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IMF Mission To Visit Romania During Jan 20-27

The International Monetary Fund will send a mission to Bucharest during January 20-27 to review the EUR13 billion agreement signed last year with Romania, an IMF representative said Friday.

Romania 2009 Jan-Nov Curr Acct Gap Narrowed 69.4% To EUR4.7B

Romania's current account deficit narrowed 69.4% in the first eleven months of 2009 to EUR4.68 billion, from a EUR15.3 billion deficit in the same period a year earlier, due mainly to the falling trade deficit, the central bank said in a statement Friday.

Romania FinMin Says IMF Mission To Arrive After ECOFIN Meeting

Romanian Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu on Friday said he will return from the EU Economic and Finance Ministers' (ECOFIN) meeting in Brussels together with a delegation of the International Monetary Fund.

Romania’s Parliament Passes 2010 Social Security Budget

Romania’s Parliament Thursday adopted with 176 to 147 votes the social security budget for 2010.

Romanian Parliament Passes 2010 Budget Bill

Romanian parliament on Thursday adopted 192 to 138 the state budget for 2010, following several days of wrangling over thousands of amendments proposed by the opposition.

Romanian Govt Compiles List Of Lump Sum Taxable Services

Restaurants, hotels, tour operators, fitness centers, but also funeral homes are among the activities for which the lump sum tax could be collected, according to a list, discussed by authorities, which includes 26 services performed for the population.

Romania To Grant Subsidies For Agricultural, Forestry Products Processing Operations

Romania’s Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry said Thursday it received the European Commission’s decision allowing the ministry to grant state aid in the agricultural and forestry product processing field.

Romania To Ask EC Approval For 13-14 State Aid Schemes

Romania will ask the European Commission’s approval for 13-14 state aid schemes, of which, three or four target to subsidize the country’s farming sector, and the schemes will be sent to the EC over the next two months, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said Thursday.

Romanian Microenterprises To Pay 16% Profit Tax Or Lump-Sum Tax In 2010 – Fin Min

Microenterprises in Romania will no longer benefit from a different taxation system in 2010 and will have to pay a 16% profit tax or a lump-sum tax, just like any other company, according to Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu.

Romania Registers 100 Deaths, 6,386 AH1N1 Infections

Romania registers 100 fatalities and 6,386 infections with the AH1N1 flu virus, as four more deaths and 131 new infections have been reported over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said Thursday.

Heineken Closes Down Beer Factory W Romania, Lays Off 100 People

Heineken Romania, the local unit of Dutch brewer Heineken, will close down the factory in the western city of Hateg, laying off 98 people, in order to increase efficiency and consolidate its position, the company said in a statement Thursday.

Romanian Union Leader Hossu Criticizes Layoffs Decision, Announces Protests

Romanian Cartel Alfa union leader Bogdan Hossu told MEDIAFAX that normative acts drafted recently, which provide for layoffs in the education, social assistance and public administration sectors, were made by accountants, not experts, and unions are preparing to hold protests.

Romania Fin Min: Public Institutions To Apply Program Targeting Nearly 100,000 Layoffs

Romania’s Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu on Thursday declined to comment on planned layoffs in the public administration sector, and said public institutions will have to apply a program meant to sack nearly 100,000 public sector employees.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Plans To Develop Two New Models – Manager

Romanian carmaker Automobile Dacia plans to design and produce two new models, sales manager Fabrice Cambolive told a news conference Thursday.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Sold Over 311,000 Cars In 2009, Up 20.5% YY

Romanian carmaker Dacia, a unit of France’s Renault, sold 311,282 cars last year, 20.5% more than in 2008, but its sales in Romania declined more than 50%, to 41,862 cars, the company said Thursday.

Romania Plans To Cut Staff Spending By EUR100M Through Public Admin Layoffs

Romania’s government estimates to cut staff costs paid out from local budgets by RON471.5 million (EUR114.4 million) in 2010, by sacking nearly 17,000 local administration employees, which will save nearly RON550 million over the next four years.

Romania 2009 New Car Registrations Fall 60% YY To 116,012 Units

Romanian new car registrations fell 59% on the year to 116,012 vehicles in 2009, from 285,500 vehicles the year earlier, Interior Ministry data showed Wednesday.

Japan To Lend EUR315M To Romania For Bucharest Train Station-Airport Subway Line Project

The Japanese Government will grant a loan of JPY41.87 billion (nearly EUR315 million) to Romania for the construction of a subway line reaching the international airport in Otopeni, outside capital city Bucharest, Romania’s Transport Ministry said Wednesday.

Romania’s Tourism Min Sacks National Housing Agency General Manager

Romanian Regional Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea Wednesday dismissed National Housing Agency (ANL) general manager Jean Vraciu over procurement plans and cancelled the agency’s procedure to buy off-road vehicles.

Romania Ctrl Bk: Pawnshops Not Allowed To Grant Loans With Realty Assets As Collateral

Pawnshops in Romania are allowed to accept only movables as collateral for the loans they grant, and the pawns will be kept until the loan is paid back, the central bank said Wednesday, in response to media information alleging several pawnshops grant loans with real estate assets used as collateral.

