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Romanian Govt Upgrades ’10 GDP Growth To 1.3%

Romania’s draft budget envisages an economic growth of 1.3% in 2010, up from 0.5% previously estimated, interim Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Wednesday.

Romania’s Online Advertising Market 1H Sales Estimated At RON25.5M

Romania’s online advertising market generated sales of about 25.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2459), in the first half of 2009, down 25% compared to the same interval last year, and up 58% compared to the first half of 2007, according to Romanian Online Advertising Study (ROADS).

Romania’s President Invites Liberals To Form Right-Wing Govt

Romanian President Traian Basescu Wednesday told liberals participating in consultations on the country’s new government that the National Liberal Party is invited to form a right-wing Government alongside democrat liberals and the Hungarian minority party.

Romania Should Have Govt In Place By New Year’s – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday at the start of talks with the group of national minorities that the country’s priority is to have a government in place between Christmas and New Year’s at the latest.

Romanian Liberals Fail To Reach Agreement With Democrat Liberals On New Govt

Romanian liberal leader Crin Antonescu said Wednesday, after a meeting with democrat liberals, his party failed to reach an agreement with democrat liberals as they discard the principle according to which the government should be upheld by a parliament majority.

BCR Revises Up Romanian GDP Growth F’cast At -7.1% In ’09, +0.6% In ’10

Banca Comerciala Romana revised up its forecast regarding Romania's economic growth, seeing now a 7.1% contraction in 2009 from previously expected 8%, according to BCR's chief economist Lucian Anghel.

Romanian Estate Agents Want Law Requiring Home Energy Certification Delayed

The Romanian Association of Real Estate Agencies (ARAI) said the law which requires an energy certificate when carrying out real estate transactions will be hard to apply as of January 1, 2010 and requested its implementation be delayed until the second half of next year.

Bucharest’s Baneasa Airport Auctions Off EUR3.17M Safety Area Layout Works

Bucharest international airport Aurel Vlaicu (Baneasa) will hold an auction for the layout of the safety area near the runway, a contract estimated at 3.17 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2459), VAT excluded.

E.ON Asks Romania’s Energy Watchdog For Gas, Electricity Price Hikes

Germany’s E.ON, which activates on the Romanian natural gas and power distribution market, asked the country's energy regulatory authority ANRE to increase gas and electricity prices in 2010 by 15% and 12% respectively, but does not anticipate a favorable answer.

Ford National Sales Co In Romania To Sell, Service Ford Vehicles As Of Aug 2010

The new Ford National Sales Company for Romania, established by Ford Europe, will take full responsibility for the marketing, sales and service of Ford vehicles as of August 2010 and Paul Flanagan will be general manager of the new company, Ford Europe said Wednesday.

Romania Likely To Get New IMF Loan Tranche In Feb

Romania is likely to receive a third EUR1.5 billion loan tranche from the International Monetary Fund in February, IMF representative Jeffrey Franks said Wednesday.

Eight Trains Cancelled In Romania Due To Snow, Blizzards, Rail Traffic Sees Major Delays

Eight trains will be cancelled Wednesday on the route linking Romania’s capital Bucharest to southeastern Constanta, while nine other trains register massive delays because of snow and blizzards, the passenger division of the state-owned railway company, CFR Calatori, said Wednesday.

Romania’s Reelected President Traian Basescu Pledges To Do Things Better In New Term

Romania’s newly reelected President Traian Basescu said Wednesday, after the Constitutional Court validated him for a new term as president, that he plans to be a better head of state during his second term, adding he will be the president of all Romanians.

Romania’s President Validated For New Term Within Formal Ceremony

Romania’s Constitutional Court Wednesday validated Traian Basescu for a new term as president of the country during a formal ceremony.

Romania’s PM-Designate Negoita Declines Position

Romania’s Prime Minister-designate Liviu Negoita Wednesday said he declined the prime minister position, citing new “political movements” in Romania.

IMF Says Will Send New Review Mission To Romania In Jan

The International Monetary Fund will send in January a new mission to Romania to assess the country’s performance in meeting the terms of a EUR20 billion IMF-led aid package, IMF official Jeffrey Franks said Tuesday.

Romanian Social Democrats Back Liberal Head Antonescu For PM

The Romanian social democrats (PSD) approached the liberals (PNL) with a proposition for a government led by liberal head Crin Antonescu, backed by PNL and PSD, but also included the possibility for such a government to be supported by Hungarian minority party UDMR and the democrat liberals (PDL).

Romania, IMF Agree On 2010 Draft Budget

Romanian and the International Monetary Fund have reached an agreement on the country’s budget for 2010, IMF representative Jeffrey Franks said Tuesday.

Romania’s President To Be Sworn In For Second Term On December 21

Romania’s President Traian Basescu will be sworn in for a second term in office on December 21 during a plenary meeting of the two chambers of the Parliament, Senate representative Ioan Chelaru said Tuesday.

WB Team To Visit Romania This Week – Official

A delegation of the World Bank will soon arrive in Bucharest to assess Romania’s performance regarding the measures included in the financing agreement with the international lender, officials of the World Bank’s office in Bucharest said Tuesday.

