English

Romania Jobless Rate Subject To Further Pressures In 2010 – IMF

Romania's unemployment rate is subject to further pressures over the next period, but the increase should be manageable because the jobless rate is still below EU average, the International Monetary Fund mission head said Monday.

IMF: Romania To Slash 250,000 Public Jobs On Medium-Term

The number of public employees in Romania should be reduced by 250,000 people on the medium-term to match the numbers before 2006, an official of the International Monetary Fund said Monday.

Twenty Cyber Crime Suspects Arrested In Romania In Massive Fraud Raids

Twenty people suspected of bank fraud operations in Romania and the United States were arrested Monday morning following 36 raids in three Romanian counties.

Romania April Jobless Rate Falls Slightly To 8.07%

Romania's unemployment rate fell about 0.3 percentage points on the month to 8.07% in April, official data showed Monday.

IMF: Romania Economy To Grow 3.6% In 2011 Vs Decline In 2010

The International Monetary Fund forecasts Romania’s economy will grow 3.6% in 2011, following a possible minor contraction envisaged for this year, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said in Bucharest Monday.

Romanian Film „Concertul” By Radu Mihaileanu Wins Italian Oscar

The film "Concertul" (The Concerto) by Romanian Radu Mihaileanu won Best European Film at the 2010 David di Donatello Awards, the Italian equivalent of American Oscars, variety.com reported.

Romania Fin Min: All Public Sector Wages Cut By 25%; New Salary Sys To Be Elaborated

Romanian Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said Sunday, at the end of a meeting with IMF experts, that all salaries in the public sector will be cut by 25% and a new salary system will be established in the sector until the end of 2010.

Romania Restricts Investments In 2010, Carries On Only Few Projects – PM

Prime Minister Emil Boc said Romania will restrict investments in 2010, due to budget constraints, and will build only 4,000 homes, via the national housing agency ANL, 500 kilometers of county roads, out of 10,000 km, and maximum 1,000 homes, of a total 25,000, for specialists in rural areas.

Romanian President Says Benefits For Children, The Disabled Will Not Be Slashed

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday, after talks with union federation leaders, that social benefits for children and people with disabilities will not be reduced, adding all other subsidies are further poised to “analysis, reduction or elimination.”

Romania’s Main Opp Party Wants Higher Flat Tax On High Income, Higher VAT For Certain Products

Romanian opposition social democrat head Victor Ponta said Sunday, after a meeting with IMF experts, that the Social Democratic Party is in favor of increasing the flat tax for high-income social categories and increasing the value added tax for certain products.

Fresh Volcanic Ash Cloud Might Hover Over Western Romania Monday Morning

A fresh cloud of ash from Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull might hover over Romania's western region Monday morning, in the layer between the ground and an altitude of nearly 6,000 meters, Romania’s Environment Ministry said Sunday.

Romania Forced To Contract New Loan In 2011 Unless It Cuts Wages, Pensions – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday that if public salaries and pensions are not reduced, Romania will have to contract a new loan in 2011, which would simply “pawn” the future of the country and of millions of Romanians.

Romanian Unions Push For Differentiated Wage Cuts; President Opts For Linear Cuts

Romania’s five union federation leaders said Sunday, after a meeting with President Traian Basescu, that they called for differentiated salary cuts in the public sector, whereas the head of state opted for linear salary cuts.

Romanian Union Leaders Say Spending Cut Measures Will Be Applied Until Dec 31, 2010

Romania’s five union federation leaders said Sunday, after a meeting with President Traian Basescu, that recent measures meant to cut budget spending in the public sector will be applied until December 31, 2010.

Romania Cancels Five Flights To Italy Due To Volcanic Ash Cloud

Three flights to Italy were cancelled Sunday on Bucharest’s international airport Otopeni and another two flights were cancelled on international airport Baneasa, because of a new volcanic eruption in Iceland and the ash cloud hovering over Europe.

IMF Says Romania Forced To Hike Taxes If Pension, Wage Cuts Prove Ineffective- Senate Chairman

Romanian Senate Chairman Mircea Geoana stated Sunday that the International Monetary Fund experts “clearly” said the Romanian Government will have to increase taxes if planned salary and pension cuts prove ineffective in point of slashing public spending and implicitly, reducing the budget deficit.

Arms Trafficker Shimon Naor To Be Extradited To Romania To Serve Prison Time

Businessman Shimon Naor was arrested in Paris and will be extradited to Romania where he will serve 11 years in prison for arms trafficking, Romanian Police spokesperson, Raluca Seucan, told MEDIAFAX Saturday.

Romania Might Sell Stake In Krivoy Rog Steel Plant To ArcelorMittal Group – Econ Min

Romania might sell its stake in the steel plant in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, to ArcelorMittal Group, Romanian Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said Saturday after a meeting with the management of steel plant ArcelorMittal Galati.

Romanian Shoe Designer Mihai Albu Sets World Record For Highest Heel Sandals

Romanian shoe designer Mihai Albu has come out with a new pair of hand-crafted sandals that increase a woman's height by 31 centimeters, setting the world record for the Highest Heel Sandals, World Records Academy, the leading international organization which certifies world records, reported on its website.

