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Romanian Railroad Employees Go On 2-Hr Strike Over Low Wages Wed

Romanian railroad unionists on Monday failed to reach an agreement with the government officials regarding salary increases and said will go on a two-hour warning strike on Wednesday.

Turkish Investors Find Little Highly Qualified Staff In Romania-Turk Pres

Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Monday told Romanian Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu that Turkish investors find little highly qualified personnel in Romania, the Romanian government said in a statement.

Owners’ Associations Have To Adopt Joint-Ownership Regulation

Romania’s Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing came forth with a joint ownership regulation to include “rules of behavior and use of the joint ownership” and is to be drawn up in maximum one year after the law is published.

Romanian Govt Cuts Expenses For Most Ministries

The Romanian government will reduce budgets for nearly all ministries by a total RON2.6 billion (EUR1= RON3.7617) in the year’s first revision of the 2008 state budget.

Court Gives Final Ruling In Blast Leaving 18 Dead In Eastern Romania

The three defendants in the file regarding the tragedy of May 2004, when 18 people died and 13 were injured near Mihailesti, eastern Romania, were sentenced Monday to four years in prison each.

Romania’s Agric Ministry Launches National Rural Development Plan

Romania’s Ministry of Agriculture officially launched Monday the National Rural Development Plan (PNDR), allowing Romania to access EU funds of nearly EUR8 million by 2013.

Gamblers Attack Bus Passengers, Shoot Guide In W Romania

The passengers of a bus bringing Romanian workers home from Spain were attacked in Arad, western Romania, Sunday night, by a group of gamblers, who shot the bus guide with a rubber ball gun.

Romania’s New Justice Minister Takes Office

Romania’s newly appointed justice minister Catalin Predoiu took office Monday morning, ending the interim term of acting defense minister Teodor Melescanu.

Ford’s Auto Parts, Equip Suppliers Eye Spaces, Lands Of Romanian Tractor Mkr

Several auto parts and equipment suppliers of U.S. giant Ford Motor Co expressed interest in renting some of the spaces or plots of land on the platform of Romanian tractor maker Tractorul Brasov to start new business operations here, the officials of Bucharest-based Flavus Investitii SRL said Sunday.

EXCLUSIVE: Human Rights Org Takes Romania Constitution Revision Issue Up To Court

A Human Rights Organization sued the Romanian presidency, the government, the parliament, as well as other state institutions, on grounds that the 2003 law on the revision of the Constitution of Romania was not promulgated, which triggers the nullity of the country’s fundamental law- the Constitution.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Propose May 25 For Local Elections

Romania’s Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) proposed that local elections take place on May 25 and the electoral campaign start a month earlier, Mircea Toader, leader of the party’s Galati branch, southeastern Romania, and former secretary of state within the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform, told a press conference on Sunday.

Heavy Rain, Strong Wind Cause Power Outages Throughout Romania

Strong wind and heavy rain during the last 24 hours caused power outages in twelve counties in northern, central and western Romania, according to the report drawn up by Romania’s Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform.

Romanian MP Urges Premier, Econ Min To Find Funds For Transylvania Highway

Romanian democrat liberal MP Daniel Buda urged both Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu and economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian to find financial resources needed to continue construction works on Transylvania highway.

European Consumers Can Change Telecom Providers In Only One Day

Romanian democrat liberal MEP, Marian Zlotea, Sunday presented, in a press conference, a law package launched for debates in the European Parliament, which offers consumers the possibility to change their telecom providers in only one day if no longer satisfied with the services provided.

Erste Bank: Real Estate Prices in Romania Seen Up Over Next Yrs

Romania’s real estate market outlook remains "highly certain," as prices will continue to increase over the next years, but the growth rate might be slower compared with the last three years, said Manfred Wimmer, CEO of Banca Comerciala Romana, the Romanian unit of Austria's Erste Bank.

Heavy Rainfalls, Snow Melting Cause Floods In Several Romanian Counties

Heavy rainfalls and snow melting caused floods on Saturday night which affected over 50 households and over one hundred hectares of land in more locations in Romania’s northern county of Maramures.

Romania’s New Justice Minister Prides On Strong Reputation

Romania’s new justice minister Catalin Marian Predoiu is member in the Managing Board of savings house CEC, business partner with a law firm, as well as shareholder in two business and management consulting companies.

Hungarian Minority Party Boasts About Stance On Kosovo Issue

Marko Bela, leader of the Hungarian minority party UDMR, on Saturday pointed out that the party he runs adopted a clear-cut stance on the Kosovo issue, just like the USA, Great Britain or France, unlike the Hungarian civil organizations which rather “stammered on the issue."

Lipovenian Church In E Romania Burnt To The Ground

The Lipovenian Church in Romania’s central-eastern county of Piatra Neamt burnt to the ground Friday night due to a short-circuit at a non-insulated cable in the alter, which destroyed old books and icons dating from around 1800.

Romania’s Embassy To London Must Pay Over GBP200,000 In Traffic Tolls

Romania’s Embassy to London is among the diplomatic offices that failed to pay the traffic decongestion toll in the center of London, which triggered debts of over GBP200,000 (over EUR260,000).

