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Romania Green Party Head Set To Vote “Against” Basescu In Dec 6 Presidential Runoff

Romania’s Green Party head Remus Cernea on Saturday said he would vote "against" incumbent President Traian Basescu in the second round of presidential elections on December 6, adding Basescu’s five-year mandate was a total "fiasco."

Romania New Generation Party To Back Social Democrat Geoana In Presidential Runoff

Romania’s New Generation Party decided to back social democrat contender Mircea Geoana unconditionally in the presidential election runoff on December 6, the party’s leader and FC Steaua owner George Becali said Saturday.

Romania Registers Third AH1N1 Fatality

Romania has registered a third fatality due to the AH1N1 flu virus in an adult and has confirmed other 145 new AH1N1 infections over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 2,975, the country’s Health Ministry said Saturday.

Basescu: Presidency To Appeal Ruling In Interior Min Case After Court Motivates Decision

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said the presidential administration will appeal the ruling of the Bucharest Court of Appeals to suspend the decree appointing democrat liberal Vasile Blaga for interior minister, after the motivation of the court ruling is made public.

Video Of Romanian President Hitting A Child Deliberately Fabricated – Spokesperson

Sever Voinescu, spokesperson for incumbent Romanian President Traian Basescu, said Friday that the video showing the president apparently hitting a child is sheer fabrication targeting only to “strike at Basescu,” who is running for reelection.

Romanian President To Consult Constitutional Court Over Deadlock Involving Interior Min

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said he would consult with the Constitutional Court to solve the institutional deadlock involving the country’s Interior Ministry, stressing there no longer are articles in the Constitution that can be used to untangle this situation.

Romania’s New EU Commissioner Dacian Ciolos Says Honored To Contribute To European Construct

Former Romanian agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos, newly designated European Commissioner for Agriculture, said Friday that he is honored to contribute to the “European construct.”

Romanian President Says Court Ruling Leaves Country Without Int Min During Elections

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Friday that if social democrats wanted the presidential decree appointing democrat liberal Vasile Blaga for interior minister suspended to leave the country without an interior minister during elections, they have unfortunately succeeded.

European Commission President Barroso Announces New Cabinet

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso announced Friday in Brussels the list of designated commissioners, with Dacian Ciolos taking up the agriculture portfolio on behalf of Romania.

Political Instability, Econ Crisis Slashed Turnovers, Profit Of Over 50% Of Romanian SMEs – Poll

Political instability and the economic crisis reduced turnovers and profit for over 50% of Romanian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in 2009 and the SMEs operating the trade and industry sectors were the most affected, according to a study by the Council for SMEs and Cult Market Research.

Romanian Police Suspects 470 People Of Multiple Voting

The Romanian Police sent Friday to the Standing Electoral Authority a list of 470 people suspected of multiple voting in the first round of the 2009 presidential elections, held Sunday, November 22.

AH1N1 Flu In Romania: 165 New Infections, 2,830 Total Cases

The Romanian Health Ministry Friday confirmed other 165 new infections with the AH1N1 virus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 2,830, and most infections were registered in capital city Bucharest (50) and Hunedaoara county (14).

New European Commission Composition To Be Announced Friday

The composition of the new European Commission will be announced Friday around noon, in Brussels, with Romania's former agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos nominated for the agriculture portfolio, diplomatic sources told MEDIAFAX.

Bucharest’s Baneasa Passage Is Opened For Traffic

Works on the Baseasa passage in Romania’s capital city Bucharest were completed and the passage was opened for traffic Friday.

Court Suspends Romanian President’s Decree Replacing Interior Minister

The Bucharest Court of Appeals ruled Friday to suspend the presidential decree by which democrat liberal Vasile Blaga replaced social democrat Dan Nica at the headship of the country’s Interior Ministry early October.

Romania Nov Economic Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level In EU

Romania’s economic sentiment index dropped to 62.1 points in November, from 62.6 points the month earlier, placing the country at the bottom of an EU ranking, a widely watched European Commission monthly survey showed Friday.

Romania Oct Residential Building Permits -13.1% MM, -27.7% YY

Romania issued 4,103 buildings permits for residential projects in October, down 13.1% compared with September, and 27.7% lower on the year, the National Statistics Institute, or INS, said Friday.

Romanian Incumbent President Traian Basescu Accused Of Hitting A Child In ‘04

A short clip surfaced on the internet, Thursday evening, showing incumbent president Traian Basescu, running for reelection next weekend, seemingly hitting a child during the electoral campaign for the presidential elections in 2004.

Romanian Constitutional Court Decides Nov 22 Referendum Was Legitimate

The Romanian Constitutional Court dejected Thursday the complaint filed by NGOs against the organization procedure for the referendum held on November 22, as judges decided the referendum was legal.

Romania Sells EUR1.42B 1-Yr T-Bills At 4.25% Avg Yield

Romania’s Finance Ministry on Thursday sold one-year hard currency treasury bills worth EUR1.423 billion, almost triple the planned amount, at an average yield of 4.25% on the year.

Romania 7th In Europe, 11th Worldwide Among Countries With AH1N1 Vaccine – Official

Romania is the seventh country in Europe and 11th worldwide to have a pandemic vaccine against the AH1N1 virus, Viorel Alexandrescu, head of the National Reference Center for Flu with the Bucharest Cantacuzino Institute, said Thursday, adding vaccination will probably set off Monday countrywide.

