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Romania Ups Penalties For Early Retirement To 45% From 30%

16:38, 18 Feb. 2010
Romanian Labor Minister Mihai Seitan said Thursday the country's new pension law increases penalties for early retirement to 45% from 30%, adding the number of people taking early retirement pensions has tripled since 2001.

Romania Romtelecom To Lay Off 600 Staff In May To Improve Efficiency

16:22, 18 Feb. 2010
Romania’s leading hard-line telecom operator Romtelecom, majority owned by Greece's OTE, plans to lay off 600 employees to cut costs and improve efficiency, the phone company said in a statement Thursday.

About 25% Of Disability Pensions Obtained Illegally – Romanian Labor Min

15:58, 18 Feb. 2010
Romanian Labor Minister Mihai Steitan said Thursday Romania pays about 900,000 disability pensions, adding it is estimated almost 25% of them are obtained illegally.

Romanian Military, Police, Special Services Employees To Pay Higher Social Security Contributions

15:48, 18 Feb. 2010
Employees of the Romanian military, police or special services will have to pay 10.5% of their gross wages as social security contributions starting with 2011, up from 5% at present, but their salaries will be increased to account for the tax hike.

About 10% Of Romania’s Special Pensions To See Avg Reduction Of EUR1,500 – Labor Min

15:41, 18 Feb. 2010
About 10% of special pensions in Romania could be reduced by an average EUR1,500 following recalculation under the new pension law, but reduction could be by as much as 80%, Labor Minister Mihai Seitan said Thursday, adding magistrates, aviators and diplomats would be the most affected.

Hungary Opposes Gold Mining Proj In W Romania But It’s Romania’s Decision – Diplomat

14:42, 18 Feb. 2010
Hungary’s ambassador to Bucharest, Oskar Fuzes, told a news conference Thursday Hungary opposes the gold mining project in Rosia Montana in western Romania, but underscored the decision belongs to Romanian authorities.

Businesspeople See Romania’s 10 GDP Growth At 0.5%-1%

14:03, 18 Feb. 2010
The Romanian Businessmen Association AOAR predicts Romania will post an economic growth of 0.5%-1% in 2010, below authorities' official forecast of 1.3%.

ING Bank Romania Eyes 10% Revenue Growth In 2010

13:57, 18 Feb. 2010
ING Bank Romania expects a 5% to 10% revenue growth in 2010, fueled by higher lending, general manager Misu Negritoiu said Thursday.

Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan To Ink Gas Deal In March

13:57, 18 Feb. 2010
Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan will sign in March an agreement for the construction of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in the Romanian southeastern Constanta seaport and a location in Georgia, an investment estimated at EUR4 billion to EUR6 billion.

Romania Hopes To Scrap At Least 60,000 Cars In 2010 Clunkers Program

13:06, 18 Feb. 2010
Romania’s government estimates it will scrap at least 60,000 used cars this year within the clunkers program after last year’s program only managed to scrap about half the number of cars planned, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romania Not Involved In Official Talks On Hosting Nuclear Waste Dump -Minister

13:05, 18 Feb. 2010
Romanian Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said Thursday on RFI Romania has not received any official request for Romania to host a nuclear waste storage facility, after British paper The Times reported the country could host a regional nuclear waste dump.

Russia’s Gazprom Invites Romania To Join South Stream

11:11, 18 Feb. 2010
Russian gas giant Gazprom invited Romanian state-run gas pipeline operator Transgaz (TGN.RO) to join the South Stream project, Romania's Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said Thursday.

Romanian Cos Hiring Unemployed People Exempt From Social Security Contributions For 6 Mos

19:02, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian companies which in 2010 hire people who have been unemployed for at least three months will be exempt from paying social security contributions for the new employees for six months, as long as the new workers are kept on at least one year and the employer lays off no one.

Romanian Food Expert Mencinicopschi Refutes Egg Producers’ Accusations

16:47, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian professor Gheorghe Mencinicopschi told MEDIAFAX on Wednesday that the statements the Poultry Breeders’ Union accuse him of making were actually made by officials of animal rights organization “Vier Pfoten,” and that he will sue the Union for libel and restricting the right to information.

