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U.S. Constructor Bechtel Puts Layoffs Back On The Table In NW Romania

The employment agency in Cluj county, northwestern Romania, received Monday from American constructor Bechtel a notification on the layoff of over 1,900 employees from the construction site of the Transylvania Highway, but the agency said legal procedures for layoffs have been breached.

Romania February Jobless Rate Rises To 8.3%

Romanian unemployment rose 0.2 percentage points on the month to 8.3% in February, the highest rate since 2003, official data showed Monday.

Romanian Public Sector Unionists To Protest Countrywide Wednesday Over Layoffs, Wage Cuts

Romanian unionists affiliated to union federation Cartel Alfa representing workers in public services, industry, transport and mining sectors will set off protests countrywide Wednesday against planned layoffs and wage cuts in the public sector.

Romania’s Jan Net Salary Dn 3.5% M-M To RON1,426

Romania’s net average salary in January 2010 was at 1,426 lei (EUR1=RON4.0923), down 3.5% compared with the previous month, the National Institute for Statistics, or INS, said Monday.

Romanian National Education Federation Calls For Protests, Even General Strike

Romanian public education union FEN has called for protest action, leading up to an all-out strike, as unionists are dissatisfied with decreased salaries following the implementation of the unitary wage law, the withholding of certain bonuses and layoffs to be carried out as of September 1.

Romania To Spend Extra RON2B On Pensions Each Year, Unless Fraudulent Retirees Removed

Romania will have to increase its pension budget by two billion lei (EUR1=RON4.0923) each year on the medium-term, unless it can save up by removing people who retired by falsely citing illness or injury from the category of pensioners, according to the government’s draft convergence program.

Paula Seling & Ovi To Represent Romania In Eurovision Song Contest

Musicians Paula Seling and Ovidiu Cernauteanu (aka Ovi) will represent Romania in the semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Oslo, Norway, in May.

Romanian Culture Ministry May Halt Refurbishment Of Several Historical Monuments

Romania’s Ministry of Culture could halt refurbishment work on several historical monuments and redirect resources to other projects, so as to more efficiently use the insufficient amounts received from the state budget, Minister Kelemen Hunor announced Saturday.

Romania GDP Poised To Grow 0.2% In Worse Case Scenario

A very sluggish global recovery could put pressure on Romania’s economic growth in 2010, slowing it down to 0.2% from 1.3% envisaged in the basic scenario, according to the government’s draft convergence program for 2009-2012.

Romanian Govt Approves 10,300 Layoffs In Railway Sector

Romania’s government has approved the list of railway companies that will sack a total 10,301 employees, following recent measures to restructure the railway sector, and layoff procedures will set off in the upcoming period.

Romanian Tax Authority To Comply With 45-Day VAT Reimbursement Deadline

Romanian Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu announced the bankers and business representatives that the country’s tax authority ANAF will stick to the 45-day reimbursement period for the value added tax, banking association’s head Radu Ghetea said Friday.

Romanian Fin Ministry To Reimburse RON794.5M VAT In March

Romanian Finance Ministry plans to reimburse a total of 794.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.0923) as value added tax, or VAT, in March.

Rompetrol Might Lack Funds To Repay Whole Debt To Romania

Romanian government estimates the country's second largest oil group Rompetrol might not have sufficient funds to repay its entire debt to the state by the September deadline, due to liquidity shortage.

Vouchers For Romanian Clunkers Program Traded For RON1700

Vouchers worth 3,800 lei (EUR1=RON4.0923) issued for scrapping cars in the Romanian clunkers program are being traded for around RON1,700, two weeks since the program started.

Romania Health Insurance House Has No Funds To Cover Compensated, Free Drugs – Producers

Romania’s Health Insurance House CNAS has no funds to cover compensated and free medicine in 2010, as its budget can only pay last year’s overdue debts of 2.800 million lei (EUR1=RON4.0923), Romanian Association of International Medicine Producers (ARPIM) director Dan Zaharescu said Friday.

Romania May Spend 4-5 Times More On Compensated Medicine Under New Contract – Producers

Romania may have to spend up to five times more on compensated and free medicine for certain patient groups, according to the new frame-Contract on medical assistance in 2010, Romanian Association of International Medicine Producers (ARPIM) director Dan Zaharescu said Friday.

Romania Eyes Amending Legislation On Residential Thermal Refurbishment – PM

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc on Friday said the government plans to amend the legislation regulating the thermal refurbishment of apartment buildings, so that local authorities can take out bank loans to co-fund thermal upgrade works.

Romania January Late Pays On Euro Household Loans Top RON1B

Romanian household payments for euro-denominated loans overdue by more than 30 days rose 17.8% on the month to 1.024 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.0923) in January, central bank data showed.

Made-Up Bonuses May Cause Romania To Take Out New Loan In 2010 – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Friday that, because of expenses on “made-up bonuses” and “all sorts of special privileges,” Romania may need to take out a new loan this year.

Romanian Banks Have Enough Funds, Must Co-Finance EU Projs – Fin Min

Romania’s banking sector has plenty of funds and lenders will have to aim at giving loans to support European funds drawing, as the state won't sell as many treasuries as in 2009, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said Friday.

