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Romania Econ Min To Lobby For Urgent Adoption Of Renewable Energy Law

Romanian Economy Minister Adriean Videanu on Tuesday pledged to discuss with Prime Minister Emil Boc about a possible emergency ordinance to pass the Law 220 on renewable energy production.

Romania Energy Prices Unchanged In ’10; Gas Prices Could Rise – Regulator

Romania's energy prices will remain at their current levels until January 2011, but natural gas prices might be adjusted for the 2009 inflation sometime this year, the country’s energy regulator ANRE said Tuesday.

Romania Environment Min: Over 100,000 Old Cars Will Be Scrapped Under 2010 Clunkers Program

Romania’s Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said Tuesday evening that over 100,000 old cars will be scrapped under the 2010 clunkers program, which, he stressed, has set off on the right foot and its success mainly favors the local carmakers.

Romanian PM Expected For Hearings In Lawsuit Filed Against Him By Ex-PM

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc is expected Wednesday for hearings in court, in the slander lawsuit filed against him by former Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

Romanian High Council For National Defense OKs Purchase Of 24 Used F16 Jet Fighters

Romania’s High Council for National Defense (CSAT) approved the Defense Ministry’s proposal to purchase 24 used F16 fighter aircraft, a request which has been sent to the Parliament for debates.

Romania Ctrl Bk: Banks Will Seek Additional Guarantees After Personal Insolvency Law Adoption

The adoption of the personal bankruptcy law might force banks to require additional guarantees, which would restrict people's access to loans, Adrian Vasilescu, an adviser for the central bank governor, said Tuesday.

Google To Open One Office In Romania In ’10

Google, holder of the search engine with the same name, will open an office in Romania this year, said Amelia Cretu, Agency Relationship Manager Google for Southeast Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Romanian Lower Chamber Rejects Simple Motion Against Labor Minister

Romania’s Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday rejected 121 to 100 votes and six abstentions the simple motion initiated by 52 social democrat and conservative deputies against Labor Minister Mihai Seitan.

Romanian Lower Chamber Rejects Simple Motion Against Health Min

The Romanian Chamber of Deputies rejected Tuesday, with 124 cons, 95 pros and seven abstentions the simple motion initiated by 54 liberal (PNL) MPs against Health Minister Cseke Attila.

Nobel Literature Prize Winner Herta Muller To Visit Bucharest In September

Herta Muller, winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize for Literature, will come to Bucharest in September, when the Humanitas publishing house launches an author series dedicated to her, within a wider campaign marking the publishing house’s 20th anniversary.

Romania Agriculture Ministry Says There Is No Money To Meet Farmers’ Demands

Romania’s Agriculture Ministry state secretary Adrian Radulescu said Tuesday, after a meeting with representatives of union federation Agrostar, that most of farmers’ claims cannot be solved on lack of money.

Banks Say Personal Insolvency Law Will Raise Lending Costs

Romania's adoption of the personal bankruptcy law is an additional risk for banks and will raise costs for household lending, especially for mortgage loans, according to Steven van Groningen, vice-president of the Romanian Banking Association ARB.

Romanian Senate Committee OKs Prosecution Of Senator Accused Of Influence Peddling

The Romanian Senate’s committee for legal matters on Tuesday approved eight to three votes anticorruption prosecutors’ request to allow for the arrest of social democrat senator Catalin Voicu, accused of influence peddling and fraud.

Romania Border Police: No. Of Stolen Cars Tracked At Border Doubled In First 2 Mos ‘10

The number of cars stolen from abroad and tracked down during border checkups has doubled and reached 36 in the first two months of 2010, compared with the same period a year ago, Romania’s Border Police said in a press release Tuesday.

Fees For Calls To Romanian Short Phone Numbers Capped At 150% Of National Calls Costs – Draft

Fees for calls to Romanian short telephone numbers following the pattern 19vx(y) charged by a telecom operator may be at most 50% higher than those for national calls, says a Government decision drafted by telecom regulator ANCOM.

Romanian Senate Approves Personal Insolvency Law

Romanian senators enacted Tuesday a legislative proposal on the insolvency of individuals, initiated by democrat liberal (PDL) senators and backed by all Parliament groups.

EC Report: Romania’s Integrity Agency Continued Good Track Record In 2H 2009

Romania’s National Integrity Agency (ANI) continued its encouraging track record in the second half of 2009, defending its findings of incompatibilities or conflicts of interest in court, the European Commission’s noted in its interim report on Romania’s justice sector, released Tuesday.

EC Report: Penalties For Top-Level Corruption In Romania Too Lenient

The European Commission’s interim justice report on Romania, released Tuesday, notes the good track record of the country’s Anticorruption Department (DNA) and an increase in convictions for high-level corruption, but states convictions continue to be too lenient.

Romanian PM Emil Boc’s Aunt Killed In Hit-and-Run Car Accident

One of Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc’s aunts died Monday evening after she was hit by a car in the village of Scrind, Cluj county, northwest Romania.

Romania’s Govt Draws Up Draft Law To Regulate Medicine Supply Within National Health Programs

A draft decision of Romania’s Government states medicines needed for the ambulatory treatment of cancer patients included into the national health program will be available starting July 1 in pharmacies belonging to the healthcare units involved in the program.