Romanian MP Drafts Law Introducing 0.5% Wealth Tax On Net Worth Topping EUR500,000

Romanian social democrat lawmaker Mugurel Surupaceanu submitted with the Chamber of Deputies’ Standing Office a draft law introducing a wealth tax whereby households pay an annual 0.5% on net worth of more than EUR500,000.

Saxo: Romanian Leu To Slide To 4.84 Units/Euro If IMF Terms Not Met

Failure to implement the structural reforms required by the International Monetary Fund under a EUR13 billion loan agreement would push Romania’s leu to 4.84 units per euro in twelve months time, officials of Danish lender Saxo Bank said Wednesday.

Romania Registers 96 Deaths, 6,255 AH1N1 Infections

Romania registers 96 fatalities and 6,255 infections with the AH1N1 flu virus, as two deaths and 34 new infections have been reported over the past 24 hours, Romania’s Health Ministry said Wednesday.

Romania Fin Min: Eurobond Issue Won’t Sidetrack 2010 Agenda

Romania’s planned eurobond issue of EUR1 billion is not a deviation from the nation’s financing agenda for 2010 and its main purpose is to finance the budget gap and tap into additional markets, Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu said Wednesday.

Romania’s Freight Rail Co CFR Marfa Axes Jobs, Freezes Wages, Sheds Bonuses To Cut Costs

Romania’s state-owned freight railway company CFR Marfa will cut over 217 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1355) in costs this year by laying off staff, not granting any wage bonuses, freezing wages for remaining employees and not outsourcing rail repair works, according to the company’s restructuring plan.

Romanian Lawmakers Adopt Amendment Cutting Public Health Insurance Contribution to 5.5%

Romanian lawmakers unanimously adopted the amendment approved by the commissions for budget and finance which cut the contribution to the public health insurance system to 5.5% from 6.5%.

Notary Fees For Bucharest Apartment Transactions Dn 30%-40% In 2010

The notary fees for transactions with Bucharest apartment would decrease by 30%-40% this year, due to the downfall of the real estate market, according to the informative value guidebook of real estates for 2010.

Romanian Leu Ends 0.4% Weaker Vs Euro, Attuned To Region

The Romanian leu lost wind against the euro in late trade Tuesday, in line with the currencies in the region, and ended nearly 0.4% weaker on the day at RON4.14/RON4.142 to the European currency.

Romania 90 Days Overdue Loan Payments Up 3% MM To RON2B In Nov

Romanian payments overdue by more than 90 days for loans of at least 20,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.1355) rose 3.2% on the month in November to RON2.04 billion, central bank data showed Tuesday.

Romanian Retirees Threaten Radical Protests This Year If Pensions Frozen

Romanian Pensioners’ Union Federation called on the Parliament and Government to observe Law 250/2007 setting the pension point at 45% of the average gross wage, threatening to resort to radical protests this year.

Bucharest City Hall To Subsidize Heating Costs Following Price Hike – Mayor

Sorin Oprescu, mayor of Romanian capital Bucharest, said Tuesday that the City Hall would cover the 8.3% hike in heating costs, so the price would be unchanged for consumers.

Romanian Ex General Mihai Chitac To Discontinue Jail Term For Two Months On Medical Grounds

The Romanian Military Court of Bucharest decided Tuesday to release former General Mihai Citac from prison for two months, starting February 15, when he is scheduled for surgery.

Romanian Leu Rises Vs Euro, Exch Rate Hits New High At 4.1355

The Romanian leu advanced slightly versus the euro in mid trade Tuesday and the central bank’s reference gained 0.07% on the day at RON4.1355, a fresh eight-month high.

Romania Registers 92 Deaths, 6,218 AH1N1 Infections

Romania registers 92 fatalities and 6,218 infections with the AH1N1 flu virus, as seven deaths and 41 new infections have been reported over the past 24 hours, Romania’s Health Ministry spokesperson Oana Grigore said Tuesday.

Over 133,000 Romanian Cos Suspended Operations In 2009

Over 133,000 companies in Romania suspended business operations in 2009, 11-fold higher compared with a year before, according to the National Trade Registry Office, or ONRC.

Romania’s Bank Card Online Payments Up 75% In ’09, To EUR92.8M

Romania’s bank card online payments increased by 75% in 2009 compared to 2008, to EUR92.8 million, according to data offered by electronic commerce and card processing center RomCard, cited by Gecad ePayment.

Faithless To Headline Romania’s 2010 Edition Of B’estfest Festival In July

This year’s edition of Romania’s B'estfest music festival will take place on July 16, 17 and 18 in capital Bucharest and the first confirmed headliner is the British electronic band Faithless, organizers said Tuesday.

Romania To Have State Budget Adopted By Jan 15 – PM

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday morning the country will have its state budget adopted by January 15.

Romania Fails To Capitalize On A Flexible Exchange Rate – ING

Romania has failed to “fully exploit” the advantages of a flexible exchange rate in 2009 and its economy declined more abruptly compared to the average registered in countries with a floating exchange rate, ING Bank said in a report Tuesday.

Romania’s Dec CPI + 0.32% On Mo, +4.74% On Yr

Romania's consumer price index rose by 32 basis points on the month in December, driven mainly by higher food and tobacco prices, while the annual inflation widened to 4.74%, above the central bank’s target, the National Statistics Institute said Tuesday.