romania

FOCUS: Romanian PM Seeks Parliament Conf Vote On Govt Austerity Plan Monday

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc will seek a confidence vote in Parliament Monday for two draft laws that make up the Government’s austerity plan, which cuts public sector wages, pensions and social welfare benefits and regulates certain aspects regarding pensions.

Over Half Of Romanians Would Set Up Their Own Business – Survey

Over 52% of Romanians would like to set up their own business and 42% of them would start a business if they inherited a significant amount of money, says a Eurobarometer study published by the European Commission.

Romania’s No Of Insolvency Proceedings In 2010 Might Exceed Level Reported Last Year

The number of insolvency proceedings in 2010 might exceed the level registered in 2009 when 20,000 companies filed for insolvency, said the National Union of Romanian Insolvency Practitioners (UNPIR) president Arin Stanescu.

Several Romanian County Councils To Take Over Decentralized Hospitals In Upcoming Weeks

Romania’s decentralized hospitals will be administered by the public administration authorities that own the respective hospital buildings and 39 county councils will take over hospitals in the upcoming weeks, Romania’s Health Minister Cseke Attila said Sunday.

Romania’s Govt Rejects All Amendments To Draft Laws On Austerity Measures

Romania’s Government rejected all amendments to the draft laws for which it will seek a vote of confidence in Parliament on Monday, and preserved the austerity plan that cuts pensions and state employees’ wages and eliminates luxury pensions, Government spokeswoman Ioana Muntean said Saturday.

Romanian Education Unionists Call On Lawmakers To Vote Against Wage Cut Plan

The Romanian National Education Federation (FEN) addressed an open letter to the country’s lawmakers, calling on them to vote against Government’s austerity measures that cut education sector employees’ salaries.

Romanian Govt Seeks Alternative Spending Cut Solutions Not To Reduce Pensions

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc and the members of his Cabinet met Saturday in an attempt to find alternative spending cut solutions, so that pensions below 1,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2051) should not be reduced by 15%, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Saturday.

Ruling Democratic Union Of Hungarians In Romania Won’t Vote To Overthrow Govt

Romania’s Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said Saturday that no Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania lawmaker will vote in favor of the no-confidence motions promised by opposition parties to oust the Government.

Romanian Opp Liberals Willing To Rule Country If Govt Falls – Leader

Romanian Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu said liberals are willing to rule the country if the current Government is overthrown and no other party assumes such responsibility.

Romanian Soldier Once Deployed In Iraq, Afghanistan Arrested For Drug Dealing

Romanian organized crime prosecutors in Ploiesti, southern Romania, arrested for 24 hours three drug dealing suspects, one of whom is a soldier who has participated in several military missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

EC Takes Action Against Romania Over Payment Services

The European Commission has taken action against Romania and four other member states, which will receive letters requesting them to fully implement the Payment Services Directive, the foundation for the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).

Romania’s Decision To Reduce Pensions Meant To Avoid Short-Term Collapse, Problems Not Solved

Romanian presidential adviser Sebastian Lazaroiu said Wednesday, during debates on the country’s pension system, that the authorities’ decision to reduce pensions by 15% is meant to maintain balance and avoid a short-term collapse, adding the measure does not solve pension system problems.

Romanian Govt To Reduce No Of Hospital Beds, Hospital Manager Jobs

Romania’s Government decided Wednesday, by an emergency decree, to eliminate 9,200 hospital beds and reduce by 577 the number of hospital manager jobs starting July 1, when 373 hospitals will also be transferred to local authorities, Health Minister Cseke Attila said Wednesday.

Romania Ranks Second Among 37 States Regarding School Violence – WHO Survey

Romania is ranked second regarding school violence, according to a research surveying the situation in 37 states, which was conducted in 2007 by the World Health Organization, the World Psychiatric Association and the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Romanian May Forex Reserves Fall To EUR32B

Romanian foreign exchange reserves fell EUR397 million in May to a EUR31.989 billion, central bank data showed Tuesday.

Romanian Railway Employees Threaten To Cease Work If Affected By Wage Cuts

Employees of Romania’s railway company CFR will not go on solidarity strike, union leader Voicu Sala told MEDIAFAX Monday, adding that, should the Government draw up a normative act aimed at cutting their salaries by 25%, the company will immediately cease all activities.

Romania To Cut By 15% Benefits For People Assisting First-Degree Disability Pensioners

Romania’s Government decided to reduce by 15%, as of June, 2010, the benefits granted to people having in care pensioners with first-degree disability, and also discarded the financial aid granted to teachers for the purchase of books.

Romanians Fraudulently Receiving Invalidity Pensions Could Face Prison

Romanians who were fraudulently declared disabled in order to receive invalidity pensions and the doctors who carried out the respective medical examinations and issued unjustified invalidity certificates will be deemed offenders and might face imprisonment.

Romanian Care Workers’ Layoffs Increased Child Slave Traffic Into UK – Paper

Romanian child-slaves are trafficked into the United Kingdom because almost 1,500 social care workers with traffic prevention training have been replaced with untrained amateurs in Romanian crisis centers, says the online edition of the Sunday Express.

