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Romanian EU Affairs Adviser Says Romania’s Schengen Entry Could Be Delayed For Years

11:46, 12 Nov. 2010
Romanian presidential adviser for European affairs Leonard Orban told RFI Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area in March 2011 isn’t set in stone and a delay in March could extend into a delay for several years.

Romania 3Q GDP -0.7% On Quarter, Down 2.3% On Year

10:21, 12 Nov. 2010
Romania’s third quarter gross domestic product shrank by 0.7% in seasonally-adjusted terms compared with the previous quarter, a flash estimate of the country’s statistics institute showed Friday.

Romanian Drivers Won’t Be Obliged To Get Snow Tires This Winter

21:15, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian drivers will not be obliged to equip their vehicles with snow tires this winter and the measure will be implemented starting November 2011.

Romanian SMEs Guarantee Fund Grants 30,500 First Home Loan Guarantees Of EUR1.25B

20:13, 11 Nov. 2010
The Romania fund guaranteeing SME loans FNGCIMM granted 30,500 loan guarantees amounting to EUR1.25 billion, since the start of the local First Home program in mid-2009, fund president Aurel Saramet said Thursday.

Terrorism Convict Omar Hayssam In Syrian Prison – Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad

18:08, 11 Nov. 2010
Omar Hayssam, convicted of terrorism in Romania, is currently in a Syrian prison, said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in an interview with daily newspaper "Adevarul," adding the two states will discuss a further course of action once Hayssam has served his sentence.

Romanian Public Sector Restructuring To Continue Into Next Year – President

17:11, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday that 26,000 public servants must be laid off by the end of the year and that the restructuring of the public sector will continue next year, through a qualitative approach.

Romanian President Supports Introduction Of Tax On Untilled Land

15:49, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday he supports the introduction of a tax on untilled land, which should be set at least to the level of the subsidy per hectare of land granted in line with European Union regulations.

Romania, Syria Signed Extradition Treaty Wednesday, Says President

14:50, 11 Nov. 2010
Romania and Syria signed an extradition treaty Wednesday evening, President Traian Basescu said Thursday.

More Than Half Of Romanians Struggle To Pay Bills, 25% In Debt – Study

14:20, 11 Nov. 2010
More than half of Romanians struggle to pay their bills and almost one in four is in debt, according to the population confidence index measured by the Consumer Confidence Barometer developed by market research firm GfK.

Romanian Interior Min Fulfilled Duties For Schengen Accession – Minister

14:07, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian Interior Minister Traian Igas said Thursday the ministry fulfilled its duty regarding Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area, adding that, from now on, the country must improve lobbying efforts.

Romania Can’t Sustain GDP Growth Of Over 5% On Long Term – Ctrl Bker

13:36, 11 Nov. 2010
Romania is missing the required “ingredients” for a sustainable economic growth of over 5% on the long term, because of declining population and of its dependency on foreign capital, a central bank official said Thursday.

Romanian President Says Employers Make National Sport Out Of Dodging Laws

12:59, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday dodging the law has become a national sport for the Romanian business environment, adding employers have a responsibility toward the state and must pay taxes and not encourage illegal labor.

Romanian Public Servants Threaten Strike Unless Bonuses Included In Wages

12:02, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian public servants threaten to go on full-blown strike unless their bonuses are not included in salaries, said union leader Sebastian Oprescu ahead of a meeting with Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu Thursday.

Romanian Regional Development Ministry’s Current Projects Worth EUR2B – Min

12:00, 11 Nov. 2010
The Romanian Regional Development and Tourism Ministry's ongoing construction projects are worth around EUR2 billion and its budget for investments was EUR600 million this year, said minister Elena Udrea on Thursday.

Romanian Construction Market Seen Recovering Next Year

11:49, 11 Nov. 2010
Romania’s construction market is expected to make a recover next year, as the economy stabilizes, Regional Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea said Thursday.

No Interest In Buying Romanian State-Built Homes While Rents Low – Regional Development Min

11:41, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian Regional Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea said Thursday that, as long as the rents on homes built by the National Housing Agency (ANL) are so low, no one will be interested in buying them.

Romanian Local Auth To Rehabilitate Building Facades And Retrieve Money From Homeowners

11:40, 11 Nov. 2010
Romanian local authorities will be able to use their own budgets to rehabilitate apartment buildings and then get their money back from homeowners, including through foreclosure, according to a bill drafted by the Development Ministry, minister Elena Udrea said Thursday.

Bucharest Gendarmerie Chief Demoted Over September Police Protest

11:23, 11 Nov. 2010
The head of the Gendarmerie force of Romania’s capital Bucharest, Gavrila Pop, was demoted Thursday because security forces didn’t intervene at a police protest outside the presidential palace on September 24.

Romanian Govt Cuts Over 600 Jobs In Public Culture System

20:48, 10 Nov. 2010
Romania's Culture Ministry will cut 600 jobs in public culture institutions, as well as one vacant state secretary position in its central apparatus, as per decisions adopted in the Government's Wednesday meeting, said minister Hunor Kelemen.

Romanian Public Servants To Receive Bonuses For Performance Until End Of Year – Govt

19:22, 10 Nov. 2010
Romanian public servants will receive financial bonuses until the end of the year according to performance, after which the unitary wage law will be applied, Government spokeswoman Ioana Muntean said Wednesday.

Romanian President Asks Parliament To Reexamine Govt Ordinance On Bonuses

17:32, 10 Nov. 2010
Romanian President Traian Basescu sent the Parliament on Wednesday a request for the re-examination of the Government Ordinance on bonuses for public servants, arguing that they are discriminatory and in violation of the unitary wage system.