Romanian Senate Approves Guarantee Agreement For EIB Loan To Ford Romania

The Romanian Senate approved Tuesday the draft law ratifying the Guarantee Agreement between Romania and the European Investment Bank (EIB), guaranteeing 80% of the a financing contract concluded between the EIB and Ford Romania.

Romanian Leu Firms Vs Euro, Rate Hits 14-Mo High At 4.0736

The Romanian leu strengthened against the euro in mid trade Tuesday on heavy forex sales and the national currency’s reference won nearly 0.4% on the day at 4.0736, the highest rate since January 2009.

Romania Justice Min Upholds Message Of EC Justice Report To Reform Legal Sys

Romania’s Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu said the European Commission’s report on Romania’s justice sector conveys an important message on the dire need to reform the local judicial system.

EC Report: Romania Didn’t Keep Reform Momentum, Has Limited Results

Romania has not managed to sustain the reform momentum it had gained mid-2009 and the capacity of its judicial system has been affected by staff losses, the European Commission said in its justice report released Tuesday.

Romania Feb Private Lending Falls 8% YY To RON199.2B

Romanian private lending fell 7.9% in real terms to 199.16 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.0888) in February from the same month a year before, central bank data showed Tuesday.

EC Draft Report Notes Problems In Romania’s Justice Sector Due To Magistrates’ Protests

The European Commission’s interim report on Romania’s justice sector, expected to be released Tuesday, mentions the problems arisen in the justice sector following last year’s protests staged by magistrates and the staff shortage the country is still facing in the legal system.

EC Draft Report: Romania’s Top-Level Corruption Cases Still Stalling

The European Commission’s draft interim report on Romania’s justice sector, to be released later Tuesday, notes the country has made little progress in justice reform and top-level corruption cases continue to be stalled or are closed with controversial acquittals.

Romanian Senators Vote To Allow VAT Payment 30 Days From Cashing Invoices

Romania’s Senate approved Monday a draft law to amend the Fiscal Code, whereby companies will have to pay VAT within a maximum of 30 days from cashing invoices.

Romania Govt Hikes Education Staff Wages With Funds From Budget For Q2, Q3, Q4

Romania’s government will transfer funds from the budget initially earmarked for the second, third and fourth quarters in order to hike the salary fund for the first quarter for teachers who haven’t received 17% higher wages so far, Finance Ministry state secretary Gheorghe Gherghina said Monday.

Romanian Agric Output Seen Weak Despite Wide Crop Surfaces

Romania fell to last place in 2009 in Europe with respect for corn output calculated on hectare, and poor results were also registered in the production of wheat, potatoes, rapeseed and sunflower, according to data from European statistics office Eurostat and local statistics office INS.

EC To Release Justice Reports On Romania, Bulgaria Tuesday

The European Commission will release Tuesday its interim reports on Romania and Bulgaria’s justice sectors, Bulgarian news website novinite.com reported Monday, citing a Commission spokesperson.

Romanian Passenger Railway Carrier CFR Calatori To Receive 56% Higher Subsidies In 2010

Romanian national railway passenger carrier CFR Calatori could receive 956.25 million lei (EUR1=RON4.0888) in subsidies this year, 56% more than last year, but this amount will only cover half the company’s needs in 2010.

Romania Private Healthcare Market Seen Up 13% This Year, To EUR420M – Report

Romania’s private healthcare services market will increase 13% this year, to EUR420 million, and is set to top EUR600 million in 2012 due to an increasing number of consumers choosing such services, unhappy with public healthcare units, according a report by Polish market research company PMR.

Romanian War Correspondent Mile Carpenisan Dies At 34

Romanian war correspondent Mile Carpenisan, of Timisoara, western Romania, died Monday at age 34, at the Timisoara county hospital, where he had been admitted last week.

Romanian Social Democrats To Submit Motion Against Transport Minister Next Week

The Romanian Social Democratic Party will submit with the Senate next week a simple motion against Transport Minister Radu Berceanu, social democrat leader Victor Ponta said Monday.

Over 70% Of Romania’s Wine Production Isn’t Taxed – Winemakers

Over 70% of Romania’s annual wine production, or about 4 million hectoliters, isn’t taxed and goes to the black market and winemakers’ own consumption, Ovidiu Gheorghe, general manager of Romania’s winemakers association, told a news conference Monday.

Romania’s Car Exports To Germany Exceeded Imports In 2009

Romania exported more cars to Germany than it imported last year, moving from a trade deficit of EUR762.8 million on the auto sector in 2008, to a trade surplus of EUR306.4 million in 2009, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

Romanian Parents Associations Call Govt, Education Unions To Dialogue

The Romanian National Federation of Parent Associations in High School Education (FNAP-IP) called on the teachers, Government and the Ministry of Education to find a way towards constructive dialogue, in view of solving all issues.

Romanian Services Post Record 50% Contribution To ’09 GDP

Romania's services sector had a record 50.1% contribution to the gross domestic product in 2009, whereas the agriculture’s weight was slightly lower compared with a year before, Vergil Voineagu, head of the National Statistics Institute, said Monday.

Energy Watchdog Allows Iberdrola Energie Romania To Supply Electricity

Romania’s energy regulatory authority ANRE granted Iberdrola Energie Romania, the local subsidiary of Spanish power utility Iberdrola, a two-year energy supply license, the regulator said.