Romanian Egg Producers Sue Animal Rights Organization Over Recent Statements

16:03, 17 Feb. 2010
The members of the Romanian Union of Poultry Breeders (UCPR) demanded reparations from professor Gheorghe Mencinicopschi, whom they accuse of misinforming the population and seriously damaging the image of egg producers in Romania, which could have grave consequences.

Romania Ups Housing Program’s Guarantee Cap To EUR75,000

15:50, 17 Feb. 2010
Romania's government on Wednesday raised the upper guarantee cap for the first-time homebuyer credit to EUR75,000 per loan, from a previous EUR60,000, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said.

Gazprom Could Give Up Middlemen In Gas Deal With Romania – Ministry

15:22, 17 Feb. 2010
Russia’s giant Gazprom could deliver natural gas to Romania directly via state-run Romgaz Medias, without third party distributors, Romanian Economy Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

Romanian State-Made Homes May Be Bought Through “First Home” Program

14:21, 17 Feb. 2010
Homes built through the Romanian National Housing Agency (ANL) may be bought through the “First Home” program, Prime Minister Emil Boc announced Wednesday after the Cabinet meeting.

Romanian Fraud Convict Nicolae Popa Close To Being Deported From Indonesia – Paper

14:19, 17 Feb. 2010
Indonesia’s Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar has given local police the green light to extradite Romanian Nicolae Popa, convicted in absentia for fraud, Indonesian police said, quoted by the online edition of the Jakarta Globe.

Romania Dec Construction Output Rises At Fastest Pace In EU

13:49, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian construction output rose 9.9% on the month in December last year, the highest increase in the European Union, official data showed Wednesday.

Romanian Automaker Dacia Employees To Get RON300 Salary Raise In Two Stages In 2010

13:43, 17 Feb. 2010
The employees of Romanian automaker Automobile Dacia will receive a salary raise of 300 lei (EUR1=RON4.1137), which will be paid in two stages in 2010, after union leaders and the company’s management have managed to reach common ground Wednesday.

Romania Romgaz, Gazprom To Carry On Gas Talks – Official

13:10, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian natural gas supplier Romgaz Medias will continue negotiations with Russia’s giant Gazprom on gas storage co-operation, Romgaz general manager Marcel Piteiu said Wednesday.

Romanian Liberal Deputy Makes Propositions To Revise Constitution

13:06, 17 Feb. 2010
Romanian liberal deputy Tudor Chiuariu, former justice minister, presented several Constitution revision propositions to do away with the position of president, set up a Government with maximum 15 ministries and a Parliament with 200 lawmakers, and limit to three the number of secret services.

Romania Likely To Introduce Mandatory Energy Certification As Of End March

12:45, 17 Feb. 2010
Romania is likely to introduce mandatory energy certification for buildings as of March 30, Development Ministry state secretary Ioan Andreica said Wednesday, adding the ministry will propose to exempt thermally rehabilitated buildings.

Somali Pirates On Two Ships With Romanians Aboard Open Fire Against Anti-Pirate Troops

09:29, 17 Feb. 2010
Somali pirates who captured UK-flagged ship St. James Park and North Korea-flagged cargo vessel Rim, with three Romanian sailors aboard, opened fire against a ship which approached them Tuesday night, said non-governmental organization Ecoterra, cited by website australia.to.

Romania’s Prosecutor Gen Asks Parliament Approval To Pursue New Probe On Ex Youth Min

17:39, 16 Feb. 2010
Prosecutor general Laura Codruta Kovesi urged the Romanian Chamber of Deputies to initiate procedures allowing the start of criminal investigations targeting former Youth and Sports Minister Monica Iacob Ridzi, charged with abuse of office and fund misappropriation in a new corruption file.

Romanian Council Studying Secret Police Files Mulls Contesting Dinescu’s Removal

15:41, 16 Feb. 2010
The Council for the Study of the Archives of Romania's former secret police Securitate mulls contesting a decision stating poet Mircea Dinescu cannot be a Council member to avoid rendering null the Council’s decisions exposing public figures as former collaborators.

