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Romania To Sign Gas Deal Directly With Gazprom

00:01, 10 Apr. 2008
Romanian president Traian Basescu said on television station B1 Tv that he will go to Russia, probably in autumn, and he will discuss a direct contract with Russian state owned gas company Gazprom, since Romania is currently importing gas through intermediaries.

Romanian Consul In Warsaw Might Be Recalled In Crulic Aftermath

21:22, 09 Apr. 2008
Romanian foreign affairs minister Adrian Cioroianu said he would meet with prime minister Calin Tariceanu during the evening and added the Romanian consul in Warsaw might be recalled because of "discrepancies" occurring in his statements.

Romanian Cab Drivers Cancel Protest To Keep It Apolitical

20:10, 09 Apr. 2008
The National Association of Taxi Transportation Operator Managers cancelled the protest planned to take place Thursday between 10:00 and 13:00 local time, where taxi drivers were to gather in Aviatorilor Boulevard and march up to the Constitutiei Square.

Ukraine Interested In Acquiring Romania’s 27% Stake In Krivoy Rog Mining Plant

19:33, 09 Apr. 2008
Ukraine is interested in taking over Romania’s 27% stake in mining plant at Krivoy Rog, the Romanian Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a statement Wednesday.

Bucharest Cab Drivers Go On Hunger Strike

19:31, 09 Apr. 2008
A total number of 70 cab drivers went on hunger strike in front of Bucharest City hall, asking for new amendments to the Law on taxi driving so that they receive the operating licenses already issued for taxi companies using rented cars.

Romanian Interior Min Demands Police Establish Clear COD In Crulic’s Case

18:38, 09 Apr. 2008
Romanian Interior Minister Cristian David requested the national Police take necessary action to “establish with certainty” the circumstances surrounding the death of Romanian Crulic Claudiu, who died in a Polish hospital following an ignored hunger strike.

IMF Sees Romania’s Inflation Slowing To 6.3% In ’08

17:52, 09 Apr. 2008
Romania’s 2008 consumer price index is seen rising by 6.3% at the end of the year, a slowdown compared with 6.57% in December 2007, the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, said in a report.

Israeli Investment In Romania Tops EUR2 Billion-Attaché

17:43, 09 Apr. 2008
Israeli investments in Romania exceeded EUR2 billion, the bulk of which being directed to the real estate sector, according to Israeli Embassy commercial attaché Yifat Inbar.

Romanian PM Calls For Investigations Over Bread Price Increases

17:02, 09 Apr. 2008
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu asked agriculture and finance ministers to start an investigation to find out the reasons behind the decision to hike bread prices announced by the owners’ association in the industry, Rompan.

Romanian Liberals “Cry Wolf” After Pensioners’ Rally

16:55, 09 Apr. 2008
The coordinator of the Romanian liberal electoral campaign in local elections, Bogdan Olteanu, accused the democrats and the social democrats of electoral bribery, saying they gave eastern Romanian city Galati pensioners money to come to the rally in Bucharest.

Over 100 Pensioners, Party Members Protested At Govt HQ

15:44, 09 Apr. 2008
Over 100 pensioners and members of the People’s and Social Protection Party, or PPPS, protested Wednesday at the government’s headquarters, with pensioners demanding a hike in the pension point of up to 60% of wages and party members promising to approve the hike if voted into the government.

Romanian Cab Drivers To Organize Protest In Capital City Bucharest

14:44, 09 Apr. 2008
Two taxi drivers’ associations will organize a rally in capital city Bucharest Thursday, displeased with the provisions of the Law regulating the activity of taxi drivers.

Romanian Dacia Employees Reject New Wage Offer, Continue Gen Strike

14:24, 09 Apr. 2008
Employees of Romanian carmaker Automobile Dacia, the local unit of French Renault, continue the general strike started more than two weeks ago, union leaders said Wednesday after a new round of negotiations with management failed.

