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Former Constanta Mayor, Football Investor Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Public Lands Scheme

15:47, 08 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Supreme Court decided on Thursday night to sentence former Constanta Mayor Radu Mazare to nine years in prison, football investor Cristian Borcea to five years in prison and several others in a case regarding illegal beach retrocessions, in a final decision.

Prime Minister: We Will Discuss President’s Refusal To Appoint Minister In The Ruling Coalition

15:13, 08 Feb. 2019
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced on Thursday that the country’s ruling PSD-ALDE coalition will meet to decide on what actions it will take regarding President Klaus Iohannis’ repeated refusals to appoint Lia Olguta Vasilescu as regional development minister.

Prime Minister: Government To Pass 2019 Budget, 45% More Funds Allotted For Investments

14:04, 08 Feb. 2019
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced at the beginning of Friday’s cabinet meeting that the Government will pass the country’s 2019 budget, which is built on a 2.5% target GDP deficit.

Romanian Central Bank Admits Intervention to Curb Currency Fall

18:34, 07 Feb. 2019
Romania's central bank intervened in the second half of January to curb the rapid depreciation of the Romanian leu to the euro, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday.

2019 Budget Not Featured On Friday’s Cabinet Meeting Agenda

18:34, 07 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Government published on Thursday afternoon the agenda for Friday’s cabinet meeting, which does not include the 2019 budget project, despite assurances from PM Viorica Dancila on Wednesday that there is “no danger” for the act to be delayed again.

Prison Workers Unions Request Better Work Conditions In Bucharest Protest

18:16, 07 Feb. 2019
Several hundred members of prison workers unions organized a protest at the headquarters of Romania’s interior and justice ministries in Bucharest on Thursday morning, demanding pay raises and better work conditions.

Three More Die As Flu Epidemic Death Toll Hits 92

17:28, 07 Feb. 2019
The death toll of Romania’s ongoing flu epidemic hit 92 on Thursday, after three more men were announced to have succumbed to the vrus.

Rejected Cabinet Nominee Announces Criminal Complaint Against President

14:54, 07 Feb. 2019
Former Labor Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu announced on Thursday that she will file a criminal complaint against Romanian President Klaus Iohannis for abuse of office, after the president decided to reject her nomination for regional development minister.

C&W Echinox: Land Transactions in Bucharest Hit New Record in 2018

14:31, 07 Feb. 2019
Developers and real estate investors completed land acquisitions with a cumulative value of around EUR245 million last year in Bucharest, a new record for the past ten years, real estate consultancy firm Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

President Rejects Proposal For New Development Minister, Asks For Different Candidate

13:59, 07 Feb. 2019
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis again rejected the Government’s proposal for the office of regional development minister, Lia Olguta Vasilescu, on Thursday, and requested the prime minister to propose a different candidate for the office.

Black Sea Oil & Gas Moves Forward With $400M Midia Gas Project

12:44, 07 Feb. 2019
Black Sea Oil & Gas , owned by by Carlyle International Energy Partners and EBRD, said Thursday it has decided to move forward with the Black Sea offshore Midia Gas Development project, a $400 million investment.

Romanian Central Bank Keeps Key Rate Unchanged at 2.5% a Year

12:42, 07 Feb. 2019
Romania's central bank on Thursday kept its benchmark interest rate on hold at 2.5% at its first monetary policy meeting this year, the bank said in a statement.

Firefighters Extinguish Alba Iulia Spices Factory Fire After Five Days

20:13, 06 Feb. 2019
Romanian firefighters ended one of their most difficult interventions in recent history on Wednesday, as a fire which started last Saturday at a spice factory in Alba Iulia was entirely put out five days after it began.

Justice Ministry Proposal: Damages Paid For Inmates Who Did Not Receive Sentence Compensation

20:10, 06 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Justice Ministry is considering the option of paying damages for inmates who did not benefit from sentence compensation for convictions served in below-par prisons, calculated per number of reduced sentence days which were not granted, according to a draft bill obtained by MEDIAFAX.

Ruling Party Leader: Government To Pass 2019 Budget On Friday

19:01, 06 Feb. 2019
The leader of Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, announced on Wednesday, following a meeting with municipality mayors, that the Government is set to pass the 2019 budget on Friday, following several delays.

Senate Tacitly Adopts Law Abolishing Special Pensions For Dignitaries

18:05, 06 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Senate tacitly passed on Wednesday a bill which eliminates special pensions for all MPs, the ombudsman, diplomats and court auxiliary specialized personnel, among others.

2019 Budget Talks Continue For Third Consecutive Day

15:49, 06 Feb. 2019
Uncertainty regarding Romania’s 2019 budget continues as Government officials, ruling coalition leaders and municipality mayors entered a third day of talks, with little in the way of official announcements.

Flu Epidemic: Death Toll Hits 89 As Two More Victims Confirmed

14:05, 06 Feb. 2019
The death toll of Romania’s ongoing flu epidemic reached 89 on Wednesday morning, after two more people were confirmed by the National Public Health Institute (INSP) to have succumbed to the virus.

KMGI Posts $86M Net Profit in 2018, Plans to Start Building Petromidia Cogeneration Plant

13:48, 06 Feb. 2019
KazMunayGas International (KMGI) plans to start the implementation of projects for the construction of a cogeneration plant at the Petromidia refinery in 2019 and to expand its retail network of gas stations stations in Romania, its main market.

False Italian Plastic Surgeon Caught Trying To Flee Romania

13:31, 06 Feb. 2019
An Italian citizen who was revealed to have performed tens of surgeries in Romania without a medical license was caught on Wednesday morning in Arad county, at the Curtici border point, while trying to cross into Hungary.