Pilot Dies In Hang Glider Crash In C Romania

A hang glider crashed Saturday on the Cisnadie airfield in Sibiu, central Romania, killing the pilot on the spot, local police spokesperson Luciana Baltes said Saturday.

Romanian Students To Be Observers In Schools’ Managing Boards – Education Bill

Romanian students will be observers in schools’ managing boards, according to an amendment to the draft education law adopted Friday by the Chamber of Deputies’ education committee, Romania’s Education Ministry said in a press release Saturday.

Romania’s Union Confederation Alliance Asks Unions To Not Quit Mediation Committees

The Romanian Alliance of Union Confederations asked the country’s large union federations not to withdraw from mediation committees, arguing such a move would only make things worse and show foreign partners that Romania is on the brink of social bankruptcy, which would also trigger economic bankruptcy.

Fmr Romanian Envoy To Singapore Arrested For 29 Days

Romania’s former envoy to Singapore Silviu Ionescu, blamed for a hit-and-run accident that resulted in one fatality, was placed into custody for 29 days.

Romanian Union Leader Proposes Gradual Hike In Income Tax Instead Of Wage Cuts

Romania’s Cartel Alfa union confederation head, Bogdan Hossu, proposed to the country’s finance minister, as an alternative to reducing salaries in the public sector, a gradual increase in the income tax and to cease or halt the transfer of funds from the public to the private pension system.

Romanian PM To Meet With IMF Experts Saturday – Sources

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc will meet with International Monetary Fund experts on Saturday, May 8, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romanian Govt Mulls Taxing Child, Disabled Benefits By 15% – Sources

Romania’s Government is considering taxing several social benefits, such as allowances for children or people with disabilities, by 15%, in an attempt to reduce budget spending, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Iranian Officials Say Shahab-3 Missiles Could Hit Romania – NATO Secretary Gen

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said Friday that Iran is pursuing its nuclear activities “in defiance” of UN resolutions and it also runs an extensive missile development program, with its Shahab-3 missiles able to hit targets in Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey or Greece.

Romanian Prosecutors Detain Fmr Envoy To Singapore In Hit-And-Run Case

Romania’s General Prosecution Office Friday detained former envoy to Singapore Silviu Ionescu, who is blamed for a hit-and-run accident in December of last year.

Bucharest City Hall May Compel Reconnection To Public Heating System

Bucharest’s City Hall is discussing a bill to approve a study regarding the Romanian capital’s energy strategy, which states that homes not connected to the centralized heating system must be reconnected within five years, as the public system is bankrupt.

Romania Will Join Schengen Area On March 27, 2011 – Interior Minister

Romania’s Interior Minister Vasile Blaga promised Romanians on Friday that Romania will join the Schengen Area on March 27, 2011, and that Romanian authorities will use a plan of priority measures to meet all requirements for accession to the Schengen Area until December 2010.

Romanian President To Meet With Union Leaders Sunday

Romanian president Traian Basescu has invited the leaders of the country’s large union federations to talks at the presidential palace Sunday, after he announced drastic cuts in public sector wages and pensions.

Romania’s Announced Wage Cuts Not Our Proposal, IMF Says

Romania’s austerity plan to cut public salaries and pensions by 25% and 15% respectively was developed by the authorities in Bucharest and was not proposed by the International Monetary Fund, the institution told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romania’s Used Car Black Market Embezzled EUR47M In 1Q 2010

Romania’s black market for used cars reached nearly EUR250 million in the first quarter of 2010 and non-cashed VAT from used cars deals amounts to EUR47 million, said Nicusor Sorescu, sales manager of auto group Radacini Motors, importer of General Motors brands.

Romanian Union Leaders Call For Talks With President, PM, Before Completion Of IMF Negotiations

Romania’s five union federation leaders said in an open letter Friday they want to have an emergency meeting with President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Emil Boc before the agreement with the International Monetary Fund is finalized.

Romania Leu’s Exchange Rate Hits New 4-Mo Low At 4.1874

Romania’s leu edged higher against the euro in mid trade Friday, but the central bank set a reference at 4.1874 units, a new four months low versus the European common currency.

NATO Says Missile Defense Is Of Utmost Importance

NATO needs to develop an efficient antimissile defense system to cover all its allies and feels the issue is of utmost importance, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Friday after a meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi.

Romanian Deputies Hike Fine For Parents Who Fail To School Children

Romania’s education committee decided Friday during education law debates in the Chamber of Deputies that parents who do not send their children to school should receive an increased fine of one to five average wages.

Romania Econ Min Expects EU Answer On Nuke Construction By Fall

Romania should have an answer from the European Commission regarding its project to build two nuclear reactors at the Cernavoda power plant by September, Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said Friday.

NATO To Continue Open Doors Policy – Sec Gen

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Friday in Bucharest the Alliance will continue its open doors policy and the decisions in this respect made at the Bucharest summit of 2008 will be maintained.

Romania To Merge Financial Guard With Customs Authority To Cut Costs

Romanian will merge by yearend its financial guard service with its national customs authority to simplify controls and cut costs, Sorin Blejnar, head of the country’s tax authority ANAF, told MEDIAFAX Friday.