Romanian PM Very Upset With Approach To Case Of Romanian Dead In Poland

13:32, 09 Apr. 2008
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu told foreign minister Adrian Cioroianu in the cabinet meeting Wednesday he is “very upset” about Romanian authorities’ approach to the case of the Romanian citizen who died in Poland of starvation.

Romanian Revolutionaries Protest In Strasbourg, Send Memo To ECHR

13:19, 09 Apr. 2008
Romanian revolutionaries protest on Wednesday in Strasbourg and will submit another memo and additional documents with the European Court Of Human Rights in an attempt to force Romanian authorities to solve the files of the anti-communist Revolution in December 1989.

Romania’s Govt May OK Second Budget Revision In June

12:42, 09 Apr. 2008
Romania’s government may revise its consolidated state budget for the second time in June and give more funds to its ministries, following better-than-expected revenues in the first quarter of this year, Romanian Finance and Economy Minister Varujan Vosganian said Wednesday.

Pension Hikes In Romania Not Election-Driven – Fin Min

12:35, 09 Apr. 2008
Romanian economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian said Wednesday that potential pension increases this year are not election-driven, adding raises come only from the pension budget.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Gov Reiterates ’08 CPI Forecast At 5%-6%

11:22, 09 Apr. 2008
Romania’s central bank governor Mugur Isarescu reiterated Wednesday that he expects the country’s resurgent inflation to fall between 5%-6% by yearend, above the central bank’s target range for this year.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Head: Current Leu Level More Sustainable

11:02, 09 Apr. 2008
The Romanian leu’s current level is more sustainable than last year’s highs and more likely to help narrow the country’s stretching current account deficit, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.

Romanian Jan-Feb Trade Deficit At EUR2.87B

10:05, 09 Apr. 2008
Romania's trade deficit widened a scant 3% in January-February to EUR2.87 billion from EUR2.78 billion in the same period last year, driven by higher imports from the European Union, the National Statistical Institute said Wednesday.

King Mihai Awarded “Honorary Member” Of Romanian Academy

20:39, 08 Apr. 2008
King Mihai of Romania on Tuesday was awarded “honorary member” of the Romanian Academy for remarkable merits in preserving the Romanian identity.

Romania Police Officer Arrested For Theft In Austria

19:42, 08 Apr. 2008
A Romanian police officer and his wife were placed under preventive arrest, accused with aggravated theft, after being caught stealing clothing from several stores in Austrian city Wiener Neustadt, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Romanian Senators Ok Salary Hikes For University, Pre-University Teachers

18:39, 08 Apr. 2008
Romanian senators on Tuesday voted 35 to 24 and 1 abstention a law hiking wages of university and pre-university teachers by 74% and 54%, respectively.

Employees Under 35 Must Adhere To Pvt Pension Fund 4 Mos From Hiring

18:30, 08 Apr. 2008
Romanians under 35 must adhere to a private pension fund (Pillar II) in maximum four months after their hiring, said on Tuesday the Pension Watchdog, or CSSPP.

EC Acts To Ensure Romanian, Bulgarian Workers Treated Equally Across EU

17:38, 08 Apr. 2008
The European Commission decided to refer eight member states to the European Court of Justice over their failure to comply with the amendments to Directive 2006/100/EC on free movement of persons following the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, EC said in a statement.

Romania’s Ctrl Bk Intervened To Temper Leu’s Fluctuations – Governor

15:44, 08 Apr. 2008
Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Tuesday in a seminarthat the central bank took measures last year to temper the leu’s sharp variations, adding the leu could have traded within a wider range.

Romanian Banks Hiked Deposit Rates Faster Than Lending Rates – Ctrl Bker

15:33, 08 Apr. 2008
Commercial banks have changed their behavior compared to recent years and increased interest rates for deposits faster than for loans after the central bank raised its monetary policy rate, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Tuesday.