Bucharest Mayor: The Current Draft Budgets Cuts 25% Of Capital’s Income

19:05, 05 Feb. 2019
Bucharest General Mayor Gabriela Firea stated on Friday that the country’s capital stands to lose about 25% of last years’ income if the 2019 state budget proposal forwarded by the Government is passed, which would hamper the town hall’s ability to keep several of its commitments.

Flu Epidemic: Two Women And Child Die As Death Toll Reaches 82

17:46, 05 Feb. 2019
The death toll of Romania’s current flu epidemic reached 82 after local data was centralized on Tuesday, with three more deaths attributed to the disease.

Alexandru Mitrache Promoted Head of Transactions – Land & Investment at C&W Echinox

17:40, 05 Feb. 2019
Cushman & Wakefield Echinox announced Tuesday it is strengthening its Capital Markets team by promoting Alexandru Mitrache as Head of Transactions - Land & Investment.

Agricola Group Posts 10% Turnover Growth in 2018, to RON737M

17:39, 05 Feb. 2019
Meat processor Agricola Group had a total turnover of approximately RON737 million in 2018, up 10% on the year, the company said Tuesday.

Prosecutors To Investigate Fake Italian Plastic Surgeon In Bucharest

16:10, 05 Feb. 2019
Bucharest prosecutors launched a criminal probe on Wednesday after an investigative press report revealed that an Italian citizen performed dozens of surgeries in private clinics without having the right to practice medicine.

Fiscal Council Says Govt’s 5.5% GDP Growth Projection Is Surprising, Unwarranted

15:49, 05 Feb. 2019
Maintaining an economic growth projection of 5.5% in 2019 especially after the emergency decree 114/2018 introducing new taxes is surprising and unwarranted, Romania's Fiscal Council said in a statement Tuesday.

Fitch Ratings: Romania 2019 Budget Fails to Lift Fiscal Uncertainty

15:22, 05 Feb. 2019
Romania's draft 2019 budget targets a reduction in the budget deficit, but is based on optimistic assumptions and fails to clarify uncertainty over the new bank tax, Fitch Ratings said in a report Tuesday.

Ruling Coalition Leaders And Government Officials Meet To Discuss 2019 Budget

14:01, 05 Feb. 2019
The leaders of Romania’s ruling PSD-ALDE coalition, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu, will continue discussions regarding the country’s 2019 budget with PM Viorica Dancila and Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici on Tuesday, political sources told MEDIAFAX.

Train Car Loaded With Dangerous Substances Derails In Caras-Severin County

13:50, 05 Feb. 2019
A train car loaded with dangerous substances, including petroleum gas, derailed on Tuesday morning near a train station in Caras-Severin county.

Former Anticorruption Chief Favorite To Lead EU Public Prosecutor’s Office

20:12, 04 Feb. 2019
The former chief of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), Laura Codruta Kovesi, ranks first in a shortlist of candidates favored to lead the upcoming European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), according to a document published on Monday.

Health Minister: Analysis Shows Bucharest Tap Water Chemicals Within Admitted Limits

19:46, 04 Feb. 2019
Romanian Health Minister Sorina Pintea announced on Monday that analysis made on tap water in Bucharest showed that chemical substances were within admitted concentration limits, but that some of them were found to be close to the maximum limits.

Romanian PM Accuses EU Of Double Standards On Corruption Criticism

19:09, 04 Feb. 2019
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila accused the European Union of using double standards when it criticizes the country on issues of corruption and cracking down on protests, in an interview offered for Politico.eu.

PM Economic Counsellor: We Hope To Radically Change The ROBOR Calculation Method

18:24, 04 Feb. 2019
The main economic counsellor of Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, Darius Valcov, told Bloomberg in an interview published on Monday that the Government aims for a radical change in the formula used to calculate Romanian Interbank Exchange Rate (ROBOR) indexes, or their repeal altogether.

Lower Chamber To Appoint New Standing Bureau Secretary, Quaestor

17:18, 04 Feb. 2019
Minorities MP Dragos Gabriel Zisopol will be appointed secretary of the Lower Chamber’s standing bureau, following the former secretary's resignation from the ruling party; the bureau will also appoint a new chamber quaestor, political sources told MEDIAFAX on Monday.

Amerocap Evaluating Investments in Port of Constanta

16:26, 04 Feb. 2019
Amerocap, a US-based investment firm, which supported Chimcomplex’s acquisition of Oltchim assets, is seeking expansion of its own private equity investment activity and evaluating investments in the Port of Constanta, it said in a statement.

Smithfield Buys Local Meat Business in Arad, Western Romania

16:25, 04 Feb. 2019
Smithfield, the largest pork producer in Romania and globally, has recently acquired local meat processor Maier Com in Arad, western Romania.

Government To Postpone Passing 2019 Budget For Friday Meeting

15:47, 04 Feb. 2019
Romania’s Government could delay adopting the state budget yet again, despite the fact that PM Viorica Dancila announced that the cabinet would make every effort to pass the project during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, political sources told MEDIAFAX.

Flu Epidemic Death Toll Grows To 72

15:14, 04 Feb. 2019
Two more people infected with type A influenza died during the weekend, raising the death toll of Romania’s current flu epidemic to 72, according to the country’s National Public Health Institute (INSP).

Flu Epidemic: Three More Die As Death Toll Reaches 67

22:26, 01 Feb. 2019
Three more people were confirmed to have died due to influenza in Romania on Friday, brining the death toll of the current epidemic up to 67.

Hungarian Minority Party Leader: 2019 Budget Share Is Neither Fair Nor Acceptable

18:55, 01 Feb. 2019
The chairman of Romania’s top Hungarian minority party UDMR, Kelemen Hunor, joined in voices criticizing the Government’s proposed budget for 2019 on Friday, stating that county councils will lose between RON17 million and 70 million because of the new spending share.