romania

EP OKs Simplified Visa Control Regime In Romania, Bulgaria And Cyprus

The European Parliament on Thursday approved an extension of simplified controls of visas at the external frontiers of Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus, EP said in a statement.

Fitch Changes Romania Outlook To Negative From Stable -2-

Fitch Ratings has today revised Romania’s outlook to stable to negative, mainly due to the rise of the current account deficit.

Philip Morris International Production Hiked Worldwide, Dropped In Romania

Philip Morris cigarette production climbed by 0.9% in 2007, to 291.3 billion units, but in Romania, Russia, Serbia and Turkey, deliveries were lower compared to the previous year.

Romania Must Adapt To New Global And Regional Challenges – World Bank

Romania is confronted with an investment calendar meant to sustain economic growth and improve the legal system, but at the same time it needs to adapt to new global and regional challenges, said Orsalia Kalantzopoulos, regional director with the World Bank.

Laws Against Smoking Could Become Effective In ’09

Provisions on the obligation for separation between smoking and non-smoking public areas and the prohibition of tobacco advertising outside points of tobacco sale physical might come into force on January 1, 2009, while the initial deadline mentioned in the draft laws on this topic was July 1, 2008

Romanian Pres Asks Parliament Parties To Back Majority Uninominal Voting System

Romanian president Traian Basescu sent letters to all parliament party leaders, asking them to support the majority uninominal voting system in two rounds of elections, Parliament party representatives told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Govt To Use Budget Gap To Reduce Imbalances With EU

The Romanian government will make the best of its budget deficit ceiling of 3% of gross domestic product and will continue to fund projects in infrastructure, environment and agriculture to reduce imbalances between Romania and other EU states, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said Tuesday.

Google a înfiinţat o firmă în România

Google a înfiinţat o firmă în România, Google Bucharest, după ce în luna martie a anului trecut operatorul celui mai folosit motor de căutare pe internet a numit un consultant pentru România.

Romanian Privatization Auth Restructuring To Leave 100 Jobless

Romanian privatization authority AVAS will fire 100 employees in 2008, through collective layoffs, thus reducing the maximum number of positions in the structure of the institution to 510 employees, from the 610 positions set late 2006.

Romanian Govt Finds Breaches At Financial Guard

Romanian county control services, as well as commissariats of the Environment Guard, the Financial Guard and the inspectorates in constructions, are violating over 20 work rules, storing confiscated goods in gyms and making mistakes in literature, which allow fined companies to win in court.

EC To Present Convergence Recommendations To Romania

The European Commission will present to the Ecofin Council, next week, a recommendation regarding the program for Romania’s convergence, said European commissioner for Multilingualism Leonard Orban.

Preventive Arrest For Romanian Cop Cristian Cioaca On E-Mail Violation Charges

The Romanian High Court of Justice decided the preventive arrest, for 29 days, of Cristian Cioaca in the case where he is charged with violating the e-mail address of his wife, lawyer Elodia Ghinescu.

New Romanian Car Tax To Come Into Force On July 1, ’08

The changes in the Romanian car registration tax will come into force on July 1. The sums collected will go from the state budget to the Environment Fund. The values in the new grid published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance are highly similar to the ones presented Wednesday by MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Pres Heckled In Iasi

Romanian president Traian Basescu was booed and heckled in northeastern Romanian city Iasi, at the beginning of the speech he was about to hold. He immediately retorted saying that the event is not political, but the public offered the same response at the end of the speech.

EXCLUSIVE: EUR950 Tax On Euro 4 Cars In Romania

The value of the Romanian car first registration tax for cars will hike two-three times for new Euro 4 cars, namely EUR420 for 1400 cubic centimeters, EUR480 at 1600 cubic centimeters and EUR950 at 1900 cubic centimeters, but it will also drop ten times for 14-15 year old Euro 1 cars, between EUR323 and EUR652.

EC To Drop Infringement When Romanian Parliament OKs New Car Tax

Romanian economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian informed the members of the Romanian government that the changes to the "car pollution tax" will be promoted in the next Government meeting, and Romania will stop facing infringement once the Parliament approves these changes.

Foreign Cos Appreciate Romanian Workers For Skills, Salary Demands – Report

The number of Romanian women working abroad is larger than the number of men, while Romanians are considered the best employees, due to their skills and the fact that they are working overtime for modest pay, according to a report compiled by European Citizens Advice Service.

Romanian IT&C Authority Proposes New Interconnection Fees

A number of 33 fixed telephony operators could apply, starting with the second quarter of 2008, an interconnection fee of 1.15 eurocents/minute, according to a draft decision of the National Authority for the Regulation of Communications and Information Technology (ANRCTI).

Romanian Interior Min Demands Crackdown On Street Violence

Romanian interior minister Cristian David said Tuesday at the activity report meeting of the Romanian Police that police chiefs in cities with frequent gang wars and gang retaliations should “make room for someone better.”

