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Romania’s Draft Constitution: Preventive Detention Extended To 48 Hours

Preventive detention will be extended to 48 hours from 24 hours, according to a bill revising the Romanian Constitution, published Wednesday by the Presidential Administration.

Romanian Draft Constitution: Budget Gap Limited To 3% Of GDP

Romania's budget gap may not be wider than 3% of the gross domestic product, while the public debt may not exceed 60% of the GDP, says the draft revised Constitution, published Wednesday by the Presidential Administration.

Romania’s Draft Constitution Provides Single-Chamber Parliament With 300 MPs

Romania will have a single-chamber Parliament with 300 lawmakers, says the draft revised Constitution, published Wednesday by the Presidential Administration.

Romanian Draft Constitution: MPs May Be Detained Without Parliament Permission

Romanian lawmakers may be searched, detained or arrested without the Parliament's authorization, says the draft revised Constitution, published Wednesday by the Presidential Administration.

Romanian President Sends Bill Revising Constitution To Legislative Council For Standpoint

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday sent the bill revising the Constitution to the Legislative Council for endorsement, the Presidency said in a press release.

Romanian Car Tax Charged To Buyer On First Sale

Romania's car tax, in its future form, will be paid by the buyer upon the first sale of any car for which the tax has not already been paid, said an Environment Ministry press release on Tuesday, following a press conference held by minister Lazlo Borbely.

Romanian Govt OKs Applying Reverse Taxation On Cereal For Two Years

The Romanian Government on Tuesday approved a draft emergency ordinance whereby the country will apply reverse taxation on cereal and plants with industrial use for about two years staring June 1, 2011, after it received approval from the European Union.

Romania Vies To Fill Investor Gap In Nuclear Reactor Project

Romania’s nuclear reactors 3 and 4 still lack a “clearly established” investor, despite “pretty interesting” talks over the past several months with potential partners, Tuesday said Economy Ministry state secretary Karoly Borbely.

Romania Promoted As Tourist Destination On CNN, Euronews, Eurosport

The Romanian Tourism Ministry has started a campaign to promote Romania as a tourist destination on three international television channels, CNN, Euronews and Eurosport, which will broadcast for one year three videos showcasing the East European country.

Romania Doesn’t Give Up Plan To Create Energy Champions

Romanian government didn’t give up its plan to merge the main power companies into two national champions, but a system overhaul to create several smaller energy centers has better chances of success at the moment, an official of the Economy Ministry said Tuesday.

Romanian President Traian Basescu Loses Suit Against Opposition MP

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Monday lost his suit against opposition social democrat MP Mugurel Surupaceanu who accused the Government and the Presidency of supporting the use of recreational drugs.

Romanian Police Wages To Be Cut By 30% If Layoff Program Dropped

Romanian Interior Ministry employees’ salaries will be cut by 30% in December if the ministry layoff program is not carried out, Interior Minister Traian Igas said Monday.

Romanian Govt To Apply Car Pollution Tax Upon First Sale

Romania’s ruling coalition decided to allow the Government to apply a pollution tax upon the first sale of cars brought to Romania before the enforcement of this new car tax system, people familiar with the matter told MEDIAFAX Monday.

City Mall Bucharest To See Fourth Sale Attempt, At EUR23.58M

Bankrupt shopping center City Mall Bucharest will be put up for sale for the fourth time on June 10, in an auction starting at EUR23.58 million, some 30% less than the initial price of EUR33 million.

Romania To Eliminate Barriers To Opening Hypermarkets, After EU Pressure

Romania's Government, under pressure from the European Commission (EC), has pledged to remove barriers to the opening of retail chains, by no longer requiring the competition's approval and an impact study before issuing authorization.

Romania Risks EU Sanctions Unless It Refunds Car Tax – Experts

Romania risks sanctions from the European Union, from a potential infringement procedure, and a great number of suits brought on by car owners, unless the government urgently changes the car tax and repays the funds it collected.

Romanian Family Doctors Stand Firm In Negotiations On Healthcare Contract

Romanian family doctors will not sign the new frame-contract with the National Health Insurance House unless it is adopted in the form agreed with the Health Ministry.

Romanian Postal Co Restructuring To Affect 2000 Employees

Restructuring the Romanian postal service will affect around 2000 employees, 6% of the total staff, some of whom will be laid off, company president Daniel Neagoe told MEDIAFAX on Friday.

Korean Companies Eye Stake In Romanian Nuke Project

A consortium formed of two South Korean companies wants to join the construction of reactors 3 and 4 at nuclear power plant Cernavoda, the Romanian Economy Ministry said in a news release Friday.

Romanian Food Processors Accept High Retail Slotting Fees Out Of Fear

Romanian food processors are afraid of the major store chains, which might take their products off the shelf, and therefore accept the highest slotting fees in Europe, said Valeriu Steriu, chairman of the presidential committee for agricultural policies.

