Radu Bostan

Bucharest Subway Operator Hikes Fares: Two-Trip Card To Cost RON4

18:53, 05 Aug. 2011
Bucharest subway operator Metrorex will increase its fares Saturday: a two-trip card will cost 4 lei (around EUR1) instead of RON3 and a monthly 62-trip card will cost RON35 instead of RON27.

Romanian Govt To Regulate Healthcare Clawback Tax By End-August

15:44, 04 Aug. 2011
Romania's Government will regulate the clawback in the healthcare system by the end of August, through a decision or emergency ordinance, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romania Might Build Parts Of Transylvania Hwy Through Public-Private Partnership – PM

15:42, 04 Aug. 2011
Romania's Government is considering building some sections of the Transylvania Highway through public-private partnership, because the state does not have unlimited funds for infrastructure projects, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romania To Terminate Contract With Bechtel For 300 Km Of Transylvania Hwy

19:03, 03 Aug. 2011
Romania will terminate its contract with constructor Bechtel for 300 km of the Transylvania Highway on which work has not yet started, sources in the Ministry of Transport told online newspaper gandul.

Romanian Mining Co CNH Petrosani To Receive RON136M Subsidy – PM

20:50, 02 Aug. 2011
Romanian coal mining company CNH Petrosani will receive a subsidy of 136 million lei (EUR32 million) to continue its activity, Prime Minister Emil Boc announced Tuesday.

Romania To Increase Personnel Expenses In Intelligence Services, Defense Ministry

15:57, 02 Aug. 2011
Romania's Government will increase the budgets of the intelligence services and Interior, Defense and Justice ministries by almost 724 million lei (over EUR170 million), for personnel expenses, according to the draft budget revision.

Romania To Increase Ministry Budgets For Investments, Company Debts

15:54, 02 Aug. 2011
Romania's government will increase the budgets of several ministries, in order to finance investments and eliminate debts incurred by state enterprises, but will give less resources to the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Finance, according to the draft budget revision.

Romania Must Walk The Wire, Carefully, Without Populism – President

14:23, 02 Aug. 2011
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on public radio that "Romania has to walk the wire, carefully, without populism, but with pragmatism."

IMF Official: Romanian Healthcare Clawback System Hasn’t Worked, Copayment Needed

19:52, 01 Aug. 2011
Romania's Government should replace the clawback tax in the healthcare system with a new version and implement the proposal for co-payment as soon as possible, Jeffrey Franks, head of the IMF agreement evaluation mission, told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Dacia Car Registrations In France Down 25% In Jan-July, To 52,311 Units

16:34, 01 Aug. 2011
Registrations of new Dacia cars in France dropped 25.5% in the first seven months to 52,311 units, while the French car market stood still at 1.385 million units, according to data released Monday by the French carmakers association CCFA.

Reduced Govt Co-Financing Rate For EU Funds To Save Romania Up To EUR714M

15:00, 01 Aug. 2011
The European Commission's plan to reduce the co-financing that must be provided by six EU member states to access EU funds, to 5% from 15%, may save Romania as much as EUR714 million.

Romanian President: Lack Of Control In Healthcare Spending Is Unacceptable

20:59, 31 Iul. 2011
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday, after the meeting with the IMF, European Commission and World Bank delegation, that the Government cannot increase the healthcare budget until the sector's expenses are put in order, even though it is underfinanced.

Romanian President: Domestic Banking Sector Is Well-Capitalized

20:56, 31 Iul. 2011
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday, after the meeting with the IMF, European Commission and World Bank delegation, that the domestic banking sector is well-capitalized, but attention must be paid to the local banks in relation to their parent banks.

Romanian President: Experts Say Romania Has Greatly Improved Its Credibility

20:55, 31 Iul. 2011
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday, after the meeting with the IMF, European Commission and World Bank delegation, that one of the experts' conclusions is that Romania has greatly improved its credibility, thanks to the steps taken in 2009 and especially 2010 and 2011.

