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Romanian Meteorologists Issue Code Orange Warning For Frosty Weather In Seven Counties

Romanian meteorologists issued a code orange weather advisory valid between Sunday and Wednesday morning, forecasting temperatures that could go down to minus 26 degrees Celsius during night, in seven counties.

Romania Most Likely To Get Next Tranches Of IMF Loan – PM

Romania will encounter no problems in getting the next tranches of a EUR13 billion loan, as the country fulfilled its engagements, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Sunday.

Romania’s Pension Law To Be Approved By Govt In February – PM

Romania’s Government will approve the draft pension law at the beginning of February, so that it can be sent to Parliament for debates, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Sunday.

Romania’s PM Wants Govt Guarantee Increase To Co-Finance EU Projects

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc met Saturday with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the World Bank and held talks on the possibility of increasing government guarantees to co-finance local administration European projects.

Several Romanian Cars Stuck In Snow In Bulgaria

Several vehicles transporting Romanian citizens are stuck in snow on Bulgaria’s territory, Romania’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Romanian Magistrates’ Association Challenges High Council Of Magistrates Head’s Appointment

The Association of Romanian Magistrates (AMR) challenged with the High Court of Justice the appointment of judge Florica Bejinaru as president of the High Council of Magistrates and that of prosecutor Gratiana Isac as vice-president of the Council.

Romania Must Reduce Budget Deficit To Keep Public Debt Under Control – IMF Official

Romania’s public debt will not represent a threat if the country consolidates its tax system to reduce the budget deficit to 5.9% of the GDP in 2010 and then take it under the 3% target set by the Maastricht Treaty, the head of the IMF mission to Romania, Jeffrey Franks, said Friday.

USA Embassy Thanks Romania For Sending More Troops To Afghanistan

The USA Embassy in Bucharest expressed its “appreciation” of Romania’s decision to increase its participation in Afghanistan operations by 600 troops, adding that it is “very grateful” to the Romanian people.

Romanian Public Administration Unionists Plan Full-Blown Strike As Of Feb 12

Romanian public administration employees will start protest actions as of February 2 and go on full-blown strike as of February 12, disgruntled with the government’s plan to slash jobs in the public sector, freeze wages and eliminate bonuses.

Moldova Accepts Newly Appointed Romanian Ambassador

The Republic Of Moldova’s interim President Mihai Ghimpu accepted Romania’s proposed ambassador to Moldova, Marius Lazurca, PRO TV Chisinau reported.

Romania To Use Half Of IMF Loan Tranches For Budget – FinMin

Romanian Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu on Friday said half of the EUR2.3 billion to be released by the International Monetary Fund will be directed to the state budget, but expressed hope that such a measure won’t be necessary in the future.

Bucharest Research Institute Builds Electric Engine For French-Made Hybrid Scooter

The Bucharest Institute for Electronic Research (ICPE) is working on an electric engine for future designs of hybrid scooters which will be manufactured by a French automotive company.

Romanian Film „Concertul” By Radu Mihaileanu Gets Six Nominations At César Awards

The film "Concertul" by Romanian Radu Mihaileanu received six nominations, including the "best film" category, at the French César Awards, according to the list of nominees posted on the event’s official website.

Romanian Govt To Adopt Ordinance On Co-Financing EU Projects Through State Guarantees

The Romanian Government will adopt in February an emergency ordinance which will enable local authorities to co-finance European projects by using Government guarantees, Prime Minister Emil Boc announced Friday.

Romania Appoints New Ambassador To Moldova

Romania’s Foreign Minister Theodor Baconschi said Friday the Romanian authorities proposed diplomat Marius Lazurca for Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, adding the country is waiting for Moldova’s agreement on the proposition.

Romania Gets Advisory For Frosty Weather, Blizzards Until Mid-Next Week

Romanian meteorologists issued an advisory Friday forecasting temperatures that could go down to minus 25 degrees Celsius at night throughout the country, except the western region.

Romania Will Ease Tax System Not Lower Taxes – President

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Thursday evening during a meeting with German investors that taxes will neither be reduced nor increased, adding the country’s tax system simplification does not entail tax cuts.

Romania Wants Maastricht Criteria Relaxed To Ease Access To EU Money

Romania wants to be treated equally as eurozone countries to have easier access to EU funds and will ask EU authorities to relax Maastricht criteria, President Traian Basescu said late Thursday.

Romania’s Additional Letter To IMF Deal Won’t Bring Radical Changes – Official

The additional letter to Romania’s EUR13 billion standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund will include certain modifications to the program, though nothing “radical”, IMF mission chief Jeffrey Franks said Thursday.

Romanian Otopeni International Airport Issues 250 Taxi Authorizations

People flying from the “Henri Coanda” International Airport in Otopeni, Romania, will be able to use, as of February 1, the services of 13 taxi companies and 57 authorized natural persons who won an auction organized by the airport.

Romania’s Supreme Defense Council OKs Energy Sector Reorganization

Romania’s Supreme Defense Council CSAT approved Thursday the reorganization of two companies within the Economy Ministry with joint portfolio of power plants, according to a Presidency press release.

Romania To Deploy Additional 600 Troops To Afghanistan

Romania's High Council for National Defense (CSAT) approved Thursday the deployment of additional 600 troops to Afghanistan, and the maximum number of troops deployed to the area could reach 1,798.