Romanian PM Urges Defense Ministry To Buy New Military Equip

13:38, 08 Apr. 2008
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu urged the country’s Defense Ministry to speed up the procedures needed to acquire military equipment for the army, stressing the government will urgently approve the decisions regulating the operation, as soon as notifications in this respect are submitted.

Over 6,000 Near Stage Tickets To Metallica Sold In Less Than 48 Hrs

13:06, 08 Apr. 2008
Over 6,000 near-stage tickets to the Metallica concert in Bucharest were sold in less than 48 hours, and less than 100 tickets are still available in that area, organizers told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian Def Ministry Aims To Obs Commitments In Afghanistan, Iraq, Balkan

12:55, 08 Apr. 2008
Romanian defense minister Teodor Melescanu said Tuesday at the ministry’s 2007 activity report meeting that observing international commitments in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans remains a top priority in 2008.

Bread Prices In Romania To Hike Again By Easter

12:44, 08 Apr. 2008
Bread prices in Romania will increase again by Easter, as wheat prices have continued to rise in the past week, said Tuesday Aurel Popescu, head of the Rompan owners’ association in the industry.

Ethnic Roma Still Discriminated In Romania – President

12:23, 08 Apr. 2008
Romanian president Traian Basescu said Tuesday in an address for the International Roma Day that despite recent progress, ethnic Roma are still subject to discrimination and intolerance in Romania in 2008.

E.ON Gaz Romania Might Cut Imports On Reined In Gas Prices

12:14, 08 Apr. 2008
E.ON Gaz Romania, the local unit of Germany’s utility E.ON, might ask natural gas importers to cut gas prices or gas imports, should Romania’s energy watchdog ANRE refuse the 19% hike in natural gas prices as of July 1, the president of the company’s administration council Achim Saul said Tuesday.

Fitch Bank Systemic Risk Assessment On Romania Blind To Country’s Realities – Bker

11:54, 08 Apr. 2008
Romania stands at a different level than Fitch places it, and the rating agency based its estimates on effects of international turmoil without knowing Romanian realities, Radu Gratian Ghetea, head of the Romanian Banking Association, or ARB, said Tuesday.

LPG-Loaded Tank Overturns, Hits Gas Pipe In Western Romania

10:30, 08 Apr. 2008
A cistern carrying 14,000 liters of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) overturned Tuesday morning on national road 7 in Hunedoara county, western Romania.

SW Romania Miners Refuse Bargain, Continue Protest

10:24, 08 Apr. 2008
The nine miners who barricaded themselves in Zegujani mine, southwestern Romania, continue protests, even though mine management and state-owned coal mining company SNLO promised them a solution for one of the two claims, namely a headquarters for the union.

Romanian President Urges Lawmakers To Reexamine Amendments To Pension Laws

22:37, 07 Apr. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu urged lawmakers to reexamine the amendments to the laws on private and voluntary pensions, stressing the enforcement of the respective provisions might hinder the main attributions of the National Pensions House (CNPAS).

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Hear Football League Head

20:31, 07 Apr. 2008
Romanian anticorruption prosecutors Monday heard Dumitru Dragomir, head of the Romanian Professional Football League (LPF), in the file in which he is charged with alleged bribe taking and abuse of office regarding the purchase of a land by the League in capital city Bucharest at an overrated price.

Bucharest Court OKs VIas’ Release From Custody In Major Fraud Case

16:57, 07 Apr. 2008
The Bucharest Court of Appeals Monday annulled the arrest warrant of Ioana Maria Vlas, head of Romania’s former National Investment Fund, and she is free to leave custody after nearly eight years of detention at the Criminal Investigation Department.

Romania Ranks 5th In EU Based On Retail Banking Price Discrepancy -Report

16:38, 07 Apr. 2008
Romania ranks fifth in the EU-27 bloc based on differences between national banks’ prices, according to the 2008 World Retail Banking Report released by the World Bank, Capgemini, ING and the European Financial Management and Marketing Association (EFMA) on Monday.