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European Commission OKs Romania’s Rural Development Plan

12:53, 20 Feb. 2008
The European Commission on Wednesday approved the National Plan for Rural Development, allowing Romania to access some EUR8 billion in EU funds by 2013, agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos said.

Romanian MEP Criticizes „California Dreamin” To Represent Romania In EU Film Festival

12:36, 20 Feb. 2008
Social democrat MEP Ioan Mircea Pascu urged the European Parliament Monday evening to reconsider the choice of "California Dreamin’" by Cristian Nemescu to represent Romania in the film festival organized within the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.

Romanian Umbrella Killer Had No Intent To Kill- Italian Judge

21:45, 19 Feb. 2008
A Romanian woman sentenced to 16 years in jail for killing a Rome subway passenger by stabbing her through the eye with an umbrella, did not intend to kill the woman, according to judge Donatella Pavone.

Romanian Ctrl Bkr: Leu To Weaken Below 10% Vs Euro In 08

21:32, 19 Feb. 2008
The Romanian leu will weaken against the euro this year by less than 10%, heading towards the level in 2005-2006, Romania’s central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said on Tuesday.

Two Romanian Parties Threaten To Initiate No-Confidence Motion Against Govt

21:09, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s leftist opposition Social Democratic Party, or PSD, and the Democratic Liberal Party, or PDL, each threatens to initiate a no-confidence motion against the current government.

Romanian Official Sheds Light On Early Statements

19:04, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s state counselor for defense, Constantin Degeratu said on Tuesday that his early statements regarding the country’s stand with respect to the newly formed state of Kosovo do not suggest that government should change the position it adopted in the matter.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Threaten To Initiate No-Confidence Motion Against Govt

18:30, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s Democratic Liberal Party, or PDL, will initiate a no-confidence motion to dismiss the government, if the latter fails to annul the first registration tax for cars, party head Emil Boc on Tuesday told a news conference.

N Romania Student To Attend Gaming Olympics

18:26, 19 Feb. 2008
A 21 year-old student from Romania’s northern county of Bistrita, will represent Romania in the largest European video games competition- The Samsung Euro Championship, to take place in Hanover (Lower Saxony) between March 6 and March 9.

Romania Pledged To Adjust Gas Prices To EU Levels By ’07- ANRE

16:55, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania pledged to hike the natural gas prices every year, so that they should have reached the European levels by 2007, the president of Romania’s energy watchdog, Olosz Gergely, said Tuesday.

Romanian ’07 Construction Output Growth Highest In EU – Eurostat

16:44, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania registered the highest construction output in the EU in 2007, with a 30.9% hike, while for the 27 member states, this area registered an annual drop of 4%, according to European statistics office Eurostat.

Romania’s Labor Code To Remain Unchanged For Another Two Yrs-Unions

16:30, 19 Feb. 2008
Bogdan Hossu, the head of the Union Confederation Cartel Alfa, said the Romanian Labor Code might not be amended in the next two years for electoral reasons.

Romania Might Change Position In Kosovo Matter – Official

16:28, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s state counselor for defense, Constantin Degeratu, said Tuesday the country might change its position with respect to the newly created state of Kosovo, if it fits its interests and those of the European Union.

Cigarette Packs In Romania To Include Text And Image Warnings Starting July

14:43, 19 Feb. 2008
Cigarette packs sold in Romania starting July 1 will have printed text warnings and a color photograph or illustration of the unhealthy effects of smoking, the Health Ministry said.

Romania’s Former IT&C Minister Officially Notified On Prosecutors’ Charges

13:02, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s former IT&C minister Zsolt Nagy has been officially notified Tuesday on the charges brought against him in the file in which the anticorruption prosecutors with the DNA are investigating the way in which a government decision regarding a plot of land owned by the Romanian postal company was signed.

Romania Should Send Troops To Chad – Def Min

12:37, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s defense minister Teodor Melescanu told the Senate’s defense committee that Romania should prove by deploying troops to Chad that it is a factor of stability and can unfold such a mission.

Former Social Democrat PM Stages Political Comeback

12:18, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s former prime minister Adrian Nastase told MEDIAFAX he submitted his candidacy Tuesday morning for the position of head of the National Council in the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

ECHR Rules Romanian Govt To Pay EUR10,000 To Two Bucharest Citizens

11:16, 19 Feb. 2008
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled the Romanian government should pay EUR10,000 to two Bucharest citizens with whom the public water and sewage company Apanova refused to conclude drinkable water distribution contracts.

Romanian Parliament Backs Pres Statement On Kosovo

20:34, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian Chamber Speaker Bogdan Olteanu announced that the reunited Parliament Standing Offices reached consensus on a statement supporting the official point of view of Romanian authorities, not acknowledging the independence of Kosovo.

Romanian Pres Says Magyars Were Fair In Talks On Kosovo

20:26, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian president Traian Basescu stated that the Magyar minority party (UDMR) was fair in the talks held Monday at his office, but he added that he scolded the party, saying that in regions Harghita and Covasna "there are aspects that might be interpreted as ethnic purification” against Romanians.

Romania Opposes Kosovo Independence

20:08, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian president Traian Basescu stated, after talks with political parties, that Romania maintains its stance and does not acknowledge the independence of the Kosovo province for reasons such as the grant of collective minority rights and lack of observance for Serbia’s territorial integrity.

Trial Of Syrian Justice Evader Ends, Court Expected To Reach Verdict

20:06, 18 Feb. 2008
The trial of Syrian businessman Omar Hayssam, previously sentenced by the Bucharest Court of Appeals to 20 years in jail for the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq in 2005, ended Monday and the Supreme Court is expected to reach its verdict after the defense and prosecution pleadings had been heard.