Romanian Govt Sees GDP Up 0.3-0.4% In 2Q, Inflation At 4.8% In 2011

15:17, 31 Iul. 2011
Romania's Government estimates a 0.3-0.4% growth of the gross domestic product in the second quarter, compared to the first, and an inflation rate of 4.8% this year, below the central bank's forecast, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

IMF: Romania May Accelerate Economic Growth With Good Reforms, Solid Investments

15:14, 30 Iul. 2011
Romania's economic growth will continue this year and may even accelerate next year, but only through continued and "satisfactory" reforms, improved absorption of EU funds and solid investment plans, IMF mission chief Jeffrey Franks said Saturday.

Romanian Govt To Revise 2011 Budget In Early August

19:01, 29 Iul. 2011
Romania's Government will conduct this year's first budget adjustment in early August, with priority granted to allotting additional resources for investment programs, especially those run by the Ministry of Transports, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Friday.

Bechtel Lowers Price For Transylvania Hwy, After „Tough” Negotiations – ProTV

17:27, 28 Iul. 2011
The price of the Brasov-Bors highway section has been reduced from EUR20 million per km to less than half, following negotiations between Romanian authorities and constructor Bechtel, which will resume work this fall, after the state will pay part of its debts, according to ProTV.

Romania Is Having Best Farming Year In Last Five Years – EC Report

17:25, 28 Iul. 2011
Romania is having a good farming year, as its yield per hectare is above the average in the last five years for most crops, while the wheat, barley and potato harvests exceed last year's yield, according to the MARS Bulletin drafted by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.

Romania Sells EUR462.6M 4-Yr Forex Bonds At 4.85% Yield

18:44, 27 Iul. 2011
Romanian Finance Ministry Wednesday sold EUR462.6 million in four-year foreign currency bonds, below the planned amount, at an average yield of 4.85% a year.

Romania To Provide Pensioners With Basic Food Products For Lowest Price Each Month

14:47, 27 Iul. 2011
The Romanian "solidarity basket" program, approved by the Government, will provide pensioners each month with a package comprising basic food products, like flour, sugar, oil, corn and rice, for the "lowest price possible."

ECHR: Romania Failed To Adequately Address Issue Of Stray Dogs

18:28, 26 Iul. 2011
Romania has been held responsible by the European Court of Human Rights for failing to provide sufficient protection from stray dogs to its citizens, following a complaint lodged by a 71 year-old woman, who was violently bitten by a number of dogs in Bucharest in 2000.

Romanian Govt Wants Fair Drug Prices, Revised Purchase System – PM

16:57, 26 Iul. 2011
Romania's Government must put an end to public fund waste in healthcare and ensure fair drug prices, a strategy that can be implemented by supplying mostly generic drugs and restructuring the entire purchase system, said Prime Minister Emil Boc on Tuesday.

Romanian Labor Min: Over 120,000 New Work Contracts Have Ended

15:53, 26 Iul. 2011
More than 730,000 new work contracts were signed in Romania since the new Labor Code took effect, on May 1, and 128,806 have already expired, as most were for registered day laborers, Labor Minister Sebastian Lazaroiu said Tuesday.

Romanian President, IMF Meeting Discussed Budget Revision Principles

20:10, 25 Iul. 2011
The principles of the budget revision, which Romania's government will implement this summer, were discussed by the meeting on Monday between President Traian Basescu and the IMF, European Commission and World Bank joint evaluation mission.

Romania 1H Budget Gap At RON11.3B, Meets IMF Target

17:00, 25 Iul. 2011
Romania’s consolidated budget posted a deficit of 11.3 billion lei (EUR2.65 billion) in the first six months, equal to 2.07% of the gross domestic product, Finance Ministry data showed Monday.

Romania To Implement Labor Market Measures This Fall, As Per IMF Agreement – Union Leader

14:32, 22 Iul. 2011
Dumitru Costin, head of the Romanian National Union Bloc (BNS), said Friday, after meeting with the International Monetary Fund delegation, that a measure package targeting the Romanian labor market will be implemented this fall, part of an agreement with the IMF and European Commission.

