English

Petrom Pipeline Cracks, Oil Pollutes Stream S Romania

A pipeline of Romania’s largest vertically integrated oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) cracked Wednesday morning in Arges county, southern Romania, flooding households and lands and polluting Cotmenita stream.

Romanian Govt To Reduce Period For Authorized Pvt Individual Registration

Romania’s minister for small and medium-sized enterprises, commerce, tourism and liberal professions, Ovidiu Silaghi, told a press conference Tuesday that the government plans to reduce the period needed to register an Authorized Private Individual (PFA) to three days from the current three months.

Romanian Farmers Stage Protest, Picket Govt HQ

The League of Romanian Farmers Associations, or LAPAR, organizes a protest march Wednesday and pickets the government building, as farmers are discontent with high diesel fuel prices and delays in the grant of subsidies.

Romanian Neighborhood Tent Parties To Be Outlawed

The legal committee within the Romanian Senate decided to prohibit and sanction the organization of parties in tents, in other setups of the sort, in areas found in the vicinity of dwellings if instruments that might disturb the public peace are used.

Romanian Post Office To Lay Off 1,500 Employees In ’08 – Official

Romanian minister of communications Karoly Borbely said on Tuesday that the Romanian Post Office, “mammoth company” with over 35,000 employees intends to lay off 1,500 employees in 2008.

Trial Btw Oil Tycoon – Intelligence Service Suspended

The Bucharest Court of Appeals suspended on Tuesday the trial between oil tycoon Dinu Patriciu and the Romanian Intelligence Service, or SRI, and notified the Constitutional Court with respect to the legality of certain articles.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Say Minister Liability Law Is Unconstitutional

The leader of the democrat liberal group within the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, Cristian Radulescu said the his party notified the Constitutional Court regarding two legislative drafts, namely the amendments brought to the minister liability law and the law on dignitary wealth checking.

Romanian Deputies Reject Draft Law On $830,000 Loan Refund To USA

Romania’s Chamber of Deputies Tuesday rejected the draft law on refunding a loan of $830,000 the US government granted to the Romanian government, led by Theodor Stolojan during October 1991 - November 1992, to buy cotton fiber.

Romanian Media Is Not One-Sided – Romanian Press Club

The interim president of the Romanian Press Club (CRP), Indira Crasnea, told MEDIAFAX Tuesday that “politicians, the president included, should understand that the press is not one-sided”.

Family Of Late Romanian Musician Might Stage Protest During NATO Summit

The family of the late Romanian bass player Teo Peter plans to stage a peaceful protest during the NATO summit in Bucharest early next month to raise awareness on the fact that justice has not prevailed more than three years since Peter’s death.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Look Into Land Purchases Before Nokia Relocation

The Romanian Anticorruption Department said Tuesday that its Cluj branch is not looking into the contract concluded between Finnish mobile giant Nokia and local authorities, but the circumstance in which lands were bought in the area before the plant was relocated.

Consensus Economics Sees Higher Inflation On Lower C/A In Romania

Consensus Economics, which groups economic forecasts of banks and international institutions revised higher Romania’s 2008 inflation forecast and sees better data for the economic growth and the current account deficit.

Romanian SMEs Can Access EUR1B European Funds To Increase Competitiveness

Romanian small and medium sized enterprises, or SMEs, can access over the next four years, European funds of over EUR1 billion to increase economic competitiveness, said SME minister Ovidiu Silaghi.

Romanian Deputies Reject Ordinance Disbanding Presidential Commission

Romania’s Chamber of Deputies Tuesday rejected 240 to two votes and six abstentions Ordinance 95/2007 disbanding the presidential commission in charge with analyzing the intimations regarding the crimes committed by ministers, which the Constitutional Court deemed unconstitutional.

Romanian Govt To Encourage Romanian Investors In CEC Sale – PM

The Romanian government will approach the sale of Romania’s savings bank CEC from a different perspective, to encourage Romanian investors as well, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu told a news conference Tuesday.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Look Into Nokia-Local Authorities Talks

Romanian anticorruption prosecutors asked the Cluj County Council to present all documents related to negotiations with Finnish mobile giant Nokia, county council president Marius Nicoara said Tuesday.

EU Raises Romania’s Annual Milk Quota By 2% As Of April

Annual national milk quotas in European Union member states will be increased 2% in the market year April 1, 2008-March 31, 2009, the EU’s Council of Ministers for Agriculture decided Monday.

EIU: Romania Vulnerable To Financial Mkt Turmoil

Romania is among eastern European countries most vulnerable to financial market turmoil, due to its wide current account deficit fueled by growth in economy and especially in domestic consumption, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said in its Global Outlook report Tuesday.

Frattini: Italy Should Have Zero Tolerance For Romanian Felons

EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini on Tuesday said Italian authorities should have zero tolerance for Romanian felons and proposed setting up joint patrols, formed of Romanian and Italian police officers.