Romanians Think Doctors And Teachers Deserve Highest Salaries – Survey

15:36, 16 Feb. 2010
Romanians think doctors and teachers should have the highest salaries, while judges, police officers, MPs, prosecutors and other public servants trail behind in a recent survey conducted by job search website Myjob.ro.

EU: Romania Has Until 2012 To Lower Budget Gap

15:26, 16 Feb. 2010
European Union finance ministers on Tuesday agreed to a one-year extension until 2012 of the deadline by which Romania and Lithuania must bring their budget deficits down to below 3% of the gross domestic product.

Romania Taxing Property At Real Value Is Imminent

15:01, 16 Feb. 2010
Taxing property at its real value, as Romania’s Finance Ministry is planning, is imminent because the country needs to bring in money to the budget and necessary to avoid raising other taxes, Adrian Crivii, general manager of evaluation and advisory company Darian, said Tuesday.

Romanian Development Min To Sell State-Made Homes Cheap

14:12, 16 Feb. 2010
Homes made by the Romanian National Housing Agency (ANL), meant to be rented by young people, will be sold at prices below EUR19,140 for a studio, below EUR26,950 for two rooms and below EUR36,014 for three-room apartments.

Romania’s Fmr President Quits All Positions Within Social Democratic Party

14:09, 16 Feb. 2010
Romania’s former president and honorary president of the leftist Social Democratic Party Ion Iliescu said Tuesday on Antena 3 he is resigning all positions held within the party.

Romania Housing Prices Seen Further Down In 2010 – Valuator

14:09, 16 Feb. 2010
The price of Romanian housing will continue to fall this year, by around 10%-15% for newly-built properties and by 15%-20% for old homes, as clients’ incomes are estimated to drop further, said Tuesday Adrian Crivii, the general manager of evaluation and advisory company Darian.

Romania Mandatory Car Insurance Unprofitable For Insurers, Kept Only To Gain Market Share

13:48, 16 Feb. 2010
Romania’s insurers registered losses over the past five years on the mandatory civil liability car insurance segment (RCA) and must find solutions to reduce costs, National Union of Romanian Insurers (UNSAR) president Cristian Constantinescu said Tuesday.

Romania’s Oltchim Puts 1,140 People On Furlough By End-Feb

10:09, 16 Feb. 2010
Romanian state-owned chemical plant Oltchim (OLT.RO) will put 1,140 employees on furlough by the end of February, the company said Tuesday citing difficulty in keeping its installations functioning at normal capacity, on the backdrop of the lack of raw material on the market.

Romanian Social Democrat VP Joins Race For Party Head

20:56, 15 Feb. 2010
Romanian social democrat vice-president Victor Ponta said Monday he decided to join the race for party president, following the decision of social democrat Adrian Nastase to drop out of the race for the party leader seat.

Romania To Ban Sale Of Alcoholic Drinks, Tobacco In Duty-Free Shops Within 45 Days

20:06, 15 Feb. 2010
Companies that sell goods in duty-free shops have 45 days to exhaust their stocks of distilled alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, following an order of the Romanian finance minister effective as of February 12.

Romania 09 Budget Gap At 7.2% Of GDP, Below IMF Cap

18:03, 15 Feb. 2010
Romania’s consolidated budget deficit rose to 36.4 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.1173), or 7.2% of the gross domestic product at the end of 2009, modestly below the 7.3% of GDP cap agreed with the International Monetary Fund, the Finance Ministry said Monday.

Eight Romanian State Companies To Dismiss 3,545 Employees In 2010

18:01, 15 Feb. 2010
Around 3,545 employees in eight state-run companies subordinated to Romania’s Economy Ministry will be laid off in 2010, with compensatory payments, according to the list approved by the government.

Romanian Social Democrat Nastase Backs Out Of Race For Party President

17:02, 15 Feb. 2010
Romania’s Social Democratic Party national council head Adrian Nastase said Monday he is backing out of the race for party president saying he doesn’t want to be part of a competition he described as lame spectacle.