Romanian Auto Registry To Monitor Level Of CO2 Emissions Release By New Cars – Draft

16:34, 10 Nov. 2010
The Romanian Auto Registry (RAR) will monitor starting January 1, 2011 the level of carbon dioxide emissions released by new cars, according to a draft Government decision.

Romanian Agricultural Products Too Expensive – Minister

14:11, 10 Nov. 2010
Romanian agricultural products are too expensive, because of the countless middle-men between farm and store shelf, Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara said Wednesday.

Romanians In Italy Set Up Political Organization, Plan To Run In Local Elections

14:11, 10 Nov. 2010
Romanian migrants in Italy have set up a new political organization, called Europeans for Italy, and hope to run, alone on with other parties, in Italy’s local elections, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported Wednesday.

Romanian Senate Rejects President Basescu’s Pension Bill Reexamination Request

13:35, 10 Nov. 2010
Romania’s Senate Wednesday rejected President Traian Basescu’s request to reexamine the country’s unitary pension bill.

Romania, Syria Sign Treaty On Extradition Of People Sentenced To Prison

13:30, 10 Nov. 2010
Romania and Syria signed Wednesday the Treaty on the transfer of people sentenced to prison.

Romanian Senate Tacitly Adopts Bill On Domestic Violence

11:51, 10 Nov. 2010
The Romanian Senate Wednesday tacitly adopted a draft law whereby victims of domestic violence can address the court to obtain a provisional restraining order, and the court can compel abusers to stay away from the home they share with the victim.

Romania October CPI +0.5% On Month, +7.9% On Year

10:29, 10 Nov. 2010
Romanian consumer prices rose 0.55% on the month in October, largely driven by higher food and service prices, while the annual inflation accelerated to a fresh two-year high at 7.88%, the country’s statistics institute INS said Wednesday.

Romanian OMV Petrom Swings To 3Q Loss

09:27, 10 Nov. 2010
Romanian leading oil company OMV Petrom (SNP.RO) Wednesday said it switched to a net loss of 116 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2862) in the third quarter, hurt by asset impairment at its Kazakh unit.

Romanian Govt Cuts No Of Jobs In Social Health Insurance System By Over 400

20:04, 09 Nov. 2010
Romania's Government has decided to limit the maximum number of jobs in the social health insurance system to 3,281, over 400 positions less than at the moment, arguing for the need to reduce the risk of a major budgetary imbalance and of being unable to pay salaries.

Romania Must Sack 26,000 Public Servants To Enable 15% Salary Raise – Official

19:58, 09 Nov. 2010
The Romanian public sector must lay off 26,000 employees between September and December, to bring the sector down to 1.29 million employees and allow salaries to be raised by 15%, after the 25% slash implemented in July, Finance Ministry state secretary Gheorghe Gherghina said Tuesday.

Romanian Govt, IMF Agree On Minimum Wage Ceiling Of RON670

19:21, 09 Nov. 2010
Romania's Government agreed with the International Monetary Fund and European Commission not to raise the minimum wage by more than the rate of inflation of the last two years, or more than 670 lei (EUR1=RON4.2862), state secretary Gheorghe Gherghina announced Tuesday.

Romanian Family Doctors Allotted More Money For Services, Less For Patients – Draft

19:19, 09 Nov. 2010
Romanian family doctors will receive less money per registered patient, but more funds for services provided, according to a draft frame-contract on healthcare in 2011.

Romanian President Calls On Parties To Stop Political Battle To Solve National Interest Issues

16:46, 09 Nov. 2010
Romanian President Traian Basescu Tuesday addressed the legislature and proposed parliamentary parties to freeze political disputes in the next period, in order to unblock the activity of the Parliament and solve national interest issues.

Romanian Car Taxes Might Be Hiked In 2011, Euro 5 Engines No Longer Exempt

14:18, 09 Nov. 2010
Romania's Environment Ministry proposes increasing the car pollution tax starting with next year, justified by the requirement to tax Euro 5 cars, which are exempt until 2011, said minister Laszlo Borbely.

Romanians May Redeem Four Vouchers Per New Car In 2011 Clunkers Program – Minister

13:44, 09 Nov. 2010
The 2011 edition of Romania's clunkers program will permit the use of four vouchers worth 3,000 lei each (EUR1=RON4.2862) to purchase a new car, instead of three vouchers worth RON3,800 each, like in 2010, Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely announced Tuesday.

Discovery To Launch TLC Channel In Romania In Jan 2011

13:22, 09 Nov. 2010
Discovery's TLC will be launched in Romania on January 20, 2011, and the channel will be initially distributed both in analog and digital formats by telecom operator UPC Romania, Discovery Networks representatives told a news conference Tuesday.

Romanian Lower House Passes Bill Exempting Union Leaders From Declaring Wealth

12:47, 09 Nov. 2010
Romania’s Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday tacitly adopted a bill that exempts union leaders from having to submit statements of wealth and interest as required by the law governing the National Integrity Agency, a EU-required body that screens the wealth of public officials.

Romanian Opp Lawmakers Protest Against Lower Chamber Speaker, Leave Plenary Meeting

12:05, 09 Nov. 2010
Romanian opposition social democrat and liberal lawmakers left the Chamber of Deputies plenary meeting on Tuesday, saying they decided not to attend plenary meetings as long as they are presided over by democrat liberal Speaker Roberta Anastase.

Fmr CIA Station Chief In Romania Admits To Spying For Russia From Prison

11:26, 09 Nov. 2010
A former CIA station chief in Romania, Harold James Nicholson, convicted in 1997 to 23 years in prison for espionage in Russia’s favor, has pleaded guilty to spying for Russia again, from prison, ABC News reported on its website Tuesday.