Romanian Online Store eMAG Starts Selling Books

Online store eMAG on Friday said it has widened its portfolio to include books, planning to become the top book retailer within the year.

World Bank Lends Romania EUR500M For Social Assistance Reforms

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Thursday approved a EUR500 million loan to support a social assistance program of Romania’s government estimated at EUR5.5 billion.

Romanian Union Agrostar Says Food Prices Will Rise 3-5%

Food prices in Romania will rise 3-5% in the following period because of adverse weather conditions and the international context, officials of the Agrostar food industry union federation said Friday during a seminar.

Romanian Public Sector To Recover 2010 Wage Cut In Two Steps Next Year – PM

The wage cut implemented in Romania's public sector last year will be entirely recovered next year, likely in two installments, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday on Realitatea TV.

Only One Romanian Private Hospital Met 2nd Class Requirements – Health Min

A single Romanian private hospital has been classed in category 2, 50 others in categories 4 and 5, and nine others have not yet been classed, out of the 66 private units that want to receive public funds, Health Minister Attila Cseke told MEDIAFAX on Thursday.

Romania To Apply Reverse Taxation On Cereal Starting June 1

Romania will apply reverse taxation on cereal and plants with industrial use for about two years starting June 1, according to a draft emergency ordinance drawn up by the Finance Ministry.

Carmaker Ford Produced 3,000 Commercial Vehicles In Romania In Jan-April

Carmaker Ford produced about 3,000 Transit Connect light commercial vehicles at its car plant in Craiova, southern Romania, in the first four months of the year, four times more than in the same interval in 2010.

Romanian Posta Romana To Be Restructured Before Postal Service Liberalization In 2013

The board of Romanian state-run postal company Posta Romana will discuss Thursday a restructuring plan which aims to get the company ready for the liberalization of postal services set for January 1, 2013, said Communications Minister Valerian Vreme.

Romanian President Says Police Layoff Bill Rejection Shows Weakness In Ruling Coalition

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday on public radio the Parliament’s failure to pass a bill laying off police officers shows weakness in the ruling coalition and comes at a bad time.

Roubini: Romania Unlikely To Join Eurozone In 2015

Romania will probably miss its self-imposed deadline for euro adoption in 2015, American economist Nouriel Roubini said Wednesday, mentioning that there’s “nothing wrong with waiting another year or two” before joining the euro area.

EIB Official: Romania Registers Delays In All Stages Of EU Fund Absorption Process

Romania registers delays in all phases of the EU fund absorption process, also because financing must be ensured before projects are approved, Milena Messori, director of the European Investment Bank office in capital Bucharest, said Thursday.

Fewer Romanian SMEs Unable To Repay Loans – SME Guarantee Fund

The number of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) unable to pay back their loans has decreased this year and SMEs have started taking loans for investments rather than mere subsistence, said Thursday Aurel Saramet, head of the country’s guarantee fund for SMEs.

Romanian FM Hopes Romania Gets Clear Schengen Entry Date This Fall

Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Baconschi said Thursday on RFI he hopes that, during the Council of Justice and Home Affairs to take place this fall, all member states will agree on a clear date for Romania’s Schengen entry in the second half of the year.

Romanian Govt To Up Clunkers Program Budget By 60,000 Scrapping Vouchers

Romania’s Government will supplement the budget for the country’s cash for clunkers program by 60,000 scrapping vouchers, Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said Wednesday, at the end of the Cabinet meeting.

Romanian Govt Postpones Decision On Car Tax Changes

Romania’s Government has postponed a decision to change the car tax and will first draw up an impact analysis and discuss the matter within the ruling coalition, people close the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romania’s Budget Posts RON829M Surplus In April

Romania’s consolidated budget posted a surplus of 829 million lei (EUR200.1 million) in April, fueled by higher revenue, while the budget deficit for the first four months of 2011 narrowed to RON4.4 billion, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

Romanian President Traian Basescu Boycotts Warsaw Summit

Romania President Traian Basescu will not participate in the summit of Central and Eastern European countries to take place in Warsaw between May 27 and May 28, as Poland has decided to invite “an entity” Romania does not recognize as state, the president's spokesman, Valeriu Turcan, said Wednesday.

Romanian Government Ups Staff Spending By 5% In Election Year 2012 – Bill

The Romanian Government will increase staff spending by 5% in election year 2012, above the cap set for this year, to 42.59 billion lei (about EUR10.33 billion) or 7.2% of the gross domestic product, one percentage point above inflation and economic growth estimates.

Romania Central Bank Sees Rising Capital Inflows On Medium-Term

Romania is likely to begin a new economic cycle, when massive capital inflows could trigger a higher volatility of the exchange rate, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.

Romanian Tourism Still In Crisis – Industry

Romania's tourism sector has not recovered from the crisis and the number of tourists who stayed in Romanian hotels was 20% lower in the first three months of this year, compared to the same period last year, said hotel and tour agency representatives in a conference on Wednesday.