Romanian Wind Pwr Producers Urge Amendments To Regulations In The Field

The Romanian Association of Wind Power Producers urges amendments to the regulations authorizing the construction of wind-power plants, given the increase in the number of investors expressing interest in the field, but who are discouraged by the regulations imposed by the country’s Civil Aeronautic Authority (AACR).

European Parliament To Launch Journalism Prize

The European Parliament will launch the Journalism Prize this year, for the first time, to honor the professionals in the field of mass media whose reports and articles, published during May 1, 2007- April 30, 2008, raise awareness on the workings and policies of the EU.

Fashion Retailer C&A To Open Its First Store In Romania-Sources

High street fashion retailer C&A, part of international group Cofra, will open its first store in Romania, people close to the matter said Monday.

Romanian Real Estate Developers Present Their Offers At tIMOn Fair

Real estate developers will present during the second 2008 edition of the National Real estate Fair tIMOn over 20,000 homes with a total value of EUR4 billion in residential projects developed in Romania, Egypt, Bulgaria, Spain and Brazil.

Renault To Make New Logan In Russia From 2010

French carmaker Renault (13190.FR) will start manufacturing new versions of the Logan car in Russia as of 2010, which might include the Logan Sedan, Sandero and the SUV its Romanian unit Dacia plans to launch in the second part of 2009.

Romania’s New Nuclear Station To Come With 2-4 Reactors

Romania’s second nuclear power station, set for construction some time after 2020, will be designed with two or four reactors, an official said Monday.

EU Should Financially Support Nabucco Proj- MEP Daianu

The European Union acknowledged the construction of gas pipeline Nabucco as a EU project, reason for which it should financially support this project, member of the European Parliament Daniel Daianu said in a statement Monday.

Romanian Energy Workers On Warning Strike Over Higher Wages

Romanian energy sector workers went on a two-hour warning strike early Monday in eight counties across the country to demand higher wages and threatened a general strike if their demands are not met.

Romania’s Rompetrol Ups Diesel Pump Prices By RON0.06/ Liter

Romania’s second-largest oil company Rompetrol Group NV hiked Monday its diesel oil pump prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON3.7100) per liter and lowered certain gasoline prices by RON0.02 per liter, the company said in a statement.

Romania, Bulgaria Plan To Join Schengen Area March 2011

Romania and Bulgaria plan to join the Schengen area in March 2011, the interior ministers of the two countries, Cristian David and Rumen Petkov, respectively, said in a joint statement Sunday.

Romanian President OKs Automobile Craiova Privatization

Romania’s President Traian Basescu on Sunday signed a decree promoting the privatization law of state-owned assembly plant Automobile Craiova SA, the presidency said in a statement.

Romania To Set Up National Energy Co In Three Weeks Tops – Official

The Romanian authorities will decide on setting up the national energetic company in the next two or three weeks, head of Romanian privatization authority AVAS, Teodor Atanasiu, said Sunday.

Ford Investment Spurs Interest In Romanian Car Mkt

Ford buyout of Romania’s Automobile Craiova assembly plant spurred interest in the Romanian auto market among large international players, head of privatization authority Teodor Atanasiu said Saturday.

Romania Former PM Says Constitutional Court Head Tries To Influence Judges

Romanian former premier, Deputy Adrian Nastase, on Saturday accused the president of Constitutional Court of attempting to influence the judges who are to elaborate and publish the court’s decision in case of criminal investigations against ministers and former ministers.

Romanian Presidents Calls For Decentralization Of State Institutions

Romania’s President Traian Basescu on Sunday urged for decentralization of state institutions, saying Romanians are more inclined to trust local administration than the central one, as local officials only think about the wellbeing of the community.

Hungarian Minority Leader Says Transylvania’s Autonomy Not A Means To Divide Romania

The Hungarians in Romania do not seek to divide the country when asking autonomy for Transylvania region, but to develop the Szeklers’ Land, president of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, or UDMR, Marko Bela told some 5,000 people in Targu Mures Saturday.

Romanian Pres Warns Media To Refrain From ‘Dirty’ Attacks Against His Family

Romania’s President Traian Basescu on Friday criticized very harshly several media corporations, accusing journalists of unfair attacks that target both him and his family.

Romania Looks At Building New Nuclear Pwr Plant – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said Friday that Romania should reduce its energetic dependence to a single source of energy by building a new plant, apart from the two nuclear reactors at Cernavoda, which are currently in progress.

Romania Ranks Second In Labor Cost Hikes Chart – Eurostat

The rise in labor costs dropped in the fourth quarter of 2007, to 21.6%, as Romania took the second position in the EU state chart, after Latvia, where the climb reached 30.1%, and some six times greater than the average among the 27 EU member states, according to European statistics office Eurostat.

Securities Commission OKs 14 Foreign Cos To Operate On Romanian Capital Mkt

Romania’s Securities Commission CNVM authorized 14 investment companies from U.K, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Denmark to operate on the Romanian capital market, the regulator said Friday.

Court:Bulgarian Businessman Accused Of Corruption Free To Leave Romania

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Friday decided Bulgarian Bulgarian businessman Stamen Stanchev, detained in Romania on corruption charges, is free to leave the country.