Romanian PM Romania Supports US Missile Shield

Romania supports the extension of the American missile shield project, but without “hostility” from Russia, which needs to understand that it could team up with the EU and NATO in the set up of such global protection measures, said Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

Russia Patriarch Criticizes Romanian Church Over Metropolitan Of Bessarabia

Patriarch Alexius II of Moscow on Monday criticized the decisions of the Romanian Orthodox Church regarding the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia, saying the Romanian church “interfered with an autocephalous orthodox church” and that its actions were “anti-canonical,” the Moldovan presidency said in a statement.

Romanian Pres Says Interim Justice Min Is No Good Either

Romanian president Traian Basescu warned interim justice minister Teodor Melescanu that, through his attitude in the matter of the eight former and current ministers targeted by criminal investigations, he is nearing abuse of office.

Woman And Child Fall To Death In Bucharest

A woman and her approximately one year old baby died after jumping from the fifth story of a building in the center of Romanian capital Bucharest, Bucharest Police spokesman Christian Ciocan told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Midfielder Terminates Contract With Rapid Bucharest

Romanian football club Rapid Bucharest midfielder Marius Maldarasanu, terminated, Saturday, his contract with the club. Both parties convened on the termination, Rapid Bucharest general director Constantin Zotta told MEDIAFAX.

Romania’s EU Accession Negotiator Snaps At Germans On Nokia Issue

Vasile Puscas, former negotiator for Romania’s accession to the EU, said that Christian democrat leaders in German county North Rhine-Westphalia are smearing the skills of Romanian workers and Romanian market conditions, if the Bochum Nokia factory relocates to Romania.

Commercial Breeding Of Pigs Banned In Romanian Cities

Swine breeding in non-professional system, namely for household use, is allowed exclusively in the rural environment, and prohibited in cities, as well as on meadows and in forests, according to a draft government decision approving the strategy for the eradication of the swine pest in 2008.

Romania, EC Agree On Car Tax Issue

The Romanian government will set the final value of the first registration tax for cars with respect for three new demands from the European Union, which, however, will not fundamentally change the value proposed by the Romanian experts, said Romanian environment minister Korodi Attila.

Freedom House: Romania Retains Its ‘Free’ Status

Romania remains a free country in a world that registered a notable setback for political freedom in 2007, independent Freedom House human rights organization said in its annual report.

Eurostat: Romania 10-Mo ‘07 Trade Deficit EUR17.3B Vs EUR11.2B On Yr

Romania ranks fifth in Europe by trade deficit in the first ten months of 2007, up two places against the corresponding period in 2006, according to the statistical office of the European Union, Eurostat.

Romanian Transport Min To Run For Bucharest City Hall

The Bucharest branch of the Romanian National Liberal Party held talks on the candidates for local elections, the only “certainties” being transport minister Ludovic Orban for City Hall and District mayor Andrei Chiliman for District 1. A decision will be made mid-February, after polls.

EU Says Romanian Gas Should Be 70% More Expensive

The European Commission asked Romania to hike by almost 70% the price for natural gas. This would represent alignment of the prices for locally produced gas with the price on the European market, www.gandul.info reported.

Romanian Pres Sends Dignitary Probe Request To Justice Min

The prosecutors’ office within the Romanian High Court of Justice received, Wednesday evening, the request and literature through which president Traian Basescu demands the initiation of criminal investigations against eight current and former members of the government.

Romanian New Car Registrations Up 26.3% In ‘07

The number of new car registrations in Romania hiked by 26.3% in 2007, to 312,532 units, from 247,518 units in 2006, while the hike was 27.1% in December, to 24,143 de units, according to preliminary data published Wednesday by the European Association of Car Makers.

Ukraine President Declares Serpent Island Independent Economic Area-Paper

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree transforming the Serpent Island into a free economic area, official sources in Kiev said Tuesday, quoted by Russian paper Izvestia.

Romania’s Ctrl Bk Maintains Inflation Target – Ctrl Bkr

The Romanian central bank will take any measure, including a new hike in the main rate, to strengthen the monetary policy and reach the inflation target, depending also on the market’s response to the last two hikes in the main rate, central bank Deputy Governor Eugen Dijmarescu stated Tuesday.

Romanian PM Appointed Ex Justice Min As State Adviser – Sources

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu appointed former justice minister Tudor Chiuariu as state adviser, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romania Requests Talks With EU Commissioner On Car Tax

Romanian Department for European Affairs chief Adrian Ciocanea, said Tuesday, in a press conference, that he asked Romanian ambassador in the EU Lazar Comanescu to set up a meeting with European commissioner responsible for Taxation and Customs Union Laszlo Kovacs’ team, regarding the car tax.

Moldovan Official Alleges Romanian Servants Offer Moldovans Illegal Citizenship

The Moldovan deputy interior minister Valentin Zubic on Tuesday accused two public servants with the Romanian justice ministry of alleged illegal help offered to Moldovan national in obtaining Romanian citizenship.

Romania, Down One Position In Economic Freedom Classification, Ranks 68th

Romania ranks 68th, down one position from 2007, among the 157 countries included in the classification regarding the degree of economic freedom, which was drawn up by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal.

Romanian PM Studied Justice Min Nominee’s Professional Record – Sources

Romanian prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, studied Norica Nicolai’s professional record, which the head of stated pointed out as grounds for her rejection from the position of justice minister. Tariceanu will decide on notifying the Constitutional Court after consulting the liberal leaders.