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Romanian Subway Union Decides Wednesday Whether To Hold Planned Strike

Union leaders with Romania’s state-owned subway company Metrorex will decide Wednesday whether or not to go on strike Thursday, as they had planned, union leader Ioan Radoi told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romania February Inflation 2nd Highest In EU

Romanian annual inflation came in at 4.5% in February, the second highest rate in the European Union, official data showed Tuesday.

Romania’s CEZ Distributie To Cut 110 Jobs In ’10

Romanian electricity distributor CEZ Distributie will cut 110 jobs in 2010, representing over 7% of the staff, the company’s general manager Doina Vornicu told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romania Confirms Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Virus – EC

Romania has confirmed a highly pathogenic bird flu outbreak at a poultry farm in Letea, the southeastern county of Tulcea, the European Commission said in a press release Tuesday.

Romanian Govt To OK Subway Co’s 2010 Budget, Strike Could Be Avoided – Transport Min

Romania's Government will approve Wednesday the 2010 budget of state-owned subway company Metrorex and some of the employees’ wage bonuses will be included in their basic salary, Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Tuesday.

Romanian Court Denies Parole To Mayor Arrested For Corruption

Antonie Solomon, mayor of Romania’s southern city of Craiova, suspended from public office following his arrest on corruption charges, remains in custody as the court denied his request for parole Tuesday.

Romanian Students Call Off Protests, Eager To Sign Partnership With Education Minister

The National Union of Students in Romania (UNSR) said it will suspend protest actions planned this week and will sign a partnership with Education Minister Daniel Funeriu meant to solve their demands.

Romanian Auto Mkt Dn 63% In New Car Registrations In Feb, Sharpest Decline In EU

Romania’s auto market registered the sharpest decline in the European Union in February, as the number of new car registrations decreased 63% compared to February 2009, while the EU market increased 3%.

Romanian Govt To Allot RON1.9B Until 2013 To Implement e-Romania National Strategy

The Romanian Government will allot 1.9 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.0898) in the 2010 and 2013 interval to implement the e-Romania national strategy which aims to ease online communication between public administration and taxpayers, the Communications Ministry said in a press release Monday.

Romanian Pres Pleads For Administrative-Territorial Reorganization

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday, after consultations on the revision of the Constitution, that he would agree with an administrative reorganization of Romania, which would favor the financing of regional projects.

Renault To Launch Dacia Sandero Running On Bioethanol In France

Car maker Renault announce Monday the launch, on the French market, of a bioethanol version of the Dacia Sandero model, made by the Dacia plant in Romanian city Pitesti.

X-Trade Brokers: Greece’s Crisis Unlikely To Seriously Affect Romania

Romanian economy is unlikely to be seriously affected by Greece’s financial problems, and one of the elements to support this theory is the recent ratings actions of international agencies, brokerage house X-Trade Brokers said Monday.

Some 7M Romanian Lending Contracts To Undergo EU Imposed Amendments

The amendment of the Romanian legislation on the loans taken out by individuals will have an impact on over seven million contracts concluded with banks, according to consumer protection authority (ANPC) president Constantin Cerbulescu.

Romanian President Says Constitution Revision Should Go Beyond Issues Addressed In Referendum

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday the country’s Constitution should be revised beyond the questions raised in a national referendum regarding Parliament and should include clearer state power separation limits.

One In Three Unemployed Romanians Has Been Jobless For More Than One Year

One in three unemployed people in Romania has been jobless for more than one year, a level similar to that reported overall in the EU, where the risk of long-term unemployment is significant, leading to increased social exclusion and poverty, according to a Eurostat study.

IMF Chief To Visit Romania March 30

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, will visit Bucharest on March 30, as part of his tour to Europe, an IMF official said Monday.

Romanian Labor Min Mulls Lowering Retirement Age For Mothers

The Romanian Ministry of Labor could agree to reduce the retirement age for women who have children and a proposition will be made in this respect by Labor Minister Mihai Seitan in his meeting with Prime Minister Emil Boc on Friday.

Over 11,000 Romanian Transporters To Protest Before Govt Wednesday, Thursday

More than 11,000 Romanian transporters will protest on Wednesday and Thursday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. before the Government, demanding fines against unlicensed transport firms, extending authorizations to 2016 and a single law on transports.

EC Hopes To Release Justice Report On Romania Next Week

The European Commission hopes to adopt its interim justice reports on Romania and Bulgaria next week, Commission spokesman Mark Gray said Monday, adding the reports will be factual and won’t include political assessments.

Romanian President Tells Ethnic Hungarians They Should Be Proud Of Romanian Citizenship

President Traian Basescu on Monday sent a message for ethnic Hungarians in Romania who celebrate on March 15, alongside all Hungarians, the National Day of Hungarians Everywhere, saying they should also be proud to be Romanian citizens as well.

Romania Budget Revenue Back On Track As Of March – Fin Min

Romanian budget revenue in the first two months was slightly below the planned level, but the figures are seen within the target starting with March 2010, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said Monday.