Around 5,000 Homeless People In Romanian Capital Bucharest, 300 Die Each Year – NGO Study

The number of homeless people in Romania is on the rise, with an estimated 5,000 people living on the street in Bucharest alone and 300 fatalities every year, according to estimates by the Samusocial Romania NGO.

AH1N1 Flu In Romania: 211 New Infections, 2,666 Total Cases

The Romanian Health Ministry Thursday confirmed other 211 new infections with the AH1N1 virus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 2,666, and most infections were registered in capital city Bucharest (58), Hunedaoara county (26) and Botosani (20).

Bucharest Underground Cable Sys Netcity To Develop Telecom Operators’ Networks – Official

NetCity, the underground fiber-optic telecommunications network in capital city Bucharest, will develop the infrastructure of local telecom operators, cut upkeep costs and even develop an extended portfolio of telecom and IT services, Netcity Telecom commercial manager, Petru Fuiorea, said Thursday.

Eugene Ionesco, Emil Cioran – Named Post Mortem Members Of Romanian Academy

Playwright Eugene Ionesco and philosopher Emil Cioran have been made post mortem members of the Romanian Academy, Academy vice-president Marius Sala said Thursday.

Romanians Would Discard Landline Telephone, Cable TV Rather Than Internet – Study

Romanian clients of telecom operators find it very easy to discard traditional landline telephone and TV cable services, but few of them would be willing to discard internet services in a bid to cut spending, on harsh economic conditions, Gabriel Mustea, a director with PwC Romania, said Thursday.

Romania Telecom Operators To Benefit From EUR83M To Cover Blank Areas – Min

Telecom operators will benefit from EUR83 million in 2010 to extend their network to uncovered areas, and the financial aid scheme is financed from European funds, Romanian Communications Ministry secretary of state Marius Fecioru said Thursday.

Romanian Telecom Industry Resists Financial Crisis By Adapting Offers To Clients’ Demands

The Romanian telecom industry managed to successfully resist the financial crisis by adapting offers to clients’ demands and stimulating consumption, which led to an over 30% mobile network traffic increase, telecom regulator ANCOM president Catalin Marinescu said Thursday.

Romania Promoted As Incontestable And Attractive Tourist Destination In New Project

Romania’s National Association for Consumer Protection and Promotion of Programs and Strategies in Romania launched a project worth some 993,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2597) meant to promote Romania as incontestable and attractive tourist destination.

Romanian President Wants Immunity Lifted For Ministers, Lawmakers, President

Romanian President Traian Basescu, running for reelection in a December 6 runoff against social democrat Mircea Geoana, said Tuesday he regrets not polling Romanians about lifting officials’ immunity at the referendum held Sunday, along with the first round of elections.

IMF Loan Helped Romania Avert Potential Currency Crisis – Ctrl Bker

Without the EUR20 billion aid package obtained in the spring, Romania might have been unable to prevent growing pressure on the leu, which in turn would have negatively impacted inflation and the leu-denominated household financial assets, central bank’s governor Mugur Isarescu said.

Bechtel To Build Other 42 Km Of Transylvania Highway In 2010- Romania’s Transport Min

Romania’s Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Wednesday that Bechtel, the U.S. constructor of the Transylvania highway, “can build other 42 kilometers next year” although the budget for 2010 has not been established yet.

Bucharest Apartment Prices Dn 45% On Year In Nov – Survey

Bucharest apartment prices fell by an average 45% between November 2008 and November 2009, with the biggest fall registered by newly-built three-room apartments, according to a national index launched Wednesday by imobiliare.ro website.

Parent Bks Overall Exposure To Romania Dn By EUR1.2B Since End-Mar – Sources

The parent banks of Romania’s top nine lenders have reduced their overall exposure to Romania by EUR1.2 billion (3.8%) between end-March and October, according to participants in the November 18 banking meeting in Brussels.

Tatars Call On Romanian Muslims To Back Leftist Candidate, Criticize President’s Statement

Romanian Muslims should vote for social democrat Mircea Geoana in the presidential election runoff, recommended the Democratic Union of Tatars in Romania (UDT), offended by rival candidate Traian Basescu’s statement that his best deed was christening a Muslim.

Romanian Senators Adopt Law Protecting Consumer’s Right To Annul Contract

Romanian senators adopted Wednesday a law whereby the consumer’s right to challenge or annul a contract may not be prevented or obstructed by any contractual clause or agreement, but that such clauses are considered naturally void.

Romanian Carpatair Teams Up With Hungary’s Malev For New Budapest-Venice Codeshare Flight

Romanian airliner Carpatair, based in western city of Timisoara, will operate a direct flight from Budapest in Hungary to Venice in Italy, as of December 7, based on a code-share partnership with Hungarian airliner Malev.

AH1N1 Flu In Romania: 197 New Infections, 2,455 Total Cases

The Romanian Health Ministry Tuesday confirmed other 197 new infections with the AH1N1 virus, bringing the total number of cases to 2,455, and most infections were registered in capital city Bucharest (77), Hunedaoara county (19) and Botosani (14).

Romanian Social Democrat And Liberal Leaders Sign Party Cooperation Agreement

Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana and liberal leader Crin Antonescu signed Wednesday the agreement of cooperation between the two parties, whereby liberals will back Geoana in the presidential elections runoff.

INTERVIEW: Salman Rushdie: Writing Is My Way Of Responding To The World

Indian-born British writer Salman Rushdie, on a three-day visit to Romania, told MEDIAFAX in an interview that writing is his way of responding to the world, to things that disturb, interest or confuse him.