English

Romania Unemployment Seen Growing In 1H ’10 – IMF Official

Romania’s unemployment will continue to grow during the first half of 2010, and the number of jobless people might reach one million, Jeffrey Franks, head of the International Monetary Fund mission to Bucharest, told ProTV television station in an interview Wednesday.

Romanian President Welcomes Moldova’s Endeavor To Get Closer To EU

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday in Chisinau that the Republic of Moldova shows positive signs of getting closer to European Union, adding Moldova’s new ruling power was "pretty convincing" that it strongly wishes to come closer to the European community.

World Bank Commends Romania’s Progress Of Reforms, Prepares Another Visit

The World Bank team to Romania commended the country’s significant progress in achieving the agreed reform agenda part of the second Development Policy Loans (DPL) program and committed to return to Bucharest as progress continues, the institution said Wednesday.

IMF: New Mission To Visit Romania Late April-Early May

A new mission of the International Monetary Fund will arrive in Bucharest late April or early May to assess Romania’s compliance with the terms set under a EUR13 billion loan package, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Wednesday.

IMF Puts Off To April 2011 Romania’s Deadline To Cancel Arrears

The International Monetary Fund has extended the deadline by which Romania must eliminate the government arrears until April 2011, due to a difficult monitoring of the local debt, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Wednesday.

Romanian Lawmakers To Pass Fiscal Responsibility Law In March, Pensions Bill By June – IMF

Romanian authorities agreed with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund that the Parliament would approve the fiscal responsibility law in March while the pensions law would be approved by June, Jeffrey Franks, chief of the IMF mission to Bucharest, said Wednesday.

Romania Agric Min To Pay Farmers 2009 Overdue Subsidies In Two Stages In Feb

Romania’s Agriculture Ministry will pay farmers, in the first half of February, 990 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1319) in overdue subsidies for October and November 2009, while overdue subsidies of RON370 million for December 2009 will be paid until the end of February this year.

Romanian Lending To Recover In 2010, Pressure Still Remains – IMF

Romanian lending activity will start to recover in 2010, but the financial system will remain under pressure, an official of the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.

EU To Disburse EUR1B Loan Tranche To Romania In March

The European Commission mission to Bucharest said the second and the third review of Romania's financial aid are broadly positive, and the EU will release the second installment worth EUR1 billion in March.

Romania To Post Slight GDP Growth In 1Q – IMF

The International Monetary Fund expects the Romanian economy to return to growth in the first quarter, after a small contraction in the fourth quarter of 2009, Jeffrey Franks, head of the Fund's mission to Bucharest, said Wednesday.

IMF Says To Unblock EUR2.3B Tranches To Romania, Half Goes To Budget

The International Monetary Fund is set to release in February EUR2.3 billion of the EUR13 billion stand-by loan, as the program agreed with the fund is broadly on track, Wednesday said Jeffrey Franks, head of IMF's mission to Bucharest.

Romanian Transp Min To Make Highway Construction Contract Public, Check With French Constructor

Romania's Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said the lease-based construction contract for the highway segment linking Comarnic to Brasov in central Romania will be made public after French construction group Vinci informs him of the issues the latter wants to keep confidential.

Romanian President’s Visit To Chisinau To Target Direct Help For Moldova

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, before taking off for an official visit to Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova needs Romania’s direct help apart from political support.

Romania’s Energy Watchdog May Keep Gas Prices Unchanged In ’10

Romania’s energy regulatory authority ANRE may keep unchanged the prices of natural gas in 2010 if the country does not face very low temperatures for a long period of time or problems with the national gas transport system, ANRE’s representatives said Monday.

Romanian Transport Min Plans To Give State Guarantees To Infrastructure Builders

Romania’s Transport Ministry wants to give state guarantees to infrastructure builders, a measure discussed with Prime Minister Emil Boc and the International Monetary Fund, Minister Radu Berceanu said Tuesday.

Cigarette Maker Philip Morris Shuts Bucharest Factory For 2 Weeks, Puts 450 Employees On Furlough

Cigarette maker Philip Morris Romania will shut down its factory in Otopeni, near capital Bucharest, for two weeks as of February 19 and its 450 employees will be put on furlough, the company said Tuesday.

Romanian Central Bank Governor Awarded For Professional Merits

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Tuesday awarded central bank governor Mugur Isarescu the “Romanian Star” Order, the highest civilian decoration in the country, for "exceptional results" at the helm of the central bank.

Passenger Train Derails In C Romania, Passengers Not Injured

A passenger train went off track Tuesday afternoon in Harghita County, central Romania, and no passengers were injured.

Romanian Draft Unitary Public Pension Law Establishes Individual Categories, Contribution Levels

Romanian individuals with an annual income worth more than four average gross wages, including those with income from copyright, civil agreements or collaboration contracts, will have to pay social security contributions, according to the draft unitary pension law, up for public debate.

Romania To Increase Russian Gas Imports Tues, Wed

Romania will import an extra 2 million cubic meters of natural gas per day from Russia on Tuesday and Wednesday, reaching a total 12 million cubic meters/day, Economy Ministry state secretary Tudor Serban told MEDIAFAX.

