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President Criticizes 2019 Budget: Ruling Coalition Shows Its Disdain For Romanians’ Expectations

17:55, 15 Feb. 2019
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis vehemently criticized the 2019 budget adopted by the Parliament on Friday, accusing the country’s ruling coalition of showing “total disdain” for the citizens’ expectations by increasing funds for political parties.

Bucharest Pulmonology Institute Faces Nosocomial Infection Crisis

16:12, 15 Feb. 2019
Two patients hospitalized at the “Marius Nasta” Pulmonology and Phtisiology Institute in Bucharest died this week due to nosocomial infection with an antibiotic-resistant bacteria, while three others were also diagnosed with the infection, two of which are in serious condition.

Government Could Pass Decree For Child Allowances Increase On Tuesday

15:38, 15 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Government could pass an emergency decree on Tuesday to modify the state child allowances law, in order to allow the increase included by amendment in the 2019 budget bill to be enacted, political sources told MEDIAFAX.

EPPO Lead Candidate Officially Suspected Of Several Offenses, Requests Case Prosecutor’s Recusal

14:51, 15 Feb. 2019
Romanian prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, the candidate favored to lead the upcoming European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), said on Friday that she was informed she is a suspect in a case involving the repatriation of a fugitive businessman, and requested the recusal of the case prosecutor.

EPPO Chief Prosecutor Favorite Attends Court Following Subpoena

13:40, 15 Feb. 2019
Romanian prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, who is favored to be appointed chief of the upcoming European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), arrived at the Supreme Court’s Section for Investigating Judicial Offences (SIIJ) for a hearing on Friday, after she received a controversial subpoena.

Kindergarten Investigated After Child With ASD Was Locked Inside Empty Classroom During Inspection

19:20, 14 Feb. 2019
The Bucharest Municipal School Inspectorate (ISMB) launched an inquiry into a Bucharest kindergarten on Thursday, after reports emerged that a little girl diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was locked inside an empty classroom during an official inspection.

Parliament Plenary Approves 2019 Budget Amendment Increasing Child Allowances

18:51, 14 Feb. 2019
The combined chambers of the Romanian Parliament approved on Thursday a Liberal Party amendment to the 2019 budget bill which raises allowances for children aged 2-18 from RON84 to RON150 per month.

President Requests Magistrate Investigation Section To Clarify Kovesi Case

18:14, 14 Feb. 2019
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis requested the Supreme Court’s Judicial Offences Investigation Section (SIIJ) on Thursday to urgently clarify the situation surrounding a case opened against former anticorruption chief Laura Codruta Kovesi.

Court Maintains Decision To Annul Bucharest Municipal Companies

17:19, 14 Feb. 2019
The Bucharest Appeal Court rejected on Wednesday a revision request from the Bucharest City Hall against a decision which annuls the establishment of 22 municipal companies, in a final decision, according to opposition party USR, which initiated the lawsuit.

European Commission On Kovesi Case: All EPPO Candidates Must Be Treated Fairly

16:34, 14 Feb. 2019
The European Commission announced on Thursday that it is closely following the events surrounding the process of appointing a chief prosecutor for the upcoming European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and that all candidates for the role must be treated fairly throughout the process.

Parliament Adopts Individual Articles Of 2019 Budget

15:44, 14 Feb. 2019
The combined chambers of Romania’s Parliament adopted on Thursday morning the individual articles pertaining to the 2019 state budget, with debates continuing on the bill’s annexes, which include budgets for chief authorizing officers.

Hungarian Minority Leader: We Will Vote 2019 Budget In Form Approved By Committee

15:08, 14 Feb. 2019
The leader of Romania’s main Hungarian minority party UDMR, Kelemen Hunor, announced on Thursday that the party’s MPs and senators will vote the 2019 state budget if it submitted in accordance with the report issued by the Parliament’s budget-finances committee on the project.

