English

Romanian Petromservice Fmr General Manger Indicted For Embezzlement, Tax Evasion

Romanian prosecutors have indicted Mihai Sorin, former general manager of oil industry company Petromservice, on charges of fund misappropriation, tax evasion and money laundering, the Department Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) said in a press release Thursday.

Killers Of Romanian Handball Player Marian Cozma Get Life Sentences

The Veszprem County Court in western Hungary on Thursday sentenced Sandor Raffael and Gyozo Nemeth to life in prison for the murder of Romanian handball player Marian Cozma, who was stabbed to death outside a nightclub in February 2009.

Romanian President Sends Constitution Revision Draft To Parliament

Romanian President Traian Basescu has sent the draft revised Constitution to the Parliament for debates, he said Thursday morning before embarking on a plane to Brussels, to attend a European Council meeting.

One Dead, 19 Injured In Passenger Bus Accident In Central Romania

Seven other passengers of a bus that hit a truck Thursday morning near Sibiu, central Romania, have been taken to hospital, taking the injured toll to 19.

Romania To Lease, Close Over 2000 Km Of Railroad, To Save Money

Romania's Government has decided to lease 1,000 km of public railroad and close another 1,000 km, in an effort to save 109 million lei (EUR25.6 million) from the railway company budgets, as per a previous agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

Romanian Senate Reduces Punishment For Election Campaign Bribery

Romania's Senate on Wednesday adopted a law reducing the maximum sentence for bribery in an election campaign to three years from five.

Romania Needs Measures Allowing Confiscation Of Alienated Illegally-Obtained Wealth – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday pleaded for the implementation of measures allowing authorities to confiscate illegally obtained wealth alienated during criminal investigations to “deceive” authorities.

Romanian Audiovisual Council Member Pulls Toy Gun During Parliament Meeting

A member of the Romanian National Audiovisual Council pulled a pistol and set it on the table Wednesday, during a meeting of the Parliament’s committees for culture, and said later on it was a toy gun.

Romanian Ruling Coalition To Continue Talks On Country’s Reorganization Until Monday – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday the ruling coalition will continue talks on the country’s administrative reorganization until the beginning of next week to take a decision on the matter.

Romanian Opposition Wants Technocratic Govt, Early Parliamentary Elections

The Romanian opposition Social Liberal Union representatives said Tuesday during talks with President Traian Basescu the union is willing to support a technocratic Government, and called for early parliamentary elections.

Romanian President Determined Not To Give Up Amendment Concerning Private Property

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday he will send the draft revised Constitution to Parliament as soon as he receives the endorsement of the Constitutional Court, adding he will not eliminate the amendment regarding legally-obtained wealth.

Romanian Healthcare Units Banned From Asking Co-Payment For State-Funded Fertilization Services

The Romanian in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program, which was launched by the Health Ministry on June 1, is free and healthcare units requiring co-payment from patients included in the program risk penalties and even exclusion, the ministry said in a press release Tuesday.

Five Dead, 23 Injured As Romanian Bus Collides With Truck In Hungary

Five people, of which four Romanians, were killed and 23 others were injured Tuesday when a bus, transporting 40 passengers from Romania to Spain, collided with a Slovenia-registered truck in northwestern Hungary.

EC Cuts Local Infrastructure Funding For Romania, Over Procurement Problems

The European Commission has suspended financing for Romania through axis 2 of the regional operational program (Improving regional and local transport infrastructure) and asked Romanian authorities to check every public procurement contract signed with axis 2 beneficiaries.

Romania’s New Car Pollution Tax Up In The Air

The new bill on Romania's car pollution tax no longer mentions July 1, 2011 as the date for the new tax's implementation and, with the upcoming parliamentary summer recess, cannot be adopted earlier than this fall.

Romanian Constitutional Court Objects To Revised Constitution Draft

Romania's Constitutional Court on Friday ruled unconstitutional certain provisions of the draft revised Constitution put forward by President Traian Basescu.

Romania, Bulgaria Entry Depends on EC Justice Report, Says Hungarian Ambassador To Sofia

Romania and Bulgaria’s Schengen entry by end-2011 depends on the results of the European Commission’s report under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) on justice and home affairs, due for release in July, said Hungarian Ambassador to Bulgaria Judith Lang, cited by Novinite.com.

Romania To Pay EUR92,000 To Send EUR12,000 Worth Of Water To Japan

Romania will send Japan 50,000 lei (EUR12,000) worth of bottled water as emergency humanitarian aid, but will pay about seven times as much, 383,000 lei (EUR92,000), to transport the water from Bucharest to Tokyo.

Romanian PM Says Administrative Reorganization Is Romania’s Concern Alone

Romania’s administrative reorganization concerns Romania alone, Prime Minister Emil Boc said late Thursday in response to comments by a Hungarian high official who said Romania’s plans would represent an unacceptable change of the country’s ethnic map.