Romanian Health Min Holds Ground On Drug Price Freeze

19:43, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian hospital managers that accept, through additional document, the hike of medicine prices over the values mentioned in the national catalogue will pay the difference on their own, health minister Eugen Nicolaescu told MEDIAFAX.

Bucharest’s Intl Airports To Be Closed During NATO Summit

16:44, 18 Feb. 2008
Bucharest’s international airports "Aurel Vlaicu" Baneasa and "Henri Coanda" Otopeni will be closed during the Bucharest-hosted NATO summit in April, and operators will use other airports in the country, said Monday Antonel Tanase, state secretary in the Ministry of Transports.

Romania Deems Kosovo’s Unilateral Independence Illegal

16:39, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday at the beginning of his meeting with parliament parties that the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo is an action Romania considers "illegal".

Romanian Lawmakers To Adopt Declaration Regarding Kosovo

15:33, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian lawmakers meet Monday evening to adopt a Declaration regarding Kosovo, said Senate chairman Nicolae Vacaroiu, adding the country’s position is "firm" and will “not recognize the independence” of the province.

Romanian President Meets Party Leaders To Discuss Kosovo

15:25, 18 Feb. 2008
Romania’s president Traian Basescu invited leaders of parliament parties to a meeting Monday at 16.00 (local time) for talks about the recent events in Kosovo, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Public Healthcare Units To Outsource Dialysis Services – Draft

15:15, 18 Feb. 2008
Dialysis services in public healthcare units in Romania will be privatized and the private entities to take over these centers will sign a four-year agreement with hospitals, according to a draft government decision under public debate.

Slovak Ambassador Sees No Reason For Romania To Have The Fate Of Kosovo

14:50, 18 Feb. 2008
The Ambassador of the Slovak Republic in Romania, Dagmar Repcekova, told a news conference Monday she sees no reason why the Kosovo model should be applied in Romania, saying Transylvania “does not have the bloody history Kosovo does”.

Over 65,000 Romanian Public Servants On Go-Slow Strike

11:12, 18 Feb. 2008
Over 65,000 public servants affiliated to the Sed Lex union went on go-slow strike for two hours Monday, demanding the immediate drafting of the government decision regarding the promotion of public servants, a unitary salary law and the negotiation of salary grids, union leader Vasile Marica said.

Romania’s Position To Kosovo Remains Unchanged – Foreign Ministry

10:04, 18 Feb. 2008
Romania’s position towards Kosovo remains unchanged, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Ilie Banica told MEDIAFAX Sunday, adding the minister would make a statement on the matter on Monday.

Hungarian Minority Party Urges Romania To Recognize Independent Kosovo

17:20, 17 Feb. 2008
Romania’s Hungarian minority party UDMR said in a press release Sunday it considers the declaration of independence of Serbia’s breakaway province of Kosovo is a natural consequence of changes in Central Europe and Western Balkans and believes Romania “should not postpone recognizing the province”.

Romania’s Deployment Of Troops, Observers In Kosovo Needs Parliament Vote – Opp Leader

17:02, 17 Feb. 2008
Romania’s leftist opposition social democrat leader Mircea Geoana told a news conference Sunday that Romania’s decision to deploy NATO troops and observers to Serbia’s breakaway region of Kosovo should be made based on a vote in parliament.

Romanian Automobile Craiova Sale To Ford Might Be Complete By Early April – Official

15:27, 17 Feb. 2008
The head of Romania’s privatization agency AVAS, Teodor Atanasiu, told a news conference Sunday he expects the contract Romania signed with US giant Ford for its auto-assembly plant Automobile Craiova to take effect early April.

Romania’s Ruling Liberals Not Afraid Of Early Elections – Official

14:49, 17 Feb. 2008
The vice-president of Romania’s ruling Liberal Party, Teodor Atanasiu, told a news conference on Sunday the party is not afraid of early elections, but is not keen on triggering them either.

Rejected Justice Min Candidate Sues President Next Week

14:36, 17 Feb. 2008
Romania’s rejected candidate for justice minister, liberal senator Norica Nicolai, said Saturday evening she already spoke to the two lawyers who are to defend her in the legal actions she starts next week against President Traian Basescu, who refused to appoint her justice minister.

Romanian Far Right Party Proposes Paying Hungarians To Leave Romania

16:45, 16 Feb. 2008
The secretary general of the far-right Greater Romania Party, or PRM, Gheorghe Funar, told a news conference Saturday the party will ask parliament to approve the grant of a bonus for discontent Hungarians to leave the country.

Romanian Gendarmerie To Use Dogs In Avalanche Search And Rescue

13:51, 16 Feb. 2008
The first nine dogs trained in avalanche victim search and rescue will enter service with the Romanian Gendarmerie starting with next Friday, after being trained for five weeks in the Sinaia Gendarmerie Training Center.

Four Bulgarian Nationals Dead, Five Injured In Major Car Crash C Romania

12:53, 16 Feb. 2008
Four people died and five were injured Friday night when the driver of a microbus transporting Bulgarian citizens tried to overtake another car and smashed into three vehicles on the opposite lane in central Romania.

Romanian Govt Might Make New Changes To Car Tax

19:29, 15 Feb. 2008
The Romanian government is considering a hike in the pollution tax for very old cars, with non-euro, Euro 1 and Euro 2 engines, and a change in the sum paid for new cars, through a system in which CO2 emissions will represent the main calculation criterion.

Romanian Rebuffed Justice Min Nominee To Sue Pres

19:22, 15 Feb. 2008
Romanian National Liberal Party vice president Norica Nicolai told MEDIAFAX that she would take legal action against president Traian Basescu, who violated her fundamental constitutional right to accede to a public position through the reasons for rejecting her as justice minister candidate.