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Romanian Ministry: No. Of State-Built Homes To Be Cut To 1,400 From Initial Target Of 7,000

12:51, 20 Aug. 2010
The recent cut in state budget funds needed to build homes for youngsters, via the National Housing Agency ANL, allows the construction of only 1,400 homes in 2010, compared to the Regional Development Ministry’s initial estimates to build 7,000 homes, the ministry said in a press release Friday.

Romania Regional Development Min To Subsidize Interests On Homeowner Loans For Thermal Rehab

10:41, 20 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Regional Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea on Thursday said the thermal rehabilitation of apartment buildings will be made with loans contracted by homeowners’ associations and guaranteed by the state, with interest rates subsidized by the Regional Development Ministry.

Romanian Govt To Replace Minimum Tax With Lump Sum Tax

20:12, 19 Aug. 2010
The Romanian Government will eliminate the minimum tax starting with October 1, and replace it with a lump sum tax, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Romania Regional Development Ministry Halts Several Investment Programs Over 10% Budget Cut

20:09, 19 Aug. 2010
Romanian Regional Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea said her ministry has halted several investment programs, including the construction of homes via the National Housing Agency ANL, after its budget was cut by 10%.

Romanian Govt Discussed Flat Tax Exemptions

16:37, 19 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Government made a list of the activities exempt from the flat tax, including income from agriculture, transfers of real estate, and night clubs and casinos, for which the tax ranges from 2% to 5%, after President Traian Basescu suggested the flat tax should be levied on any type of income.

Romanian Govt To Keep Heat Subsidies This Year – PM

16:20, 19 Aug. 2010
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Thursday said heat subsidies will be kept this year, but a new strategy will be applied starting April 2011.

Romanian Transp Minister, Railway Unionists To Discuss Spending Cut Programs Monday

16:03, 19 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Transport Minister Radu Berceanu will meet Monday with unionists in the railway sector to discuss programs aimed to cut spending at state-owned railway company CFR.

Ninety-Three Repatriated Roma To Arrive In Bucharest From France Thursday – FM

14:42, 19 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that 93 Romanians of Roma ethnicity, who chose voluntary repatriation, would arrive in Bucharest from France aboard two flights.

Kazakhs Paid Only 10% Of Romanian Petromidia’s Debt To The State – ZF

12:19, 19 Aug. 2010
Romanian Rompetrol Rafinare (RRC.RO), the owner of Petromidia refinery controlled by Kazakh KazMunayGas, paid so far less than 10% of the EUR570 million loan falling due at the end of September, while the rest of the sum might be converted into shares, to settle the rest of the debt.

Romania’s Econ Min Sustains State Monopoly In Power Transport

12:10, 19 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Economy Minister Adriean Videanu on Thursday said he supports keeping the state monopoly in the electricity transport, as it ensures a non-discriminating access to energy for all companies.

Romanian Health, Interior Ministry Teams To Carry Out Fire Prevention Checkups in Hospitals

10:35, 19 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Health Ministry and the Interior Ministry will check up hospitals countrywide to see if they are properly equipped to prevent fire, Health Minister Attila Cseke said Wednesday evening on private television Realitatea TV.

Death Toll Among Romanian Babies Injured In Explosion Rises To Five

09:44, 19 Aug. 2010
One of the seven babies admitted to Grigore Alexandrescu children hospital in Bucharest after they have been severely injured in an explosion at Giulesti maternity hospital died Wednesday night, taking the death toll among babies to five.

Romania 2010 Budget Revision Envisages 5.9% Avg Inflation – FinMin

18:43, 18 Aug. 2010
The projections included in Romania’s first-half budget revision are based on an exchange rate of 4.24 lei/euro and an average annual inflation rate estimated at 5.9%, Finance Minister Sebastian said Wednesday.

