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Romania Supports NATO Antimissile System, Not Bilateral Defense Agreements – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday during an official visit the NATO headquarters in Brussels that Romania will support the creation of a NATO antimissile defense system and not of bilateral antiballistic shield agreements, adding the latter case is not the “right solution”.

Romanian Leu Widens Gains Vs Euro, Exch Rate At 4.2643

Romania’s leu extended early gains versus the euro in mid trade Thursday, after the Government survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament a day earlier, and the central bank’s reference strengthened over 0.4% on the day to 4.2643 units.

Romanian Liberals Prepare To Submit New No-Confidence Motion

Romania’s opposition liberals have started collecting signatures Thursday to submit a new no-confidence motion and prevent the Cabinet from passing the education reform into law bypassing Parliament.

IMF: Romania To Exit Recession In 2011

Romania will return to economic growth in 2011, most likely of around 1.5%, officials of the International Monetary Fund said Thursday, following media estimations that the country would remain mired in recession for the third consecutive year.

Romanian Hidroelectrica To Invest EUR18M In Wind Turbines

Romanian hydropower generator Hidroelectrica could invest some EUR18 million in the next years to set up wind turbines on its hydropower plants along the river Siret, company operational director Dragos Zachia said Thursday.

Romanian Transelectrica Has Tough Time Getting Funds – Director

Romanian state-owned power grid operator Transelectrica (TEL.RO) is having a tough time securing financing, thus it can only cover a minimum level of investment, company official Dan Preotescu said Thursday.

Romania To Send 66 Gendarmes To Afghanistan

Romania will send 66 gendarmes to Afghanistan soon to help the country’s institutional reconstruction, President Traian Basescu said Thursday at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Romanian Opposition MPs Walk Out In Protest As Govt Seeks Conf Vote On Education Bill

Romania’s opposition lawmakers walked out in protest soon after the start of a plenary meeting during which the Government is seeking a confidence vote to pass a bill reforming the country’s education system.

Romanian Parliament Denies Opposition’s Bid To Put Off Education Bill Adoption

The standing offices of Romania’s Parliament denied Thursday the opposition’s bid to postpone the Government’s seeking a confidence vote to adopt the education bill bypassing parliamentary procedure.

Romania Industry Seen Up In Q4, Constr, Retail To Fall

Romanian managers said they expect a slight growth in industry, a relative stability in the services sector, and decreases in the retail and construction sectors, according to the business outlook for October-December released by the National Statistics Institute.

Romanian Govt Seeks Confidence Vote To Pass Education Reform

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc, whose Government survived a no-confidence vote Wednesday, arrived in Parliament Thursday to seek a new confidence vote to pass the education bill.

Romanian Opp Liberals To Ask Parliament To Put Off Govt’s Confidence Vote On Education Bill

The Romanian opposition Liberal Party will ask the Parliament’s standing offices to postpone by one week the confidence vote the Government will seek in Parliament to pass the country’s education bill, liberal leader Crin Antonescu said Wednesday.

Romanian Unionists Threaten Full-Blown Strike To Topple Govt

Romanian unionists ended protests in capital Bucharest Wednesday, after having learnt the Government survived the opposition’s no-confidence motion in Parliament, and threatened to go on full-blown strike to have the Government ousted.

IMF Rejects Romanian Minimum Wage Raise To Over RON650

The International Monetary Fund told the Romanian Government it disagrees with increasing the minimum wage in 2011 to over 650 lei (EUR1=RON4.2819), people with direct knowledge of talks told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romania Ctrl Bk: High Borrowing Costs Reflect Inconsistent Economic Policies

Romania pays high interests to borrow from international markets because of inconsistent economic policies and of the negative image sent abroad, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.

Bon Jovi To Perform In Bucharest On July 10, 2011

American hard rock band Bon Jovi will hold a concert in Bucharest on July 10, 2011, according to the band’s official site, bonjovi.com.

IMF Asks Romanian Banks To Assess Impact Of Consumer Loan Law – Sources

The International Monetary Fund and Romania’s central bank have requested local lenders to send data on potential losses following the introduction of a government approved ordinance on consumer loans, people familiar with the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Diamond Necklace, Madonna’s Shoes To Be Auctioned Off At Romanian Halloween Charity Ball

A diamond necklace worth EUR24,000 and a pair of shoes donated by Madonna will be auctioned off at the sixth edition of the Halloween Charity Ball that will take place on October 30 in Romania’s capital city Bucharest, organizers told MEDIAFAX.

Central European Media Enterprises 9-Mo Revenues In Romania Dn 8.9%, To $109.17M

Central European Media Enterprises (CME) revenues in Romania decreased by 8.9% in the first nine months of the year, to $109.17 million and its OIBDA (Operating Income before Depreciation and Amortization) profit dropped 49%, to $19.59 million.

Wind Energy May Raise Romania’s Electricity Prices By 2% In 2011

The renewable energy production might raise Romania’s electricity price by 2% in 2011, according to Ion Lungu, head of the association of electricity suppliers in Romania AFEER

Romania’s Strategy For Digital TV Switch To Be Ready In Next Two-Three Mos – Min

Romania’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology will present, in the next two-three months, a new strategy for the switch from analog to digital television, IT&C Minister Valerian Vreme said in a press conference Wednesday.