Top European Prosecutor Candidate Subpoenaed By Magistrate Investigation Section

14:25, 14 Feb. 2019
Romanian prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, considered favorite to be appointed chief of the upcoming European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), announced on Wednesday that she was subpoenaed by the country’s magistrate investigation section for a case in which she is suspected of abuse of office.

Finance Ministry Official Says Bank Tax on Assets is Quarterly

12:07, 14 Feb. 2019
Romania's tax on banks' financial assets is to be levied quarterly on the quarterly assets balance, an official at the Ministry of Finance said Thursday.

Health Minister: Inquiry Launched Concerning Possible Fake Medical Phyiscist

18:55, 13 Feb. 2019
A third scandal in the past two weeks regarding fake medical practitioners in Romania erupted on Wednesday, as Health Minister Sorina Pintea announced investigations into a possible fake medical physicist employed by the ministry.

Constitutional Court Postpones Ruling On Tax Evasion Bill Challenge

17:53, 13 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Constitutional Court postponed on Wednesday a ruling on a challenge filed by opposition parties against the tax evasion adopted by the Parliament in December 2018, which allows all culprits in a tax evasion case to escape prosecution if one of them pays the damages and a 20% fine.

Health Minister: Inquiry Launched Concerning Possible Fake Physician

17:06, 13 Feb. 2019
A third scandal in the past two weeks regarding fake medical practitioners in Romania erupted on Wednesday, as Health Minister Sorina Pintea announced investigations into a possible fake physician employed by the ministry.

Cab Drivers Protest Ridesharing Apps In Major Cities

15:09, 13 Feb. 2019
Hundreds of Romanian cab drivers held a protest against Uber and other ride-sharing apps in Bucharest, while other similar protests were staged in Timisoara and Iasi on Wednesday.

EC Allots EUR517M for Bucharest Airport Metro Line

14:29, 13 Feb. 2019
The European Commission on Wednesday approved EUR517 million financing for a new metro line in Bucharest that would eventually run to the Otopeni international airport.

Constitutional Court Rejects Lower Chamber Regulation Challenge

14:28, 13 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Constitutional Court rejected on Wednesday a challenge against the Lower Chamber’s Regulation, brought forth by a number of 63 MPs.

Flu Epidemic Death Toll Grows To 118

13:40, 13 Feb. 2019
An 82-year old man from Arges county became the latest victim of Romania’s influenza epidemic on Wednesday, raising the death toll to 118.

Romania’s Current Account Deficit Widens to EUR9.4B in 2018

13:30, 13 Feb. 2019
Romania's current account balance posted a deficit of EUR9.416 billion in 2018, nearly 60% higher than the EUR5.97 billion deficit recorded in 2017, central bank data showed Wednesday.

Romania Inflation Rate Flat at 3.3% in January

10:17, 13 Feb. 2019
Romania's annual inflation rate stood at 3.3% in January, the same as in December 2018, data from the country's statistics board showed Wednesday.

Vasilescu Withdraws Candidacy For Development Office Following President Refusals

20:36, 12 Feb. 2019
Former Labor Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu announced on Tuesday evening that she withdrew her candidacies for the roles of regional development minister and deputy prime minister, after her bid was rejected several times by President Klaus Iohannis.

President Accuses Ruling Party Of Populism Regarding 2019 Budget

19:50, 12 Feb. 2019
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis accused the country’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) resorted to populism after its MPs voted to pass an amendment in parliamentary committees which cuts the Romanian Intelligence Service’s share of the 2019 budget.

Parliament Committees Approve 2019 Education Ministry Budget On A 46.7% Yearly Increase

19:08, 12 Feb. 2019
The Romanian Parliament’s combined budget-finances committees gave a positive review on Tuesday for the Education Ministry’s proposed 2019 budget, worth RON30.6 billion, a 46.7% increase from 2018.

