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Romanian Constitutional Court Upholds Law Freezing Public Wages, Pensions In 2012

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday upheld the law freezing public sector wages and pensions next year, which the opposition had contested.

Romanian Revolutionaries Stage Protest In Downtown Bucharest

Over 300 Romanian revolutionaries are protesting in the University Square in capital Bucharest, calling on the Government to resign and demanding early elections.

Romania To Export Large Amounts Of Pork To EU Starting Next Year – Minister

Romania will export to EU member states five-digit tonnages of pork annually starting 2012, as the European Commission decided the country may resume pork exports, Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romania Might Increase Resources Allotted To Investments In Spring 2012 – Minister

Romanian Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu said Tuesday additional revenues that might result after the budget execution in the first months of 2012 will most likely be directed to investments.

Romanians Highly Dissatisfied With Public Healthcare Services – Poll

Romanians are highly discontented with the Romanian healthcare system and the way it is managed, according to a research conducted by IRIS Network in 28 countries.

Romanian Parliament Committees Approve Budget Of Ministry Of EU Affairs

The 2012 budget of Romania's Ministry of European Affairs, amounting to 86.7 million lei (EUR20 million), was approved Monday by the specialty Parliament committees.

Romanian Parliament Defense Committees OK Interior Ministry’s Draft 2012 Budget

The Romanian Parliament’s defense committees on Monday approved during a joint meeting the draft 2012 budget of the Interior Ministry, of 7.29 billion lei (EUR1.67 billion).

Romanian Parliament Committees OK Draft 2012 Budgets Of Health Min, Health Insurance House

The Romanian Parliament’s health committees on Monday approved with 14 to ten votes the draft 2012 budgets of the Health Ministry and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS).

Romanian Parliament Committees OK Agriculture Ministry Budget

The committees for agriculture in the Romanian Parliament on Monday approved the 2012 budget of the Agriculture Ministry, of 14.9 billion lei (EUR3.42 billion), nearly RON1 billion lower than this year's RON15.8 billion.

Belgium Might Lift Work Restrictions For Romanians, Bulgarians Starting 2012

Romanians and Bulgarians might be allowed access on Belgium’s labor market starting January 1, 2012, after Flanders, the last Belgian region which opposed this measure, lifted its veto, according to Euractiv.com.

Romanian Parliament Administration Committees OK 2012 Tourism, Regional Development Budget

The Romanian Parliament’s public administration committees on Monday approved the 2012 draft budget of the Ministry of Tourism and Regional Development, of 3.45 billion lei (about EUR793 million).

Danish PM Says Romania May Count On Denmark For Schengen Entry Support

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said Monday during a meeting with Romanian counterpart Emil Boc that support for Romania’s accession to the Schengen area has been included in the government program and Romanian authorities may count on Denmark’s help in this process.

Romanian Tenants To Withhold And Pay Taxes Owed By Landowners

Taxes owed by Romanian landowners will be withheld and transferred to the budget by the tenants, and the owners will not have to file a statement on their income from rents if they choose for their net income to be determined by applying a flat tax rate.

Romanian PM Assures Laid Off Miners They Will Receive Severance Pay

Romania's Government will find ways to pay severance for laid off miners, until the European Union approves state aid for these units, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Sunday on the public TV station.

Small Romanian Vegetable, Fruit Producers To Pay Income Taxes

All small Romanian producers of vegetables, fruit, flowers, cereal and wood will pay a tax of 16% on net income, while livestock farmers, beekeepers and silkworm farmers who do not sell to collectors or processors will continue to be exempted, according to a proposed amendment to the Tax Code.

Romanian Interior Ministry Proposes Holding Local, Parliament Elections Simultaneously

Romania's Ministry of Interior has proposed holding the elections for local authorities and for the Parliament at the same time, arguing that this would reduce the total cost from EUR43 million to around EUR22 million.

Romanian Govt Keeps Livestock Subsidy At Current Level, Over Budget Constraints

Romania's Government has allotted over 1 billion lei (EUR230 million) for subsidies per head for sheep, goats and cattle, but will not increase the amount per head, despite the number of subsidized animals increasing by about 1 million heads since last year.

Romanian PM Appoints New Employment Agency Head

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Wednesday appointed Elvira Rodica Andronescu in the position of head of the National Employment Agency (ANOFM).

Entire Bucharest-Constanta Highway To Be Open For Traffic By Summer 2012 – Minister

Romanian Transport Minister Anca Boagiu said that the entire Bucharest- Constanta highway will be open for traffic by summer next year, as work on the Cernavoda- Medgidia and Medgidia- Murfatlar sections is on schedule.

Romania’s Frame-Law On Healthcare To Be Completed By December 15-20 – Minister

Romania’s Health Minister Ladislau Ritli said Tuesday the frame-law on healthcare, which is currently at the health ministry for debates, will be completed by December 15 or December 20.

