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Romania Govt OKs First Budget Revision Of 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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’

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

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

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.

Transp Min: Works On Cernavoda-Constanta Hwy, Bucharest-Constanta Railway Finalized In 2011

Romanian Transport Minister Radu Berceanu on Sunday said the highway linking Cernavoda to Constanta, southeastern Romania, will be finalized until the end of 2011, but drivers might be able to use one lane as of June 2011, when upgrade works on the Bucharest-Constanta railway are also finalized.

Romanian Leftist Party UNPR Announces Candidate For Bucharest Mayor

Gabriel Oprea, executive president of leftist party the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR), on Saturday said Bucharest District 2 mayor Neculai Ontanu will be the party’s candidate for general mayor of Bucharest.

President Traian Basescu Delivers Lofty Speech On Romanian Navy Day

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday in Constanta, southeastern Romania, during the events celebrating the Romanian Navy Day, that this day is an opportunity for people to come together and to commemorate the fallen heroes.

Two Suspected Cases Of West Nile Virus Infection In SE Romania

Two men in Tulcea county, southeastern Romania, have been diagnosed with viral meningitis and are suspected of contracting the West Nile virus.

Romania Proposes Florin Serban’s „If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle” For 2011 Academy Awards

The feature film “If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle” by Romanian director Florin Serban is Romania’s proposal for the 2011 Academy Awards in the best foreign language film section, said officials of the National Center for Cinematography.

Romanian Govt Slashes Thermal Rehab Funds, Blames Crisis

The Romanian government slashed three quarters from the energy efficiency budget, to 11.7 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2327), as opposed to RON40 million, according to a decision adopted Wednesday.

Romania Heat Wave Advisory Extended Until Monday

Romanian weather authorities extended Friday a yellow code heat wave advisory until Monday and warn temperatures will exceed 35 degrees Celsius especially in the country’s southern and eastern regions.

Romania Leu Mostly Higher Vs Euro In Early Trade After 2Q GDP Data

Romania’s leu opened higher against the euro Friday and further gained ground, after positive economic data for the second quarter.

Romania 2Q GDP +0.3% On Quarter, -0.6% On Year

Romanian second-quarter gross domestic product grew by 0.3% in seasonally adjusted data compared with the earlier quarter, a flash estimate of the country’s statistics institute showed Friday.

Romanian Govt Might Seek Conf Vote In Fall To Pass New Labor Code

Romania’s Government might again seek a confidence vote in Parliament, in September or October, to pass a new Labor Code, a social assistance code and the unitary wage law for the public sector, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romanian Analysts Mixed On Economic Development In 2011

Romania could remain in recession well into next year, as potential new austerity measures in the fiscal sector and further public layoffs are likely to lead to an economic contraction of 2% in 2011, analysts with ING Bank said Thursday.

Romania’s Tourism Might Be Promoted On Facebook

Romania’s tourism might be promoted on social networking website Facebook, through a potential partnership between Facebook and Romania’s Regional Development and Tourism Ministry, the ministry said Thursday.

Over EUR1.5M Missing From Bank Accounts Of Twenty Credit Europe Bank Clients

The number of clients of the local branch of Credit Europe Bank in Brasov, central Romania, who had money withdrawn from their bank accounts without their permission, reached 20, and total damages exceed EUR1.5 million.

Romania Supports Resuming Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations Without Preconditions

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday in a joint press conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres, that Romania supports the resuming of Israeli-Palestinian and Syrian-Israeli negotiations without any preconditions.