Romania To Host 3 Batteries Of 8 Missiles Each, Part Of U.S. Missile Shield

Romania will host three batteries of eight missiles each part of the United States’ anti-missile shield, President Traian Basescu said Friday, underscoring the system is defensive.

Romania’s Ruling Party Lawmakers To Amend Pension Law In Parliament

Lawmakers of Romania’s ruling Democratic Liberal Party will uphold amendments brought by unionists to the draft pension law, party vice-president Ioan Oltean said Friday, adding the law was drafted quickly and under pressure and could use improvement.

Caroli, Campofrio Merge To Form Romania’s Largest Meat Processor

Caroli Foods Group and Campofrio Food Group joined their operations to form the largest meat processor in Romania, with a cumulated turnover of EUR120 million and an estimated market share of 16%, the companies said Friday.

Romania Scrapped Over 20,200 Old Cars In Two Weeks Under 2010 Clunkers Program

Over 20,200 old cars have been scrapped since February 18 when Romania set off its 2010 clunkers program, accounting for some two thirds of the overall number of cars scrapped in 2009.

Romanian Social Democrat Lawmakers Challenged Law On Public Servants’ Statute

Romanian social democrat senator Dan Sova said Thursday that social democrats in the Chamber of Deputies notified Wednesday the Constitutional Court that the law on the Statute of Public Servants the Chamber has recently adopted is unconstitutional.

Romanians To Spend Less On Cigarettes, Alcohol, Keep Food Budget Unchanged – Poll

Romanians plan to spend less on certain products in 2010 and the biggest spending cuts will target cigarettes, alcohol, clothes and electronic appliances, while food budgets will not be reduced, according to a survey conducted in February by market research company 360insights.

Romanian Central Bank Governor Upholds Pension Reform

Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday the country’s public pension system needs reformation because it is currently unsustainable.

Romania Might Introduce Mandatory Energy Certification For Buildings In Two Mos – Tourism Min

Romania’s Tourism and Regional Development Minister Elena Udrea said Thursday mandatory energy certification for buildings might be introduced in at most two months, as at the moment the country lacks enough energy auditors to implement the respective certifications.

Romania ’09 Cement Market Falls 30% To 8M Tons

Romania’s cement market fell 30% in 2009, to 8 million tons, and is seen further down in 2010, the executive head of cement business owners association CIROM said Thursday.

Romanian Rompetrol Hikes Pump Prices By RON0.06/Liter

Romania’s second-largest oil group Rompetrol, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunayGaz, on Thursday rose its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON4.0929), the second increase this week

Romania Is Ready To Join Schengen Area, Must Solve Infrastructure Issues – Interior Min

Romanian Administration and Interior Minister Vasile Blaga said Thursday Romania is ready to join the Schengen area, adding the Government must make real efforts to solve infrastructure problems that represent the country’s vulnerable points.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Move To Oust Opposing Senate Chairman

The Romanian democrat liberals (PDL) filed Thursday the request to dismiss social democrat (PSD) Mircea Geoana from the position of Senate chairman, according to PSD group leader Constantin Igas, who added the request was signed by 57 senators.

Romania To Seek Legal Ways To Back Local Builders At Public Works Auctions – Min

Romanian authorities will try to find legal ways to back Romanian builders at public works auctions, the country’s Tourism and Regional Development Minister Elena Udrea said Thursday at the Mediafax Talks about Construction conference.

Public Work Contracts Won’t Be Allotted More Than 10% Extra Funds – Romanian Tourism Min

Romania’s Tourism and Regional Development Minister Elena Udrea said Thursday the ministry decided that contracts signed following public auctions will not benefit from more than 10% fund increases, adding extra funds will have to be approved by the ministry’s technical and economic council.

General Insurance In Romania Least Profitable In CEE – Insurers

Romania has the least profitable general insurance sector in Central and Eastern Europe, mainly because of loss on the auto insurance segment, said Thursday Cristian Constantinescu, head of the Romanian Insurers and Reinsurers’ Union UNSAR.

Romania Loses EUR400M/Year From Obsolete Heating Sys

Romania annually loses EUR400 million because of its obsolete heating system, which needs investments of EUR3.6 billion for upgrades, Iulian Iancu, president of the Chamber of Deputies’ Industry and Services Committee, said Thursday.

Romanian Min: Cos Excessively Contesting Auctions Will Be Downrated At Future Auctions

Romania’s Tourism and Regional Development Minister Elena Udrea said Thursday she wants construction companies that excessively contest public works auctions to be downrated at future auctions set up by the ministry.

Romanians Displeased With Social Services, Money Transfer Not A Solution – Ctrl Bk Governor

Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Thursday people are displeased with the country’s social services which are said to be underfunded, adding that taking money from one place to subsidize another is not a solution.

Romania Marks 33 Years Since Devastating Earthquake

Monica Pop, manager of the Clinic Ophthalmology Hospital in Romania’s capital Bucharest, was a senior medical student 33 years ago, in March 1977, when a 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook the country, leaving hundreds dead and thousands injured.

Romanian Troops’ Mission In Afghanistan Is To Protect World From Terrorism – President

Romania’s President Traian Basescu Thursday told the Romanian troops of the Curtea de Arges 33 Battalion stationed in Afghanistan that their mission is to protect the civilized world from terrorism.