Romanian Senate Tacitly Adopts Bill Making November 30 Legal Holiday

Romania's Senate on Tuesday tacitly adopted a bill making November 30, the feast of Saint Andrew, a legal non-working holiday.

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

The Romanian opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) will challenge at the Constitutional Court the election of democrat liberal Vasile Blaga as Senate chairman, social democrat senator Titus Corlatean said Monday.

Romanian Democrat Liberal Vasile Blaga Elected Senate Chairman

Romanian former Interior Minister Vasile Blaga on Monday has been elected Senate chairman.

Romanian Constitutional Court Upholds Law Postponing Until 2016 Court-Won Salary Rights

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Monday rejected the contestation targeting the law postponing until 2016 payments of salary rights public sector employees have won in court, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Select Vasile Blaga As Candidate For Senate Chairman

The Standing Bureau of the Romanian ruling Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), part of the ruling coalition, decided Monday former Interior Minister Vasile Blaga will be the party’s candidate for the position of Senate chairman, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Fiscal Council: Special Pensions Increased By 30% After Recalculation

The average monthly pension paid to the 159,000 Romanian former military staff and police officers increased over 30% after recalculation, to 2,289 lei (EUR525) from RON1,755, although the Labor Ministry expected it will decrease, the Fiscal Council said Friday.

Romania To Determine No. Of State Employees To Be Laid Off In Each Sector In 2012

Romania’s Labor Minister Sulfina Barbu said Friday, referring to the 120,000 public sector employees to be laid off next year, that authorities are analyzing the matter to see how many state employees will be made redundant in each sector.

Romania’s President, Qatar’s Ruling Emir Talk On Means Of Enhancing State Cooperation – QNA

Romania’s President Traian Basescu arrived Tuesday in Qatar’s capital city Doha and held talks with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on bilateral relations and the means of strengthening cooperation between the two states, according to the Qatar News Agency (QNA).

Romanian Military Personnel Must Join Private Pension Fund Within Seven Months

Romanian military personnel, police agents and special employees of the defense and prison administration systems will be required to sign up for a private pension within seven months, with the exception of agents with classified identities.

US Ambassador: 81% Of Romanian Applicants Received Non-Immigrant Visas For USA In 2010

U.S. Ambassador Mark Gitenstein said Tuesday that 29,000 Romanians, about 81% of those who applied, received temporary visas for the U.S. in 2010, an increase of 3,000 over 2009.

Romania’s Parliament Adopts Stray Dog Bill

Romania’s Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday adopted with 168 votes in favor, 111 votes against and 14 abstentions a bill on stray dogs.

Romanian Senate Approves Bill On Medical Practices In Schools

Romania's Senate on Monday adopted a bill concerning medical and dentist practices in public and private schools.

Foreigners Own 8.5% Of Romania’s Total Arable Area – Agric Minister

The area of Romanian farmland owned by foreigners increased by over 10% this year to 709,000 hectares from 635,000 hectares in 2010, and 24.29% of it belongs to Italians, Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara told a news conference Monday.

Romanian Govt Might Unfreeze Hiring In Health, Education, Administration Sectors In 2012

The Romanian Government will unfreeze hiring in the health, education and administration sectors next year, if the need for more staff is high, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Friday on public radio.

President: Romania Has No Money To Raise Pensions, Wages In 2012 Regardless Of Court Ruling

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday on public radio RRA that, regardless of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on authorities’ decision to freeze pensions and wages in 2012, “there is no money”.

Romanian Health Ministry’s 2012 Budget To Be Set For Entire Year, Won’t Be Revised – Minister

The Romanian Health Ministry’s 2012 budget will be set for the entire year and will not be revised, Health Minister Ladislau Ritli said Wednesday.

Romania’s Ruling Coalition Puts Off Approval Of Draft 2012 State Budget Until Next Week – Sources

Romania’s ruling coalition leaders decided Wednesday that the draft 2012 state budget will be approved by the Government next week, most likely in a special meeting, people close to the talks told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romanian PM: Next Budget Revision To Give More To Health, Culture, Investments

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said the government will revise the state budget next week at the latest, providing more funds to the ministries of Health, Culture and those running investments in infrastructure.

Romanian Govt Cuts Subsidy For Residential Construction Through Mortgage Loans

Romania's Government has decided not to subsidize the construction of homes through mortgage loans, arguing that budget revenues are insufficient to continue support for this program, and will limit the benefit to applications already filed.

Romanian Lower House Ratifies Missile Defense Shield Agreement

Romania's Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday adopted the bill on the ratification of the U.S.-Romanian agreement on the deployment of a U.S. ballistic missile defense system in Romania.