IMF, Romania Agree On Pension, Fiscal Responsibility Bills – Official

The International Monetary Fund and the European Commission have reached an agreement with the Romanian authorities on the content of the bills on public pensions and fiscal responsibility, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Tuesday.

Romania’s Pwr Consumption Touches Past Years’ High Due To Cold

Romania’s electricity consumption touched Monday night the highest value of the past years, respectively 9,300 megawatts, due to the cold front sweeping the country and taking temperatures below minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Romania’s Health Min Regulates Ambulance Transport Services To End Abuse

Romania’s Health Minister Cseke Attila Tuesday signed a decree regulating the way patients who are not critically ill are transported from one hospital to another, following cases when certain ambulance services overcharged healthcare units.

Romania Ctrl Bker: Sustainable Disinflation, More Important Than Inflation Target

Having a sustainable disinflation is more important than being able to meet a short-term inflation target, Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Tuesday.

Romanian Rompetrol Cuts Fuel Prices By RON0.06/Liter

Romania’s second-largest oil group Rompetrol, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunayGaz, cut Tuesday its gasoline and diesel oil prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON4.1319) per liter.

EU Ambassadors Urge Romania To Tackle Abusive Public Auction Proceedings -Sources

Ambassadors to Bucharest of European Union members states told Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc that foreign companies operating in Romania keep complaining about trials pending in court way too long and about abusive auction proceedings, by cancelling auctions based on no solid grounds.

Romanian Govt OKs Pwr Producers To Use Coal, Fuel Oil From State Reserve

The Romanian Government authorized 21 power producers to borrow 1.9 billion tons of coal and 172.9 million tons of fuel oil from the state reserve until October 21.

Romania’s Govt To Eliminate 13th Salary When Current Collective Labor Contracts Expire

Romania’s Labor Minister Mihai Seitan said Monday that employees in the public sector will not be granted a 13th monthly salary after current collective labor contracts expire, as this particular salary right is only stipulated in such contracts.

Romanian Govt To Freeze Vacant Public Sector Positions Only Until End ‘10

The Romanian Government decided that the freezing of vacant positions in the public sector will only be maintained throughout 2010, and not until the end of 2011, as initially established, said Monday evening Labor Minister Mihai Seitan.

Romania Declares Gas Supply State Of Emergency On Bad Weather

Romanian coordination commission for natural gas supply safety declared Monday state of emergency due to low temperatures, the Economy Ministry said in a statement.

Romania President OKs ’10 State Budget, Social Security Budget

Romanian President Traian Basescu signed Monday the decrees promulgating the state budget and the social security budget for 2010, the Presidency informed.

Rod Stewart To Play Bucharest On June 29

British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart will hold a concert on June 29 in Bucharest’s "Iolanda Balas-Soter" Stadium, according to the artist’s official website.

Romanian Woman Hospitalized Over Serious AH1N1 Vaccine Reaction

A 30-year-old woman in the western Romanian city of Arad was admitted to hospital at the end of last week because of a severe reaction to the vaccine against the A/H1N1 flu virus.

Romanian Prime Minister Boc Announced Draft Education Law To Be Approved By End Of March

Romania's draft law on national education will be approved by the Government by the end of March and sent to Parliament for adoption, Prime Minister Emil Boc announced Monday, after a discussion with ambassadors of EU states.

Romanian Transp Min: Railway Sector Subsidies Should Be Hiked By 30-40%

Romania’s Transport Minister Radu Berceanu on Monday said spending cuts and a correct calculation of subsidies would help solve problems in the country’s railway sector, adding financial aid granted to companies in the sector should be hiked by 30-40%.

Romanians’ Pessimism Regarding Internal Economy On The Rise – Eurobarometer

Romanians are among the least content citizens of the European Union, according to a Eurobarometer report published Monday which indicates higher pessimism with regard to the national economy, job situation, household situation and expectations from one’s own life.

Over 150 Unionists Picket Fin Ministry HQ Monday, Call For Extended Furlough

Over 150 unionists affiliated to union federation Cartel Alfa, who represent workers in public services, metallurgy, steel, transport and mining sectors are picketing the Finance Ministry building Monday, urging the government to extend the allowed furlough period to protect the staff to be sacked.

Several Trains Cancelled In Southeastern Romania Due To Snow, Frost

Several trains covering Romania’s southeastern region were cancelled Sunday due to snow and low temperatures, said the passenger division of the state-owned railway company, CFR Calatori.

Romania’s Govt Urges Industrial Consumers To Reduce Natural Gas Consumption

Romania’s Government urged the country’s big industrial consumers to reduce their natural gas consumption at this time of the year, and asked thermal power plants to use crude oil to avoid gas imports.

Romania’s Draft Law On Energy Sector Reorganization Was Finished, Can Be Approved By Govt Monday

Romania’s draft normative act regarding the setting up of two national energy companies was finished and can be approved in a government meeting on Monday, people closed to the matter told MEDIAFAX Sunday.