government

Romania To Shut Down Duty-Free Shops Upon License Expiry

Romania’s Government will no longer grant licenses to duty-free shops and currently valid licenses are set to expire in five years from their release date, says the tax evasion draft issued Wednesday.

Individuals Crossing Romanian Border Without Declaring EUR10,000 To Face Prison – Draft

Individuals crossing the Romanian border without declaring amounts equal to or greater than EUR10,000 will be charged with a crime and imprisoned for two to seven years, according to the draft Government Emergency Ordinance aiming to fight tax evasion.

Romanian Govt Delays Payment Of Public Wage Rights Won In Court

Romania’s Government has decided to delay the payment of salary rights won in court by public sector employees until 2012-2014, in an attempt to prevent running an even higher budget deficit in 2010 and 2011, despite the High Council of Magistrates’ negative opinion of this decision.

Romania Mulls Reintroducing Excises On Luxury Products, Risks EC Sanctions

Romania’s Government plans to reintroduce excises on yachts, perfumes, hunting weapons, jewelry and other luxury products starting 2010, and the country risks to be sanctioned by the European Commission, as it breaches certain European norms.

Romanian Govt To Seek Confidence Vote In Parliament For Drastic Spending Cuts

Romania’s Government will seek a confidence vote in Parliament for the speedy adoption of the country’s planned spending cuts, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday during the Cabinet meeting.

Romania Eyes Setting Up Social Fund To Help Pensioners Cope With Austerity Measures

The Romanian Government is considering setting up a fund of social solidarity meant to offer financial support to retirees after their pensions are reduced 15%, amid the country's drastic spending cut plan, people close to the matter said Tuesday.

Romanian Unions, Employers Ask Govt To Change IMF Deal And Consider Their Proposals

Romanian union and employers’ representatives on Monday asked the Government to draft a new letter of intent to the loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund and include their proposals in the new letter, stressing they firmly disagree with the recently announced salary and pensions cuts.

No-Confidence Motion Obligatory If Govt OKs Cost Cutting Plan – Romanian Senate Chairman

Romanian Senate Chairman Mircea Geoana said Monday opposition parties must submit a no-confidence motion against the Government if the Executive gives a confidence vote to the cut spending program to reduce salaries and pensions.

Romania’s Govt To Eliminate Financial Aid For Childbirth, First Marriage

Romania’s Government will eliminate the 230 lei (EUR1=RON4.1814) financial aid granted to mothers at childbirth, as well as the EUR200 aid for newlyweds at their first marriage, according to a draft ordinance decree to cut social spending.

Romania Govt Mulls Scrapping Public Transport Senior Discounts, Reducing Scholarships

The Romanian Government is considering eliminating senior discounts for public road and railway transport, reducing scholarships for students, performance allowances and life annuities, and also eliminating the financial aid granted for the purchase of textbooks.

Romania Govt Might Have To Use Confidence Votes To Adopt Measures Agreed With IMF- President

President Traian Basescu on Thursday said the Romanian Government will probably have to require confidence votes in Parliament in order to adopt the measures agreed upon with the IMF experts, stressing there is little time left until the reunion of the IMF Board at the end of June.

Romanian President Says IMF Renegotiation Not On Govt’s To-Do List, But Highly Possible

Romanian President Traian Basescu told a press conference Thursday that the Government is not working on a renegotiation of the stand-by agreement with the International Monetary Fund, stressing, however, that the agreement could be renegotiated at any time.

Romania’s Govt Estimates Pension, Wage Cuts Will Save RON10B

Romania’s Government estimates it will save RON5.39 billion in the second half of 2010, or 1.06% of the country’s GDP, due to the recently announced 25% public sector wage cut which come into force on June 1, says a document issued by the Finance Ministry.

Romania’s 2010 Estimated Unemployment Rate Up 0.5% On Year – Govt

Romania’s Government said in a document issued in May that the number of unemployed people is expected to increase to 740,000, only 31,000 more on the year, and that the unemployment rate will grow to 8.3%, a 0.5% increase on the year.

Romania’s Govt Estimates To Collect Extra RON421M In Meal Vouchers, Copyright Income Tax Revenues

Romania’s Government estimates it will collect extra 345 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1751) in the second half of the year by applying a 16% tax on meal vouchers, and extra RON76 million by deducting social security contributions from copyright income and reducing deductible quotas to 25%, from 40%.

Romanian Public Sector Unionists Start Protests Over Cost Cutting Measures Thursday

Romanian unionists will stage a four-day protest starting Thursday and 1,000 people will picked the Government’s headquarters and the Presidential Palace, disgruntled with the anti-crisis measures announced by the country’s authorities.

Romanian Union Leaders Say 25% Wage Cut For Employees Of State-Run Cos Is Illegal

Romanian union leaders on Wednesday said the 25% wage cut for employees in state-owned companies breaches collective labor contracts, stressing this will determine experts with these companies to resign and more people to rally in public protests.

Romania Eyes Guaranteeing Loans Of Pvt Cos For Co-Financing Of EU-Funded Projects

The Romanian Government plans to also guarantee the loans contracted by private companies for the co-financing of several projects backed from European Union funds, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romania Postpones Introduction Of Mandatory Energy Certification As Of June 15

Romania’s Government has postponed the June 15 introduction of mandatory energy certification for real estate transactions, says a press release issued Wednesday by the Development Ministry.

