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Romania’s Child-Rearing Benefit To Return To Fixed Rate – Sources

Romania’s child-rearing benefit, currently set at 85% of the parent’s average income for the previous year, might return to a fixed rate, said sources who took part in talks with President Traian Basescu Monday.

Romania Freezes Early Retirement, Limits Retirement For Incapacitated People

The Romanian Government will freeze early retirement starting June 1, 2010 until the country’s new pension law is enforced, and pensions for incapacitated people will be granted only if they were previously approved by Labor Ministry medical assessment teams.

Romania Scraps 13th Salary For Public Workers Amid Spending Cuts

Romania will not pay public sector employees a 13th monthly salary this year and the measure will be included in next year’s state budget, according to the Memorandum of Understanding between Romania and the IMF and EU.

Romania To Tax Food Vouchers, Bank Deposit Interests

Romania’s government will tax food vouchers, capital gains--including interests on bank deposits--and severance payments, and will eliminate tax exemptions for IT programmers.

Romania Is Better Off Than Certain Eurozone Countries – President

Romania is not among the most financially afflicted countries in Europe, said President Traian Basescu Monday, after a meeting with the parliamentary groups which endorse the current Cabinet.

Romanian Romgaz Asks For 5% Higher Gas Storage Tariffs

Romania’s largest gas producer Romgaz Medias asked the country’s energy regulatory authority ANRE to raise gas storage tariffs by around 5% for the 2010-2011 winter, the company’s deputy general manager Lucian Stancu said Monday.

Romanian Fin Min Mulls Solidarity Tax For State-Run Cos Amid Public Sector Wage Cuts

Employees in Romanian state-owned companies whose income exceeds a certain cap may be forced to pay a solidarity tax, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said Monday after a meeting with lawmakers of the ruling coalition.

Romanian Union Leader Announces Daily Protests, 40,000 To Rally On May 19

Romania’s Cartel Alfa union confederation head, Bogdan Hossu, said Monday that almost 1,000 people will protest daily outside the Government and the presidential palace in capital Bucharest and on May 19 there will be a 40,000-person rally in the city’s center.

Romanians To Receive 90 Million Text Messages From Companies In 2010 – Report

Romanian mobile phone users will receive 90 million informational and promotional text messages from companies in 2010, nearly 30% more on the year, said a report issued Monday by web2sms operator Netopia Sistem.

Fmr Romanian Envoy Blamed For Hit-And-Run Asked Witnesses To Change Testimonies– Court

A Bucharest court trying the case in which Romania’s former envoy to Singapore Silviu Ionescu is blamed for a hit-and-run accident that resulted in one fatality said Ionescu tried to get two witnesses testifying in the case to change their depositions.

Romanian Football Club Financer Under 24-Hour Arrest For Bribery

Cornel Penescu, financer of the Romanian football club FC Arges, was arrested for bribery Monday afternoon and will be detained for 24 hours at police headquarters in southern County Arges.

Romanian Liberals Will Not Endorse President’s Austerity Plan In Parliament – Party Head

Romanian opposition liberal leader Crin Antonescu said Monday that his party will not endorse President Basescu’s austerity plan in Parliament and that if the President wants to combat corruption and bureaucracy, he and Prime Minister Emil Boc should resign.

Romania Leu Rises Vs Euro, Exch Rate At 4.1641

Romania’s leu widened early gains against the euro in mid trade Monday and the central bank’s reference strengthened 0.5% on the day at 4.1641 units.

Romania To Ask IMF For New Waiver On Govt Arrears

Romania hasn’t met the first-quarter performance criteria in the sector of general government arrears and will ask the International Monetary Fund for a new waiver of non-observance, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Monday.

IMF Could Reschedule 5th Loan Installment To Romania – Official

A delay in implementing Romania’s planned fiscal measures in the public sector could prompt the International Monetary Fund reschedule the release of a fifth loan installment to the country until the measures are in place, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Monday.

Volcanic Ash Plume Over Western Romania, Air Space Stays Open

A new ash plume from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjöll has reached western Romania and will gradually move eastward, the country’s Environment Ministry said Monday, but the country won’t close its airspace according to the civil aviation authority.

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.