English

Romanian Development Ministry To Demolish About 100 Illegal Buildings In Tourist Resorts

The Romanian Regional Development Ministry will demolish about 100 illegal buildings in tourist resorts, most of them located on the Black Sea coast, and building owners will cover demolishing costs, ministry spokesman Bogran Oprea told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Italy To Lift Labor Market Restrictions For Romanians, Bulgarians In 2012

Italy has decided to lift all labor market restrictions for Romanians and Bulgarians on December 31, 2011, the Romanian Labor Ministry said Thursday.

Romanian Healthcare Bill: Organ Harvesting Forbidden Without Prior Consent

Organ harvesting is allowed only if people consented to having their organs removed after death for transplantation to another recipient, or if the family of the deceased assents to the procedure, according to Romania’s new healthcare bill.

Romanian Traffic Police To Record Conversations With Pulled-Over Drivers

The conversations of Romanian police and drivers stopped for traffic violations will be recorded and used as evidence in case the fines are challenged in court, through a system currently in place on ten Traffic Police vehicles on roads A1 and DN7.

Orange, Vodafone Romania Have 30 Days To Pay GSM License Extension Fee

The Romanian Government decided mobile operators Orange and Vodafone have a month to transfer EUR6.4 million each to the state budget, or authorities’ decision to extend their GSM licenses, which expired on December 21, will be cancelled.

Romanians Who Fail To Pay Health Insurance Contributions To Receive Only Emergency Care – Bill

Romanians who fail to pay their health insurance contribution will receive medical care only in emergency situations, in infectious disease cases and for illnesses included in the national immunization program, according to Romania’s new healthcare bill.

Romanian Doctors May Not Reject Patients Over Ethnicity, Religion, Sexual Orientation

Romanian medical personnel is obligated to provide consultation only to someone previously accepted as a patient, but may not reject a person on grounds of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or other criteria of discrimination prohibited by law, says the new healthcare bill.

Romanians To Lose Social Benefits For Five Months Over Unpaid Local Taxes

Romanians receiving social aid, such as children's allowance, child-rearing stipends, minimum guaranteed income and family support allowance, will lose these benefits for five months if they fail to pay their local taxes.

Romanian Govt Rejects Local Tax Hike Propositions

The Romanian Government rejected local authorities’ proposition to raise local taxes by up to 50% next year, Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu said Tuesday evening.

Romania To Create Telecom Network In 2015 For Unconnected Areas, With EUR84M From EU

Every area of Romania still without Internet coverage will be provided with such services starting in 2015, upon the completion of a telecom network financed by the European Union with EUR84 million, Communication Minister Valerian Vreme said Tuesday.

Romanian Mothers To Receive Child-Rearing Benefits After Third Birth – Bill

Romanian senators Emilian Francu (liberal) and Elena Mitrea (social democrat) have put forward a bill whereby maternity leave and child-rearing benefits will be provided for all births, not only the first three, starting in 2013.

Romanian Hotels Cut Tariffs By 30% This Year

Tariffs charged by hotels in Romania were reduced by 30% this year, despite tax hikes and higher workforce costs, federation of employers in the tourism sector FPTR said in a press release Friday.

U.S.-Romania Antimissile Shield Agreement Takes Effect Friday

The agreement between the United States and Romania on the deployment of a U.S. ballistic missile defense system in southern Romania has taken effect Friday, December 23, the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a press release.

Romanian Pensioners, War Veterans Have Until End-2012 To Get Travel Smart Cards

The Romanian Government on Thursday decided to extend by one year, until end-2012, the deadline by which pensioners and war veterans will have to obtain travel smart cards, for use in county and inter-county road transport.

Romanian State Cos Might Be Again Forced To Transfer 90% Of Profit To State Budget

The Romanian Government wants to force state companies and autonomous departments again to transfer 90% of their profit to the state budget, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Mircea Geoana’s Dismissal As Senate Chairman Ruled Constitutional

The Romanian Constitutional Court on Tuesday rejected the claims regarding the dismissal of Mircea Geoana from the position of Senate chairman and the appointment of Vasile Blaga in the respective position.

Romanian Govt Wants To Allot Redirected EU Funds To Develop High-Power Laser

The Romanian Government’s priorities in allotting redirected EU funds are the development in Magurele, southern Romania, of a high-power laser of over EUR200 million, the projects regarding the thermal rehabilitation of homes and road upgrade projects, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday.

Romanian Railway Operator CFR To Hold Auction To Lease Ten Railway Sections

Romanian railway administrator CFR SA on Thursday will organize an open outcry auction to lease ten sections of the public railroad network in Bucharest, Brasov and Iasi.

Romanian Govt To Cut Workforce Costs At Optimum Time, Keep VAT At 2011 Level – PM

The Romanian Government will analyze the feasibility of reducing workforce costs only after it makes sure the country achieved macroeconomic stability, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday.