Romanian Electroputere To Sack 350 People Come Oct 1

18:41, 18 Aug. 2010
Romanian electric motor maker Electroputere Craiova (EPT.RO) will lay off 350 employees starting with October 1, with compensation pay, due to the lack of contracts and liquidity, as well as following activity reorganization, the company announced Wednesday.

Romania Govt OKs First Budget Revision Of 2010

18:37, 18 Aug. 2010
Romanian government Wednesday approved the first budget revision of 2010, which includes fund increases for socially protected categories, alongside budget cuts for several ministries.

Romania Consumer Protection Auth Says Banks May Keep Rates For Ongoing Loans

17:40, 18 Aug. 2010
Romanian agency for consumers’ protection ANPC on Wednesday said local banks are permitted to increase their fixed margins for ongoing loans with variable interests so interest rates can stay at levels prior to the implementation of the EURIBOR/ROBOR/LIBOR reference.

Romanian Health Ministry Wants To Sort Out Public-Private Employment For Doctors

16:57, 18 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Health Ministry will put forward an act to eliminate problems caused by doctors practicing both in public hospitals and private clinics, Minister Cseke Attila said Wednesday.

Romanian Health Minister Requested Healthcare System Hiring Thaw

15:32, 18 Aug. 2010
Romanian Health Minister Cseke Attila confirmed Wednesday that he requested the Government unfreeze the jobs in the healthcare system that must be urgently filled, adding that a decision could be made by the Executive next week.

Talks With Railway Transport Unionists To Follow Cost Cutting Solutions – Romanian Transp Min

15:11, 18 Aug. 2010
Romanian Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Wednesday that railway transport unionists will be summoned for discussions after railway companies come up with solutions to increase revenues and cut expenses and after these solutions are approved by the ministry.

Romanian Railway Transport Unionists Protested Outside Transp Min HQ Over Planned Layoffs

14:34, 18 Aug. 2010
About 100 railway transport unionists protested Wednesday outside the Transport Ministry headquarters, displeased with the restructuring program at state-owned railway company CFR and the authorities’ decision to put CFR employees on furlough.

Parents Of Babies Killed In Romanian Maternity Hospital Explosion To Receive State Aid – Sources

14:28, 18 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Government discussed in its meeting Wednesday the proposal to give financial aid to the parents of babies dead or injured in the accident that took place Monday evening at the Giulesti maternity hospital in Bucharest, said people close to the matter.

Romania June Construction Output Rises At Fastest Pace In EU

13:14, 18 Aug. 2010
Romanian construction output rose 16.5% on the month in June, the biggest increase in the European Union, official data showed Wednesday.

All Hospitals Administered By Bucharest City Hall To Have Smoke Detectors

13:14, 18 Aug. 2010
The 21 hospitals administered by the Bucharest City Hall will be equipped with smoke detectors, Bucharest deputy mayor Victor Iovici told MEDIAFAX Wednesday, adding the measure will be implemented with urgency.

Ten Israeli Doctors Come To Romania To Help Injured Newborns

11:22, 18 Aug. 2010
Ten Israeli doctors arrived in Bucharest to help the seven Romanian newborn babies severely injured in an explosion which took place Monday at the Giulesti maternity hospital, Bucharest Hospital Administration general manager Marius Savu said Wednesday.

Anatoly Akopov – Russian Diplomat Declared Persona Non Grata By Romanian Authorities

10:24, 18 Aug. 2010
Anatoly Akopov is the Russian diplomat declared persona non grata by Romanian authorities, following similar measures taken by Russia against Romanian diplomat to Moscow Gabriel Grecu accused of attempting to obtain military secrets, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Fmr Romanian Diplomat To Moscow Collected Information About Moldova, Transnistria

09:38, 18 Aug. 2010
The former secretary of the political department in the Romanian Embassy to Moscow was collecting information regarding the Republic of Moldova and Transnistria, as well as compromising data about Transnistrian politicians, Russian federal security service FSB said in a press release Tuesday.