Romanian PM: All EU-Funded Projects Awarded Through Public Auctions Will Be Checked

20:40, 20 Iul. 2011
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday that he has ordered check-ups at every ministry regarding auctions for EU-funded projects, almost all of them run by local authorities, to make sure there will be no problems with the invoices to be sent to Brussels.

EC Asks Romania For Norms On Parliamentary Immunity Waiver

15:38, 20 Iul. 2011
The European Commission asks Romania to speed up the resolution of high-level corruption cases, so as to avoid prescriptions in all cases, and also suggests it adopt clear procedural rules on the waiving of parliamentary immunity.

EC Report On Romania: Confiscation Of Criminal Assets Hampered By Restrictive Court Practices

15:37, 20 Iul. 2011
A small share of illegally-obtained assets are confiscated in Romania, because of limited confiscation possibilities provided by law, restrictive court practice and a lack of proactive behavior by the prosecution, says the European Commission's report on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.

EC Asks Romania For Law On Extended Confiscation, Results Against Money Laundering

15:09, 20 Iul. 2011
The European Commission asks Romania for convincing results in the recovery of proceeds from crime, a new law on extended confiscation and results in pursuing money laundering a stand-alone offense.

EC Report: Romania’s Fight Against Corruption Should Have Parliament Support

13:32, 20 Iul. 2011
The fight against corruption should remain a top priority, with support from the Parliament, says the European Commission in its report on Romania under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), published Wednesday.

EC Report On Romania : Commitment Necessary For Better Results In Asset Confiscation

13:31, 20 Iul. 2011
The European Commission says, in the report on Romania under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, that commitment is needed to implement the new codes, restructure the judiciary, consolidate the anti-corruption policy and deliver better results in the confiscation of unjustified assets.

Romanian Parliament To Debate Bill On New EU Telecom Regulations In September – Comm Min

19:22, 19 Iul. 2011
Romania's Parliament will begin in September discussions on the bill transposing into national legislation the EU's new telecom regulations, whose late adoption led the European Commission to launch an infringement procedure against Romania, says the Communications Ministry.

Dozens Protest Rosia Montana Gold Mining Project As Romanian Culture Ministry Issues Key Permit

14:56, 19 Iul. 2011
A few dozen people protested Tuesday outside Romania's Culture Ministry in Bucharest against its approval of the archaeological discharge certificate for the Carnic mountain at Rosia Montana, and called for minister Hunor Kelemen's resignation.

Romanian General Prosecutor: Lower House Speaker Will Not Be Criminally Investigated

19:20, 18 Iul. 2011
The Romanian General Prosecutor's Office has decided not to start a criminal investigation of Roberta Anastase, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, and Sever Voinescu, house secretary, arguing that no crime was committed in relation to the lack of quorum in the vote on the Pension Law.

EC Report: Sanctions Applied After Romanian Integrity Agency Findings Rarely Dissuasive

18:29, 18 Iul. 2011
Few sanctions have been applied as a result of the Romanian National Integrity Agency's findings and those applied are rarely dissuasive, while court rulings on conflicts of interest in the area of public procurement come too late, says the European Commission's report on justice.

EC Report: Romania Not Yet Engaged In Thorough Reform Of Justice Disciplinary System

17:29, 18 Iul. 2011
Improving the Romanian judiciary's accountability remains an important challenge, as Romania has not yet engaged in a thorough reform of the disciplinary system, says the European Commission's report on justice, which will be published Wednesday in Brussels.

EC Report: Romania Took Steps To Improve Judicial Procedures

17:06, 18 Iul. 2011
Romania has taken steps to improve the efficiency of its judiciary and prepared the implementation of the four new codes, the foundation of a modern judicial process, while the National Anticorruption Department continued its probes into high-level corruption, says the EC report on justice.

Romanian PM: EU Funds For Overdue Contracts Should Be Directed To Other Projects

17:04, 14 Iul. 2011
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc asked the ministers to penalize EU fund beneficiaries who are overdue in implementing their projects, so that the money can be diverted towards other European developments.