Romanian Lucian Bute Keeps IBF World Boxing Title At Super Middleweight Category

Romanian boxer Lucian Bute, performing for the Interbox club, kept his IBF world boxing title at the super middleweight category after having defeated American William Joppy Saturday morning, by technical knockout in the tenth round.

Iraqi Appeals Court Cancels Death Sentence For Munaf – Press

The lawyers of Mohammad Munaf have formally notified the U.S. Supreme Court that an Iraqi court of appeals has cancelled his death sentence for the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in 2005, the National Public Radio reported.

Romanian Politicians Comment On New Justice Min Appointment

The representatives of Romanian Parliament parties commented the decision of prime minister Calin Tariceanu to appoint Catalin Predoiu as justice minister.

Romania’s President Signs Decree To Appoint New Justice Min

Romania’s president Traian Basescu on Friday signed the decree to appoint lawyer Catalin Predoiu in the position of justice minister and told him that the speculations regarding his former activity “will not endanger his position.”

Romanian Food Assoc Warn Biofuel Prod Affects Food Sector

Romanian associations of companies operating in food industry ask European Commission to "carefully" consider the encouraging of biofuel sector development as it requires large quantities of grains and oil plants, to the detriment of the food sector.

New Inter-Committee Association To Develop Bucharest Infrastructure Projects

Bucharest city councilors approved, Friday, the creation of the Bucharest-Ilfov Inter-Committee Association for Development (ADIBI), with the purpose of jointly achieving projects targeting the development of the region, financed through structural and cohesion funding from the European Union.

Romanian President Invites PM For Talks On Justice Minister Vacancy

Romanian president Traian Basescu sent a letter Friday to Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu inviting him to his office Saturday for talks regarding the vacant justice minister position.

Romanian Development Min Says More People To Benefit From Social Homes

Romania’s minister of development, public works and housing, Laszlo Borbely, told a news conference Friday that the new housing laws stipulate that all people who earn less than the average salary can benefit from social housing.

Low Cost Airliner Wizz Air Introduces First Domestic Flight In Romania

Low cost airliner Wizz Air on Friday introduced its first domestic flight in Romania, on the route Cluj-Napoca-Bucharest, the company said.

Bread Prices In Romania Might Hike Starting May

Bread prices might increase starting May this year as higher wheat prices worldwide have driven Romanian producers into exporting, while the quantities sold will be brought back to the country at a higher price, said the head of the industry’s employers’ association Rompan.

Romanian Defense Min Says Sending Troops To Chad Depends On Kosovo Situation

Romania’s minister of defense Teodor Melescanu on Thursday said that the deployment of troops to Chad depends on the evolution in Kosovo, stating it is more important to be prepared for a possible mission in the Balkans area.

Romanian Labor Min Says Social Insurance Budget Can Support Pension Hike

Romanian labor minister Paul Pacuraru on Thursday said for RFI Romania that the budget for social insurances has the necessary funds to hike pensions, despite of statements from analysts and politicians, and that the budget is far from being in the red.

Romanian Senate Indirectly Backs Car Pollution Tax -FinMin

Romanian minister of economy and finance Varujan Vosganian said Thursday the Senate approval of the motion on a better living standard and responsible actions in the energy sector supports the Government's plan to introduce a car pollution tax.

Romanian Railroad Employees To Go On Warning Strike Next Week

The National Railroad Federation “Miscare Comerciala” will organize on March 5 a two-hour warning strike, asking for the increase of the minimum gross wage to RON500 as of January 1 and RON570 as of May 1 as well as for better working conditions.

Romania’s Antibiotice Iasi Privatization To Be Resumed In Jul, Aug

The privatization of Romanian drug maker Antibiotice Iasi will be resumed in July or August, most likely through public outcry bid, after the Government asked privatization authority AVAS to recall the sale offer, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romania’s Constitutional Court Rules On Govt Vs CSAT Matter

The judges of the Constitutional Court ruled that the government broke other laws, but not the Constitution when it enacted normative acts without consulting the High Council for National Defense, or CSAT first.

Romania’s Transylvania Hwy Project Out Of Money, Works Might Cease

The Romanian National Company for Highways and National Roads (CNADNR) has already used up the 2008 budget for the Transylvania highway, connecting central Brasov to northwestern Bors, and works might cease in these conditions, said the general director of the company, Mihai Grecu.

Republic Of Moldova Accuses Romania Of Propaganda In Secret Report

The Republic of Moldova accuses Romania of propaganda in secret report drafted by the Moldovan culture ministry and presented to president Vladimir Voronin, which analyses the political and ideological implications of folk songs aired on the opposition’s radio stations.

Romanian PM Asks Magistrates Not To Make A Habit Of Salary Demands

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu on Thursday asked magistrates not to make a habit of talking salary demands up in court and assured that magistrates will benefit from incomes high enough to ensure the independence of the legal system.

Romania To Nearly Abolish Severe Poverty After Euro Adoption – Fin Min

Severe poverty, an indicator referring to people whose monthly expenses total less than 100 lei (EUR1=RON3.6548), will be reduced in 2009 to 2.3-2.4% of the population and will be extremely scarce after euro adoption, Romania’s economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian said Thursday.