Romania Ranks Mid-Way In 2010 Prosperity Index, Overtaken By Bulgaria, Tunisia, Trinidad and Tobago

Romania ranks mid-way, on the 51 spot, in this year’s Legatum Prosperity Index, which includes 110 countries, behind states such as Bulgaria, Tunisia, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago but above Mexico, Russia, South Africa or Turkey.

Romanian PM Says Govt Did Right Implementing Austerity Measures

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday, ahead of debates on a no-confidence motion aimed to topple his Cabinet, he understands social unrest but people need to understand the Government has done what was needed to help the country emerge from a deep recession.

Thousands Gather To Protest In Romanian Capital As Govt Faces Confidence Vote

Over 10,000 people have gathered in Victoriei square outside the government building in central Bucharest Wednesday morning to demonstrate against the administration’s austerity measures, as the Cabinet faces a confidence vote in Parliament.

Romania Transelectrica Head Steps Down

Adrian Baicusi, general manager of Romania’s state-run power grid operator Transelectrica (TEL.RO), has resigned from his position effective November 15, a company official said Tuesday.

Romanian CNH Could Be Divided In Two Cos – Hidroelectrica Boss

Romanian state-owned company CNH could be divided into two companies, one of which would be later closed, Tuesday said Mihai David, general manager of hydropower generator Hidroelectrica.

Romanian Senate Labor Committee Adopts Several Amendments To Revised Pension Bill

The Romanian Senate’s labor committee Tuesday adopted, with amendments, a favorable report on the pension bill, which was sent back to Parliament for reexamination by President Traian Basescu.

Romanian Senate Labor Committee Votes To Lower Retirement Age For Both Men, Women

The Romanian Senate's labor committee Tuesday adopted with six to three votes and one abstention an amendment to the country’s pension bill, which sets at 64 the retirement age for men and at 60 the retirement age for women.

Romanian Health Ministry Pushes For Higher Autonomy Over Healthcare Sys Resources

Romania’s Health Minister Cseke Attila said Tuesday he plans to bring the National Health Insurance House under the Health Ministry’s authority and have it manage the single health insurance fund, which is currently managed by the Finance Ministry.

Romania Ranked 69th In Transparency International 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index

Romania is ranked 69th with a score of 3.7 points in the 2010 corruption perceptions index conducted by Transparency International.

Romania To Lobby EU On Cutting Pension Costs From Budget

Romanian President Traian Basescu Tuesday said the country will lobby the European Council and MEPs to have the pension fund deficit excluded from the state budget deficit.

Romania Consumer Credit Law Complies With EU Directive – Watchdog

Romania’s consumer protection authority ANPC Tuesday said the country’s ordinance transposing an EU directive on consumer loans observes the community standards and applying it retroactively for existing loans will not damage the client/bank relationship.

IMF Worried About Retroactive Consumer Loan Norms In Romania

The International Monetary Fund is concerned about Romania’s decision to apply the EU directive on consumer loans retroactively, because the measure could lead to “negative effects” for the eastern European country, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Tuesday.

Romanian Lower Chamber Ratifies IMF Letter Of Intent Signed In June

The Romanian Chamber of Deputies Tuesday adopted with 103 votes in favor, 80 votes against and five abstentions the draft law ratifying the Government's letter of intent to the International Monetary Fund, signed in June 2010.

Romania Will Not Overcome Crisis In 2011 – E.ON

Romania’s industry does not seem to be reviving and the country’s economy will not defeat the crisis in 2011, Tuesday said Frank Hajdinjak, the general manager of utility group E.ON Romania, the local subsidiary of Germany's E.ON AG.

Romanian Healthcare Co-Payment System Likely To Be Introduced In First Half Of 2011- Min

Romanian Health Minister Cseke Attila said Monday, after talks with Jeffrey Franks, head of the International Monetary Fund mission to Bucharest, that Romania will probably introduce the co-payment system for healthcare services in the first half of 2011, following debates in Parliament.

Romanian Opp Party Won’t File No-Conf Motion When Govt Pushes Educ Bill Through Parl

Romania’s opposition Social Democratic Party won’t file a no-confidence motion against the Government, when it seeks the lawmakers’ confidence vote to pass the education bill, if the Government survives the opposition’s no-confidence motion on Wednesday, people close to the matter said Monday.

Romanian Thermal Pwr Plants May Borrow State Reserve Coal For 2010 Winter

Romanian thermal power plants and energy producers obtained the government’s approval to borrow 1.6 millions tons of coal and over 178,000 tons of fuel oil from the state reserve, due to their insufficient stocks for this winter.

Romanian President Passes Law Speeding Up Trials

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Monday passed the law on the “small reform” in the justice system, which implements a series of measures to speed up trials.

Romania Could Raise Minimum Wage, Increase Level Must Be Carefully Analyzed– IMF Official

The head of the International Monetary Fund mission to Bucharest, Jeffrey Franks, said Monday that there might be room for an increase of the Romanian minimum wage, but any decision in this respect should be carefully analyzed.