Romania’s Govt Adopts Decision To Implement Digital Television

Romania’s Government adopted a decision to implement digital television, which will enable telecoms regulator ANCOM to start procedures to award the first two licenses in the sector, Communications Minister Gabriel Sandu told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romanian Disabled People, War Veterans Affected By Cost Cutting Program

Romania will slash social benefits by 15% starting June 1 and the measure will also be applied for people with disabilities, war veterans and widows, ex-political prisoners and deportees, as well as for pensioners whose spouses died, according to a draft emergency decree to cut social spending.

Romania To Repeal Laws Regulating Newborn’s Trousseaus, Financial Aid For Newlyweds

Romania’s Government will repeal the laws regulating trousseaus for newborns and financial aid for newlyweds, according to a draft emergency decree to reduce social spending.

Romania No Longer Grants Treatment Vouchers Contracted Via Pension House In 2010 – Draft

The Romanian Government will no longer grant the spa treatment vouchers that were to be contracted via the National Pension House in 2010, according to a draft emergency decree regarding public spending cuts.

Romanian Farmers Picket Govt HQ Tuesday Calling For Subsidies, EU Funds

Over 1,200 Romanian farmers picket Tuesday for two hours the Government’s headquarters, calling for payment of overdue subsidies, lower excises on fuel used in farming and access to EU funds.

Romania Slashes Child-Rearing Benefit From June 1 – PM Adviser

Romania’s Government will reduce child-rearing benefits starting June 1 and it will soon be decided whether the benefits will drop to a given percentage or a fixed sum, said Tuesday Andreea Paul-Vass, economic adviser to Prime Minister Emil Boc.

Romania’s Govt Pledges To Enforce Healthcare Co-Payments

Romania’s Government pledged that it will introduce the co-payment system for healthcare services and that exemptions from co-payment will not exceed a set cap, according to the country's agreement with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission.

Romania Freezes Early Retirement, Limits Retirement For Incapacitated People

The Romanian Government will freeze early retirement starting June 1, 2010 until the country’s new pension law is enforced, and pensions for incapacitated people will be granted only if they were previously approved by Labor Ministry medical assessment teams.

Romania Restricts Investments In 2010, Carries On Only Few Projects – PM

Prime Minister Emil Boc said Romania will restrict investments in 2010, due to budget constraints, and will build only 4,000 homes, via the national housing agency ANL, 500 kilometers of county roads, out of 10,000 km, and maximum 1,000 homes, of a total 25,000, for specialists in rural areas.

Romanian PM To Meet With IMF Experts Saturday – Sources

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc will meet with International Monetary Fund experts on Saturday, May 8, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romanian Govt Mulls Taxing Child, Disabled Benefits By 15% – Sources

Romania’s Government is considering taxing several social benefits, such as allowances for children or people with disabilities, by 15%, in an attempt to reduce budget spending, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romania’s Defense Min Gets Extra Money To Increase Presence In Afghanistan

Romania’s Government assigned an extra 61.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1275) to the Defense Ministry to ensure the sums needed in the second quarter of the year to increase the country’s number of troops to be stationed in Afghanistan in 2010 and purchase new military equipment.

Romania’s Govt Allots Over RON200M To Pay Magistrates’ Salary Rights Won In Court In ‘09

Romania’s Government granted extra 205.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1275) to the Justice Ministry, the High Court of Justice, the High Council of Magistrates and the country’s prosecution offices to pay a part of the salary rights magistrates have claimed and won in court.

Romanian Govt Sets Up Committee To Fight Illegal Employment

Romania’s Government will set up an inter-ministry committee against illegal employment, which will coordinate the monitoring, prevention, evaluation and combat against undeclared activities, on the basis of information passed on by relevant bodies.

Romanian Public Servants Might Discard Full-Blown Strike If Govt Meets Their Demands

Nearly 200 Romanian public servants are protesting Thursday outside the Government building and said they are willing to discard the full-blown strike planned for May 5 only if the government manages to find a way to solve their problems.

Romanian Govt Sets Up Car Pollution Tax Workgroup

Romania’s Government decided Wednesday to put together an inter-ministry workgroup to analyze possible changes to the country's car pollution tax, spokeswoman Ioana Muntean said.

Romanian Union Leaders Not Required To Declare Wealth – Draft Integrity Agency Law

The draft law on Romania’s National Integrity Agency, proposed by the Government, no longer compels trade union leaders to declare their wealth, a requirement which is distinctly stipulated in the current law.

Romania Ups Clunkers Program Budget To Issue 50,000 Extra Scrapping Vouchers

Romania’s Government on Wednesday supplemented the budget for the country’s clunkers program and will issue 50,000 additional scrapping vouchers.

Romania’s Govt To Announce By June If Car Pollution Tax Will Be Modified

Romania’s Government will announce by the end of June whether the car pollution tax will be modified and what the modification entails, Government representatives said Tuesday at the Mediafax Talks about Auto Industry conference.

Romania’s Integrity Agency To Continue Screening Public Officials’ Wealth Statements – Draft Law

Romania’s Government approved Monday a draft law whereby the National Integrity Agency (ANI) is allowed to screen public officials’ wealth and interest statements, including classified data.

Romania’s Parliament Economic, Social Committee Approves Draft Education Law

The Romanian Parliament’s economic and social committee approved the draft education law with 20 to eight votes, the Education Ministry said Friday.