Rieker Closes Shoe Factory In Lugoj, About 700 Employees To Be Laid Off

18:26, 12 Feb. 2019
Approximately 700 employees of the Rieker footwear factory in Lugoj, Timis county will be laid off after the factory will close this spring, the Timis Territorial Labor Inspectorate (ITM) announced on Tuesday.

New Fake Doctor Case Discovered At Ilfov County Public Hospital

17:55, 12 Feb. 2019
A woman who worked 10 years for the Ilfov Emergency Hospital was found to have falsified her medical degree, Health Minister Sorina Pintea announced on Tuesday, after newspaper Libertatea published a report on the matter one week after it also broke the news on a fake Italian plastic surgeon.

Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister: Nuclear Arms In Post-INF Europe Would Be An “Inadequate Reaction”

17:03, 12 Feb. 2019
Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu said that Romania is “very concerned” with the announced US withdrawal from the INF treaty and warned that stationing nuclear weapons in Europe would be an “inadequate response”, in an interview for German newspaper Die Welt.

Flu Epidemic Death Toll Reaches 109

15:00, 12 Feb. 2019
Two more people were confirmed on Tuesday to have died because of influenza, raising the death toll of Romania’s current flu epidemic to 109.

Isarescu Says Bank Tax Is an Attack on Central Bank Independence

13:31, 12 Feb. 2019
Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said the tax on bank assets is an attack on the independence of the institution, as it hinders monetary policy.

Four Counties Under Code Orange Snowfall Alert

13:30, 12 Feb. 2019
Romania’s National Meteorological Administration (ANM) issued a code orange warning of snowfall for four counties, while eleven counties in the country’s south will be under the effect of a code yellow warning for strong winds.

Central Bank Governor Tells Senators How ROBOR Index Works

12:19, 12 Feb. 2019
The money market interest rate known as ROBOR was not manipulated, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu told members of the Senate's budge and finance committees at a hearing Tuesday.

SRI Parliamentary Committee Approves 2019 Budget, No Debate On Dragnea Amendments

19:02, 11 Feb. 2019
Romania's combined parliamentary control committee over the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) decided on Monday to approve the yearly budget proposed by the Government for the institution, without debating cuts proposed by Lower Chamber Chairman Liviu Dragnea.

Central Bank Governor: Separation Of Bank Assetts Tax From ROBOR Index Is Intended

18:15, 11 Feb. 2019
National Bank of Romania (BNR) Governor Mugur Isarescu said on Monday that the country's current political power intends to separate the tax on bank assets from Romanian Interbank Offer Rate (ROBOR) index rates, on which it currently depends.

Mountain Areas In Twenty-Four Counties Under Yellow Code Warning For Snowfall

17:11, 11 Feb. 2019
Romania’s National Meteorological Administration (ANM) issued on Monday a code yellow warning for heavy snowfall and snowstorms for mountain areas in 24 counties, starting with Monday night.

Ruling Party: European Commission Should Clarify How It Gathers CVM Report Data

15:12, 11 Feb. 2019
Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) requested the European Commission on Monday to clarify the manner in which it obtains the data used to prepare its yearly Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) reports for the country.

Romanian EU Council Presidency Given Negotiating Mandate For Gas Directive

20:12, 08 Feb. 2019
Romania’s EU Council presidency obtained a mandate to launch negotiations to amend the Natural Gas Directive, with the initiative largely supported by member-states, according to the Romanian Government.

Finance Minister: No Cuts For Local Administration In 2019 Budget

19:13, 08 Feb. 2019
Romanian Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said that the 2019 budget, approved by the Government on Friday, does not reduce local administration budgets, but admitted that Government must continue talks with all of its administrative structures on the topic.

Businessman Sentenced In Constanta Beach Retrocession Case Possibly Fled Country

18:42, 08 Feb. 2019
Romanian businessman Dragos Savulescu, sentenced to prison in the same case with former Constanta Mayor Radu Mazare and football investor Cristian Borcea on Thursday, was not found by the police as of Friday evening, with reports suggesting that he left the country, judicial sources told MEDIAFAX.