from May 9 to May 20.

Over 200 Employees Of Cable Mkr On Dacia Platform Went On General Strike

Some 230 employees of cable maker Leoni, operating on the same platform as auto-assembly plant Automobile Dacia, went on strike indefinitely Monday morning.

World’s Oldest Bishop Robbed By Two Romanians

Monsignor Antonio Rosario Mennonna, the world’s oldest bishop, was robbed by two Romanian citizens he was hosting in his home in Muro Lucano, the Potenza province, Italian news agency Ansa reported.

Romanian Mar Indus Output Prices +15.6% On Year

Romanian industrial output prices rose 15.6% on the year in March, driven by higher prices in the mining and manufacturing sectors, the National Statistical Institute said Monday.

IMF Urges Romania To Oppose VAT Cut For Food, Earlier Pension Hikes

The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, urged Romanian authorities to strongly oppose a reduction in value added tax (VAT), moving up pension increases and advises cautiousness not to overrun the public sector wage bill.

Romania’s Tourism Ministry To Lift License Of Tour Op Avangarde Turism Club

Romania’s Ministry of Tourism will lift the license of tourism operator Avangarde Turism Club, which failed to observe its contractual obligations to clients, including 100 schoolchildren.

Romanian Social Democrat Nastase Would Run Against President Basescu In 09

Romania’s former social democrat prime minister Adrian Nastase said Saturday he would accept to run against acting President Traian Basescu in the 2009 presidential elections unless the party comes up with a better candidate.

Hundreds Of People Affected By Floods In Eastern Romania

Some 500 people and about 100 homes in Toflea and Brahasesti, in the eastern Romanian county of Galati, were affected by floods following heavy rain Friday evening.

Heavy Rains Flood Several Areas In Romania

Dozens of homes and households throughout the country were hit by floods Friday afternoon following heavy rains.

Romanian Airliner Blue Air Launches Constanta-Brussels Flight

Romania’s low-cost airliner Blue Air will operate starting August 12, a flight on the route Constanta (Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport)-Brussels (Zaventem) to take place every Tuesday, the airliner said.

Bucharest Intercontinental Hotel Valued At EUR70.74M

The Bucharest-based five-star Intercontinental Hotel was valued at EUR70.74 million by real estate consultancy company DTZ Echinox, the hotel’s operator Intercontinental Romania said in its annual report Friday.

Romanian April Forex Reserves Up EUR184M

The National Bank of Romania's foreign exchange reserves rose EUR184 million in April on the month to EUR25.341 billion, the bank said Friday in a statement.

Social Democrat Official Talks About Electoral Campaign

Victor Ponta, vice-president of the leftist opposition Social Democratic Party, or PSD, said on Saturday that this electoral campaign will receive higher financings than last year but that dishonesty will still be a tool to win elections.

Romanian Fixed Telephony Op Romtelecom To Change Number Format As Of May 3

Calls to and from Romanian telephone company Romtelecom will be dialed, starting Saturday -May 3, using ten digits, and will include the national prefix, the geographic area code and the local number, for all calls, national and local.

Electoral Campaign For Local Polls In Romania Officially Starts May 2

The electoral campaign for the local elections to take place on June in Romania starts Friday, May 2, stretching onto 30 days and will end one day before the first voting round, on May 31 respectively.

Romanian President Comments On Tourism Sector

Romania’s President Traian Basescu Thursday said in southeastern city of Mangalia, at the opening of the summer season, that the Romanian seaside should compete against the country’s mountain tourism, not Bulgaria’s seaside.

Electoral Campaign For Local Polls in Romania Officially Starts May 2

The electoral campaign for the local elections in Romania on June 1 starts Friday, May 2, and closes May 31, 7:00 local hour.

Rapid Credit Growth, Large Curr Acct Deficit, Challenges For Romania – Moody’s

Rapid credit growth, the large current account deficit and rising external debt are the main challenges faced by Romania, while the global financial turmoil increases the possibility of an external shock causing economic dislocation over the next 12 to 18 months, rating agency Moody's said Thursday.

Three Romanian Tourists, Among Casualties In Egypt Bus Crash

A 41-year old Romanian woman died and two other nationals were badly injured Thursday in a fiery bus crash that killed at least nine people in Egypt's Sinai peninsula.

Romanian President Attends Opening Of Summer Season In SE City Of Mangalia

Romania’s President Traian Basescu Thursday attends the opening of the summer season in southeastern city of Mangalia, on the shores of the Black Sea.

Ikea May Re-Direct Investments From Poland To Bulgaria Or Romania

Swedish furniture retailer IKEA threatened to freeze the bulk of its investments in Poland and redirect them to Bulgaria or Romania, according to Polish business daily Puls Biznesu , quoted by Sofia Echo.

Nineteen Candidates Run For Bucharest Mayor Seat

The complete list of candidates running for the Bucharest mayor seat is made up of 18 representatives of political parties and independent candidate Sorin Oprescu, on Wednesday said Constantin Marino Marin, president of the Municipal Electoral Bureau (BEM).

Romania Media Freedom Declines – Survey

Romania fell behind four notches to 94th spot as a country where journalists are “partly-free” from government interference, US-based Freedom House organization said in its annual survey of media freedom for 2007.

Volvo Recalls 43 XC70 Units In Romania Due To Faulty Airbags

EIT-Forum Auto, importer in Romania of Volvo cars, on Wednesday said it has recalled 43 XC70 models because of problems with their airbags.

„Mediafax Foto – Best of 2007”, Outdoor Press Photography Exhibition In Center Bucharest Opens May 1

Mediafax Foto, Romania’s leading organization on the press photography market, organizes the outdoor exhibition "Mediafax Foto - Best of 2007" throughout the month of May.

Romanian Senate Commission Asks For Tapping Warrants In High-Level Graft Cases

The Romanian Senate’s commission for legal matters asked Wednesday the High Council of Magistrates and the Intelligence Service for phone tapping warrants on former economy minister Codrut Seres and acting labor minister Paul Pacuraru, investigated in graft cases.

Romania’s Econ Outlook Seen Positive During Apr-Jun-INS

Romanian managers said that they are positive about the four major sectors of the Romanian economy between April and June, namely the industrial, service, construction and retail sectors, the National Institute for Statistics, or INS, said Wednesday.

Romania’s Fin Min Plans RON1B State Treasuries Sale In May

Romania’s Economy and Finance Ministry plans to sell state treasuries worth a total of 1 billion lei ($426 million) in May, of which RON700 million as benchmark bonds and RON300 million as T-Bills.

Romanian Local Councils Obliged To Lease Lands For Student Hostels – Senate

The Romanian Senate tacitly adopted a draft law stating local councils are obliged to lease to universities, for 49 years, lands for the building of three-star student hostels.

Romanian Electoral Office Members Need Medical Certificate

The Romanian Senate tacitly adopted two draft laws according to which members of electoral offices need to have certificates issued by family physicians stating they are psychologically and physically apt to do their job on election day.

Gun Shots In Emergency Hospital In Southern Romania

A man fired several gun shots Tuesday morning within the Emergency County Hospital in Craiova, southern Romania, without making any victims.

Romania’s 1Q Residential Building Permits Up 13.1% On Yr

Romania issued 11,806 building permits for residential projects in the first quarter of 2008, up 13.1% from the same period a year ago, the country’s Statistics Institute said Tuesday.