Romania Ranks Third In 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, Germany Wins Trophy

Romanian duo Paula Seling and Ovi won third place in the finals of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest Saturday in Oslo with the song “Playing With Fire”, while German singer Lena won the contest with the song "Satellite".

About 85% Of Bucharest’s Public Transport Vehicles To Function On Strike Day, June 1

Bucharest public transport unionists said Friday, after talks with mayor Sorin Oprescu, that 85% of the capital city’s public transport vehicles will function on June 1, when subway and public transport unionists decided to go on solidarity strike to protest planned wage cuts.

Romania’s Paula Seling, Ovi Qualify For 2010 Eurovision Song Contest Final

Romania’s contending duo for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest Paula Seling and Ovi qualified for the competition final, set to take place Saturday, after the first semi-final held Thursday night at the Telenor Arena in Oslo, Norway.

Romania To Limit 2011 Budget Expenses To Level Resulted After 2010 Spending Cuts

Romania will apply salary and pension cut measures until the and on the year and starting January 1, 2011 the Government will implement social and staff policies meant to keep budget expenses within the limits resulted after applying this year’s cost-cutting measures.

Romanian Ctrl Bk, Securities Commission, Pension Regulator Employees Also Affected By Wage Cut Plan

The 25% salary slash included in the Romanian Government's spending cut plan will also affect the employees of the country’s central bank, the National Securities Commission, private pension fund regulator CSSPP and insurance regulator CSA.

Over 350,000 Romanian Children Have Parents Working Abroad – Italian NGO

According to an Italian organization citing UNICEF data, over 350,000 Romanian children are being brought up without one or both of their parents, as the latter work abroad, says the website of news agency APcom.

Over 400,000 Education, Public Administration Employees Go On Strike Indefinitely On Monday

Over 400,000 Romanian employees in the education and the public administration sectors will go on full-blown strike indefinitely starting Monday over the Government’s austerity plan, and several other public sector unions announced they will join protests.

Austerity Measures To Be Applied Until Yearend – Romanian PM

Romania’s draft law regulating cost cuts in the public sector, for which the Government will seek a confidence vote in Parliament, will specify that austerity measures will be applied until December 31, 2010.

Romania’s Govt Reduces Child-Rearing Benefits By 15%

Romania’s Government coalition leaders decided to reduce child-rearing benefits by 15% and the measure will be applied temporarily, until the country resumes economic growth, National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) leader Marian Sarbu said Wednesday.

Romanian Penitentiary Unionists To Strike Over Austerity Measures Starting May 31

The Romanian National Penitentiary Workers’ Union (SNLP) and the National Penitentiary Administration Union Federation (FSANP) announced Wednesday that employees in the sector will go on strike starting May 31 to protest wage, pension and social benefit cuts.

Over 3,200 Romanian Children Went Missing In The Past Year

Over 3,200 Romanian children disappeared in the past year, ten times more compared to the 2003 and 2004 interval when 300 children were reported missing, Adrian Dumitrescu, chief of the Romanian police investigation department, said Tuesday.

IMF Says Other Measures To Trim Romania Deficit Backed As Well

The International Monetary Fund would have supported other options of cutting the budget deficit, if the Romanian authorities had chosen another one, but the Government had the final say, according to Jeffrey Franks, the head of the IMF mission in Romania.

Sol Melia Hotel Group Eyes Romanian Coast, Bucharest Market

Spanish group Sol Melia, Europe’s third largest hotel chain, has plans to enter the Romanian market in the near future by opening four- and five-star hotels on the Black Sea coast and in Bucharest, its general manager for Bulgaria, Jose Manuel Navarro, said Saturday.

Romanian PM Meets Employers Friday For Talks On IMF Letter Of Intent

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc meets Friday with employers’ representatives for talks on Romania's letter of intent with the International Monetary Fund, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Liberals Set To Uphold Any Upcoming No-Confidence Motions

Romania’s opposition Liberal Party PNL will vote in favor of the social democrats’ planned no-confidence motion, regardless of whether or not it will take part in drafting the motion, and it will also uphold any upcoming motions, liberal Ludovic Orban said Thursday.

Romanian Parents To Picket Government HQ Wednesday, Parliament HQ on June 1

Romanian parents will picket the Government headquarters on May 26 and will stage protests in Iasi and Brasov displeased with the Executive’s plan to cut child-rearing and other social benefits granted to children, protesters’ representatives said in a press release Thursday.

Number Of Foreign Visitors To Romania To Rise 18%, To 9.6M By 2014 – Study

The number of foreign tourists coming to Romania will rise 18% by 2014, to 9.6 million visitors, according to the estimates of market study firm Euromonitor International.

Romania’s Govt Wants To Adopt IMF Letter Of Intent Next Week

Romania’s Government wants to adopt in its next week’s meeting the letter of intent to the loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund after negotiations with unions and employers, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romania To Limit Quantity Of Tobacco Products, Alcohol Sold In Duty-Free Shops

Romania’s Government will limit the quantity of tobacco products and alcohol that can be sold to individuals in duty-free shops in order to reduce tax evasion and increase budget revenues.

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 State Secretaries, State Representatives In Cos Compelled To Donate Benefits

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc called on secretaries of state and state representatives in companies where the state is minority shareholder to donate all their benefits for a period of six months to a national solidarity fund.