Romania Ranked 39th In World’s Best Countries Top – Newsweek

21:11, 17 Aug. 2010
Romania is ranked 39th in a top of the world’s best countries by American magazine Newsweek, below every other European Union member states.

Russian Envoy To Bucharest Declared Persona Non Grata By Romanian Authorities

19:50, 17 Aug. 2010
A Russian envoy to Bucharest was declared persona non grata by Romanian authorities and has 48 hours to leave the country, Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Tuesday.

Romanian Govt Could Keep Heat Subsidy For Next Winter – Off

18:25, 17 Aug. 2010
Romanian interministrial work group in charge with identifying viable solutions regarding heat subsidies for household consumers will recommend keeping the subsidies through the next winter, a group official said Tuesday.

Romanian Senate Committees Adopt National Integrity Agency Bill

15:40, 17 Aug. 2010
The Romanian Senate’s committees for legal matters and human rights adopted Tuesday a favorable report on the National Integrity Agency (ANI) bill, with nine pro votes and seven abstentions.

Several Romanian Mandatory Private Pension Funds Fined RON5.2M For Breaching Competition Law

14:12, 17 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Competition Council fined 14 mandatory pension funds 5.2 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2356), after they were found to have “agreed” to breach the law regulating the distribution of contributors to two or more mandatory private pension funds.

BCR: Additional Tax Hikes May Prolong Romanian Recession

13:18, 17 Aug. 2010
Subjecting the Romanian economy to a new wave of tax increases would only endanger the country’s chances to emerge from recession in 2011, analysts with lender Banca Comerciala Romana, or BCR, said Tuesday.

Romanian Car Mkt May Shrink 30% This Year – Peugeot Importer

13:10, 17 Aug. 2010
The Romanian car market will be 25-30% smaller this year than in 2009, but it may be rejuvenated in 2011 if the state-sponsored clunkers program continues, said Narcis Ghita, general manager of Peugeot importer Trust Motors.

Death Toll Among Babies Rises To Four, Seven Others In Critical Condition

10:18, 17 Aug. 2010
One of the eight newborn babies severely injured in the explosion at the Giulesti maternity hospital in Bucharest died Tuesday morning, at the Grigore Alexandrescu children hospital, taking the death toll among babies to four, Health Ministry undersecretary Raed Arafat said Tuesday.

Three Newborn Babies Killed In Bucharest Maternity Hospital Explosion

08:10, 17 Aug. 2010
Three newborn babies were killed in the intensive care unit of the Giulesti maternity hospital in Bucharest on Monday, in an explosion caused by an electrical fault, people close to the matter said.

Russian Special Services Arrest Romanian Diplomat Accused Of Espionage

18:53, 16 Aug. 2010
Russian special services have arrested a Romanian diplomat accused of attempting to obtain military secrets, security agency FSB’s press service announced Monday, cited by AFP.

Romania’s Lower Chamber Adopts National Integrity Agency Bill

17:45, 16 Aug. 2010
Romania’s Chamber of Deputies adopted Monday the draft law on the National Integrity Agency (ANI) with 204 to two votes and two abstentions.

World Bank: Romanian Public Sector Simply ‘Too Costly’

14:23, 16 Aug. 2010
Romania has an inefficient, highly costly public sector and the government needs to trim administrative spending toward levels more suited for its capacity to attract revenue, the World Bank said Monday.

Romania’s July Annual Inflation, Highest In EU

12:56, 16 Aug. 2010
Romania posted the highest inflation in the European Union in July, after a five-percentage-point increase in the value added tax level drove the annual rate to 7.1% from 4.3% a month earlier, official data showed Monday.

Cantacuzino Institute: No Case Of West Nile Virus Infection Reported In Romania So Far

11:07, 16 Aug. 2010
The Cantacuzino Institute in Bucharest said Monday morning that samples from the two Romanian men diagnosed with viral meningitis tested negative for West Nile Virus (WNV) infection and that no cases of WNV infection have been reported in Romania so far.