Romania Keeps Higher Taxes On Multiple Homes Into Next Year

Romania's Government has decided to keep charging higher taxes from owners of multiple houses and cars with engines larger than 2000 cc, after the Parliament decided that the higher taxes would only be applied this year.

Romania Ctrl Bank Keeps A Close Eye On Greek Subsidiaries

The Romanian central bank is keeping a close eye on Greek subsidiaries and has already taken preventive measures against potential fiscal slippages, first deputy governor Florin Georgescu said Thursday.

Romanian Businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vintu To Be Tried At Large

The Court of Bucharest on Thursday decided that Romanian businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vintu will be tried at large for blackmailing Realitatea Media manager Sebastian Ghita.

Romanian Govt Freezes Hiring Of Police Academy Graduates By Interior Ministry Until 2012

The Romanian Government on Thursday adopted an emergency decree which freezes the hiring of police academy graduates by the Interior Ministry until January 1, 2012.

Proposed Plan To Reorganize Romania Changes Country’s Ethnic Map – Hungarian Official

The recently proposed administrative reorganization of Romania would represent an unacceptable change of the country’s ethnic map, said Hungarian deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen, cited by Hungarian news agency MTI.

Romanians Among EU Citizens Most Dissatisfied With Rail Transport – Survey

Romanians, Poles and Bulgarians are the EU citizens most dissatisfied with the rail services in their country, especially unhappy with the length of a journey and lack of cleanliness and punctuality, says a Eurobarometer survey on railway passenger satisfaction in member states.

Romanian President Can Be Impeached Only By Majority Of Registered Voters – Draft

The Romanian Chamber of Deputies committee for legal matters on Wednesday adopted a bill by the Democratic Liberal Party, amending the referendum law, so that the President of Romania could be impeached only with the votes of the majority of registered voters.

Romanian Constitutional Court Upholds Govt Decree Regulating Maternity Leave, Child Rearing Benefits

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday rejected a claim by opposition lawmakers that the Government emergency decree regulating maternity leave and child rearing benefits was unconstitutional.

Israeli Air Force To Return To Romania For Training In August – Paper

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will return to Romania for joint maneuvers in August, a year after six Israeli servicemen were killed in a helicopter crash in the Carpathian Mountains, the Jerusalem Post reported in its online edition Wednesday.

Romanian Senate Adopts Law Banning Psychoactive Drugs

Romania's Senate on Tuesday adopted the law banning psychoactive substances and laying down tough requirements for sale authorization, while allowing authorities to seize merchandise and temporarily suspend unauthorized shops.

Romanian President To Address Parliament On June 27

Romanian President Traian Basescu is expected to address Parliament on June 27, at 3 p.m., the two chambers of Parliament’s standing offices decided Tuesday.

Romanian Ruling Coalition Fails To Agree On Administrative Reorganization Plan

Romanian ruling coalition leaders on Tuesday failed to reach an agreement on a bill regarding the country’s administrative reorganization into eight counties from the current 41.

Romanian Interior Min Confident Country Will Join Schengen Area In October

Romanian Interior Minister Traian Igas said Tuesday in the Bulgarian capital Sofia he is optimistic the two countries will join the Schengen area in October this year.

Romanian Public Procurement Watchdog Limits Duties Of Management Authorities

Romania’s National Authority for the Regulation and Monitoring of Public Procurement (ANRMAP) limited the duties of management authorities regarding checkups on procedures to award EU-funded contracts.

U.S. Carmaker Ford Starts B-Max Prototype Production In Romania

Carmaker Ford has started the production of the B-Max minivan prototypes at its car plant in Craiova, southern Romania, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Sunday.

Romanian Beer Sales Down 2% In First Quarter 2011 – Assoc

Sales of beer in Romania dropped by 2% in the first quarter, compared to the same period of last year, and by 25% compared to the first three months of 2008, which was the best year for the industry, said Constantin Bratu, executive manager of the Berarii Romaniei association.

Romanian President Invites Parties To Talks On Constitution, Reorganization

Romanian President Traian Basescu has invited the political parties to a discussion on the revised Constitution and the country's administrative reorganization, in the latter part of June.

Romanian Health Min: Family Doctors End Protest Over New Public Healthcare Contract

Romanian family doctors on Friday decided to end protests over the frame-contract on public healthcare for 2011-2012, the Health Ministry said in a press release.

Romanian Govt To Seek Confidence Vote On Administrative Reorganization Act

Romania's Government will seek a confidence vote in Parliament to adopt the act on the country's administrative reorganization, Democratic Liberal Party general secretary Ioan Oltean announced in a press conference on Friday.

Court Suspends Fine Against Romanian Mobile Operators Orange, Vodafone

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on May 19 suspended the execution of a decision by the Competition Council, whereby mobile operators Orange Romania and Vodafone Romania, are to pay fines in the combined amount of EUR63 million.

Most Romanians Fear Bankruptcy When They Think Of Starting A Business

Romanians who would like to start a business are mainly discouraged by the fear of bankruptcy, revenue fluctuations and loss of property, according to report published Thursday by the European Commission.