EC Justice Report On Romania Expected These Days – Justice Minister

The European Commission is expected to release its interim report on progress in Romania’s justice sector “these days”, Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu said Monday.

Decisions Made By Szeckler County Officials Should Be Ignored – Romanian Interior Min

Romanian Interior Minister Vasile Blaga said Monday the initiators of the draft decisions approved Friday by the Assembly of Local Officials in the Szeckler county are not representatives of any institutionalized forum and therefore they should be ignored.

Romanian Students Set Off Protests Over Small Scholarships, Scarce Student Camp Budget

The National Union of Students in Romania (UNSR) said students will protest every day as of March 15 in front of the Education Ministry’s headquarters, demanding higher scholarships and more funding for student camps.

American Jazz Guitarist Al Di Meola To Perform In Bucharest On May 25

American jazz fusion and Latin jazz guitarist Al Di Meola, one of the most influential guitarists in the jazz fusion category, will perform in capital city Bucharest on May 25 along with his band New World Sinfonia, event promoters said.

Romania Econ Min: Whoever Wants Higher Pension Should Contribute To Pvt Pension System

Romania’s Economy, Commerce and Business Environment Minister Adriean Videanu on Saturday said that people who want higher pensions will have to make pension contributions to the private pension system, as the public pension sector "can no longer uphold" the current pension system.

Romania’s Economy Will Resume Growth In Upcoming Months – Econ Min

Romania’s Economy, Commerce and Business Environment Minister Adriean Videanu on Saturday said the economic data registered in the past four months indicate that "Romania's economy will resume growth in the upcoming months."

Hungarian Authorities In C Romania Voted To Make Hungarian Official Language In Szeckler County

The Assembly of Local Officials in the Szeckler county, held in Sfantu Gheorghe town, in central Romanian county of Covasna, on Friday voted, among others, to make Hungarian the official language of the Szeckler county, a region in eastern Transylvania populated mostly by ethnic Hungarians.

Fitch Rates Romania EUR1B Eurobond ‘BB+’

Fitch Ratings Friday assigned Romania's 5-year EUR1 billion sovereign bond the ‘BB+’ rating, in line with the country’s foreign currency rating ‘BB+’, which has a stable outlook.

Ikea Group Adds Romanian Unit After Franchisee Sells Business

Swedish IKEA group operates directly on the Romanian retail market after buying the operation and franchise rights of the store in the capital city Bucharest, Ikea Romania said in a statement.

Romanian Democrat Liberal To Push Law Banning Human Cloning

Romanian democrat liberal MP Mircia Giurgiu will file in Parliament a draft law banning human cloning and the applications of biomedicine that violate human dignity.

Bucharest Emergency Hospital Gets False Bomb Threat

Pyrotechnic squads that checked the University Emergency Hospital in Romania’s capital Bucharest, after a man called the 112 emergency number Friday to report there could be a bomb inside the hospital, found nothing suspicious and deemed the threat false.

Romania Imported 65% Less Used German Cars In ’09

The number of used cars brought to Romania from Germany decreased last year by 65.3%, one of the reasons being the German clunkers program, according to the German Federal Statistics Office.

Romanian Unionists Complain Poor Get Poorer, Rich Get Richer

Romanian union leaders told Prime Minister Emil Boc that the unitary wage law has been applied incorrectly, as teachers earning 800-900 lei (EUR1=RON4.0929) have had their salaries reduced, while judges and prosecutors “at the top of the pyramid,” enjoy pay rises.

Romanian Unionists Boo PM, Call For His Resignation Over Pension, Wage Laws

Romanian unionists protesting outside the government headquarters Friday booed and threw snowballs at Prime Minister Emil Boc, whom they asked to resign from the headship of the Government, dissatisfied with the Executive's planned pension reform and unitary wage law.

Romanian Min Denounces Tourism Sector Privatization, Pushes For Investments

Romania’s tourism sector was lousily privatized and investments in the sector, which is in a deplorable state, set off only in 2009, Tourism Minister Elena Udrea said Friday in response to the statements of German TUI officials who said Romania is about eight years behind Bulgaria.

Romania Jan Curr Acct Gap Narrows 73.2% To EUR123M

Romania's January current account deficit narrowed 73.2% to EUR123 million, from EUR459 million the year-earlier month, due mainly to the falling trade deficit, the central bank said in a statement Friday.

Romanian President Declines Honorary Scientists Academy Title

Romanian President Traian Basescu Friday declined the honorary title offered by the Academy of Scientists in Romania (AOSR) saying it is his job to promulgate laws and he shouldn’t be rewarded with academic titles for it.

Romania Jan Indus Output Rises At 4th Fastest Pace In EU

Romania’s January industrial production posted the fourth biggest annual increase in the European Union, official data showed Friday.

Romanian Authorities Will Investigate Sick Leave Claims, Fines To Double

Romanian authorities will check whether beneficiaries of sick leave are actually at home, while fines for illegally issued health certificates will be doubled, according to a Health Ministry draft ordinance.