Romanian Transports Ministry To Implement Electronic Toll Sticker As Of August 1

The electronic system for the issue and control of Romanian toll stickers will become active on August 1 and drivers without proof of payment will have to pay compensations between EUR28 and EUR1,210, depending on the type of vehicle, in addition to fines.

Half Of Romanians Have Lower Income, More Than Half To Avoid Risky Investments – Poll

Almost half of Romanians say the economic crisis has had a negative impact on their income and expect things will not change in the future, while two thirds of them say they will avoid risky investments, according to a poll conducted by research company Unlock Market Research.

Romanian Cos May Reschedule State Debts, With Insurance Clauses – Sources

Romania will introduce a rescheduling system for the fiscal debts amassed by companies, to support investors during the financial crisis, but it will also introduce insurance clauses to guarantee the debts payment, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Romanian Telecom Regulator Wants Lower Phone Number Portability Fee Cap

Romanian communications regulator ANCOM wants to lower the ceiling on the fees paid by telephony operators for number portability, from EUR13 to EUR7on fixed telephony and from EUR11 to EUR5 on mobile telephony, the regulator said Thursday.

Romanian Electoral Auth Approved Draft Law On Postal Voting Back In 2007

The Romanian Standing Electoral Authority (AEP) gave the green light to a Foreign Ministry draft law proposing postal voting for Romanian citizens living abroad back in 2007, AEP vice-president Marian Muhulet told MEDIAFAX Thursday.

Romania To Get New Tranches Despite Missed Inflation Target – IMF Official

The International Monetary Fund will most likely continue its financing program with Romania and will release two new tranches of a EUR13 billion loan, despite the eastern European country’s failure to meet its inflation target in 2009, IMF mission head Jeffrey Franks said Thursday.

Draft Law Implementing Postal Voting For Romanians Abroad Outlined In 2006 – Foreign Min

Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry told MEDIAFAX Thursday a draft law implementing postal voting for Romanians living abroad was drawn up in December 2006 and forwarded to the Electoral Standing Authority to be amended.

PwC Says Romania’s Proposed Wealth Tax Unjustified Due To High Administration Costs

Romania’s proposed wealth tax, that would charge 0.5% of net asset values exceeding half a million euros, isn’t justified because administration costs would be much higher than the tax’s benefits, Mihaela Mitroi, partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), said Thursday.

Ford To Use EIB Loan To Produce Eco-Friendly Car At Romanian Plant

Ford Romania will use a EUR400 million loan from the European Investment Bank to finance current operations at its Craiova plant and manufacture an environmentally friendly small car, Ford Europe’s vice-president for legal affairs Wolfgang Schneider said Thursday.

WB Raises Romania 2011 Growth Outlook To 4.2% Vs 2.5%

The World Bank raised its forecast on Romanian economic growth to 4.2% in 2011 from a previous 2.5%, leaving this year’s predictions unchanged at 0.5%, according to a report on global economic prospects released Thursday.

Romanian Education Unionists Threaten To Resume Protests

Romanian education federations have started considering the initiation of protests, displeased with the measures considered by the Ministry of Education, namely teacher layoffs and lack of payment for exams, said Wednesday "Spiru Haret" Federation leader Gheorghe Isvoranu.

Romanian Liberals To Push Draft Law On Postal Voting

The Romanian liberals, in opposition, will propose a draft law on the introduction of postal voting for Romanians abroad, and the creation of a committee for the improvement of election legislation, liberal vice-president Ludovic Orban told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Unions, Employers Call On Govt To Allow Extended Furlough

Romania’s union confederation Cartel Alfa and employers’ association UGIR-1903 will send a letter to Prime Minister Emil Boc Thursday calling for a government emergency decree extending the allowed period for furlough from the current three months.

IMF Plans Ambitious Reforms In Romania In ’10 – Official

The International Monetary Fund has an ambitious agenda of reforms and programs in Romania in 2010, whose implementation will prepare the relaunch of the country's economy at the end of financial crisis, the head of IMF mission to Romania Jeffrey Franks said Wednesday in Vienna.

Romania’s Budget Has No Funds For Nuclearelectrica Projs – Fin Min

Romania’s 2010 budget does not include funds for projects of state-run nuclear energy producer Nuclearelectrica, and a solution for the future two reactors at Cernavoda power plant is the public-private partnership, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said Wednesday.

Romanian Ctrl Bker: Fiscal Consolidation Needed To Resume Lending

Fiscal consolidation is important to allow a restart of the lending activity this year, once financing demand starts to pickup, especially from the corporate sector, Romania's central bank deputy governor Cristian Popa said Wednesday.

Romanian Travel Agencies Tour Operators Won’t Be Levied Lump Sum Tax

Romania’s Finance Ministry has told the National Association of Tour Operators (ANAT) travel agencies and tour operators will not be levied a lump sum tax, ANAT head Corina Martin told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Coface Sees No Of Bankruptcies In Romania Up 20% YY In 2010

The number of Romanian bankruptcies might increase by 15%-20% in 2010, from 19,000-19,500 cases last year, with a sharper growth in the first half, risk management company Coface officials said Wednesday.