Romanian Competition Council Probes Meal Voucher Market For Collusion Among Top Players

Romanian competition authorities performed inspections at three meal voucher issuers--Edenred, Sodexo Pass and Cheque Dejeuner--following suspicions of agreement between the three.

Romania Cut No. Of Family Support Allowance Beneficiaries By Over 450,000 In 2011

The number of family support allowance beneficiaries was reduced by over 450,000 this year and that of beneficiaries of minimum guaranteed income was reduced by 44,241, Romanian Labor Minister Sulfina Barbu said Friday.

Romanian Interior Ministry To Continue Layoffs – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday the Interior Ministry will continue layoffs.

Romanian Parliament Adopts New Bill On Car Pollution Tax

The Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Thursday adopted a bill on the car pollution tax, which amends the first registration tax criticized by the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Bucharest Subway Operator Signs EUR66M Consulting Contract For New Mainline

Bucharest subway operator Metrorex signed a EUR66.6 million consulting contract with a Japanese-Romanian-French consortium to build a new mainline which will link the subway network to the Henri Coanda (Otopeni) airport.

Romanian Govt Decides To Raise Gross Minimum Wage To RON700 In 2012 – Sources

The Romanian Government on Wednesday decided to raise the gross minimum wage in 2012 by 30 lei (about EUR7) to RON700 from RON670, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

President Basescu To Reconfirm Romania Wants To Join Fiscal Union Pact

Romania’s President Traian Basescu told the Government Wednesday he will send to the European Council a reconfirmation of the fact that Romania will join the fiscal union pact EU leaders agreed upon last week.

Over Half Of Romanians Aged 16 To 74 Have Never Used The Internet

More than half of Romanians aged 16 to 74 have never used the Internet and less than one third of Romanian households have access to broadband Internet connection, according to the EU’s statistics office Eurostat.

Relocation Of Renault’s Romanian Production Out Of The Question – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday Renault is one of the most stable investments on the local market, and added that a relocation of the French carmaker’s Dacia production in Morocco in the future is out of the question.

Romanian Transport Minister Appoints Bucharest Transport Authority Head

Romanian Transport Ministry Anca Boagiu on Tuesday appointed Adrian Crit, former director of Bucharest’s public transport authority RATB, in the position of general manager of the Bucharest Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMTB).

Romania, Bulgaria’s Schengen Entry To Be Discussed Wednesday, Vote To Be Again Put Off – Sources

The EU Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) will discuss Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to border-free Schengen Area Wednesday, but the matter will not be put to the vote, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian Local Authorities Must Allot Funds To Child Protection – Bill

Romanian local authorities must ensure financing for child protection to ensure the system’s functioning, according to a bill put up for public debate.

Romania, Bulgaria Sign Single Airspace Agreement

Romanian Transport Ministry state secretary Alexandru Nazare and Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivailo Moskovski signed an agreement in Brussels to set up a functional airspace block through which Romania and Bulgaria will have a single airspace.

President Basescu Informed EC That Romania Will Join Fiscal Union Pact

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday he informed the European Commission that Romania will join the fiscal union pact recently agreed on by European Union leaders.

Romanian Govt Wants More Flexible Approach To Regulation Freezing Public Sector Hiring

Romania’s Government wants a more flexible approach to the rule whereby only one in seven vacant public sector positions may be filled next year, with a view to applying it at a higher level, and not for each public institution, so as to unfreeze hiring in sectors where staff shortages become acute.

Romanian Govt Pledges To Cut National Co-Financing Rate For EU-Funded Projects By 10 Pct

The Romanian Government wants to temporarily reduce the national co-financing rate for EU-funded projects by 10 percentage points, based on a new EU regulation which increased the European contribution rate.

Over 90% Of Romanians Aged 16 To 24 Navigate The Internet – Poll

Over 90% of Romanians aged between 16 and 24 and those with higher education use the Internet, according to a survey conducted by market research company 360insights.

Romanian Labor Min Proposes Gross Minimum Wage Of RON700 Per Month In 2012

The Romanian Labor Ministry proposed that the gross minimum wage per month in 2012 be set at 700 lei (EUR161), according to a draft decision put forward Thursday by the institution.

Romanian Parliament’s Budget Committees Approve Interior Min’s 2012 Budget

The Romanian Parliament’s committees for budget and finance on Wednesday approved with 23 to 13 votes the budget of the Ministry of Interior.

Constitutional Court Postpones Ruling On Geoana’s Dismissal As Senate Chairman

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday postponed a ruling on the dismissal of Mircea Geoana from the position of Senate chairman.

Romanian Social Democrats Challenge At Constitutional Court Blaga’s Election As Senate Chairman

The Romanian opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) challenged with the Constitutional Court the election of democrat liberal Vasile Blaga as Senate Chairman, senator Dan Sova said Wednesday.