WB: Romania Worse Hit By Global Crunch Due To High Volume Of FX Loans, Inflation

Romania and the Baltic countries have been hit worse by the economic downturn compared with states such as Poland and the Czech Republic due to the high volume of foreign currency loans and a slower disinflation process, according to Juan Zalduendo, lead economist at the World Bank.

Romania’s Ctrl Bk OKs Raiffeissen Banca pentru Locuinte, HVB Banca pentru Locuinte Merger

Romania’s central bank BNR approved the merger between lenders Raiffeissen Banca pentru Locuinte (RBL) and HVB Banca pentru Locuinte (HVB BpL) that was registered at the Bucharest Trade Register Office on December 1.

Romanian Rompetrol Cuts Fuel Prices By Up To RON0.03/Liter

Romania’s second-largest oil group Rompetrol, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunayGaz, will cut Tuesday its gasoline and diesel oil prices by 0.02 lei (EUR1= RON4.2496) and RON0.03 per liter, respectively.

Romania May Get New IMF Tranche In March – ING

Romania might receive a new EUR1.5 billion tranche of its EUR23 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund in March next year, should a functioning government be in place by year-end, ING analysts said Tuesday.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Still Claim PM Seat, Willing To Form Majority Without Liberals

Romania’s Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) stands by decision to have a democrat liberal running the country’s future government and hopes the Liberal Party will be wiser at forthcoming talks and stop claiming the prime minister seat, acting Prime Minister and PDL head Emil Boc said late Monday.

Romanian Ex General Chitac Asks Court Again To Discontinue Jail Term On Medical Grounds

The Bucharest Military Court will discuss on December 22 a new request of former high-ranking general Mihai Chitac to have his 15-year prison sentence for aggravated manslaughter discontinued again on medical grounds, saying he failed to get surgery during his three-month temporary release.

Over 32,000 Cars Scrapped In Romanian ’09 Clunkers Program

Over 32,000 cars older than ten years were scrapped under the Romanian clunkers program this year, namely some two thirds of the overall number o vehicles the state aimed to replace in the beginning of the year.

Romania’s Constitutional Court Validates Basescu As President

Romania’s Constitutional Court Monday validated Traian Basescu for a second term as the country’s president, as he got the largest number of votes in the presidential election runoff held on December 6.

Romania’s Constitutional Court Rejects Social Democrats’ Request To Annul Presidential Elections

Romania’s Constitutional Court rejected Monday the request of the Social Democratic Party to annul the presidential election outcome, people close to the matter said.

Romanians To Buy Train Tickets From Automated Dispensers In Bucharest

The passenger division of the Romanian national railroad company, CFR Calatori, will set up in Bucharest’s North Station automated ticket dispensers, and the program will be widened to include other large train stations, the company announced Monday.

Romanian Social Democrats Call For Parliament Inquiry Committee To Check Election

Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana said Monday party leaders decided to call for the creation of a Parliament inquiry committee to look into the organization of the presidential election runoff, which incumbent Traian Basescu won at a difference of less than one percentage point.

Romanian Nationals Prevalent Among Immigrants In Italy – Report

Romanians form the largest ethnic minority group in Italy, with nearly 968,000 Romanians officially registered as living in Italy, accounting for 21% of total immigrants in the country, according to the 2009 national report on immigration by ISMU Institute, ASCA news agency reported on its website.

Romania’s Parliament To Convene This Week To Validate Referendum – Senate Chairman

Romanian social democrat leader and Senate Chairman Mircea Geoana said Monday the Parliament’s Standing Offices will convene this week to validate the referendum for a single-chamber parliament downsized to a maximum 300 lawmakers.

Romanian Insurers’ Contribution To Road Victims Protection Fund Reduced To 0.3%

Romanian insurance companies issuing civil liability insurance (RCA) policies will contribute 0.3% of the RCA premiums collected to the Road Victims Protection Fund, as opposed to the 0.5% contributed right now, according to a decision of the Insurance Supervision Commission (CSA).

Romanian Democrat Liberals Adopt Resolution On Right-Wing Majority, Claim PM Seat

Romania’s caretaker Prime Minister and head of the Democratic Liberal Party Emil Boc said Monday the party adopted a resolution regarding the country’s future ruling power and stressed his party is politically and morally entitled to claim the prime minister seat.

Romanian BRD Has No Layoff Plans – GM

Patrick Gelin, head of the Romanian lender BRD Societe-Generale (BRD.RO), on Monday said the bank would not lay off employees on the backdrop of the current economic conditions.

IMF Mission Head Joins Team To Discuss Romania’s Budget

Jeffrey Franks, the head of the International Monetary Fund's review mission, will arrive Monday in Bucharest to take part Tuesday at technical discussions on Romania's 2010 budget draft, according to Tonny Lybek, IMF Regional Resident Representative for Romania and Bulgaria.

Romania Election Final Null Vote Recount Finds 1,260 Valid Ballots For Basescu, 987 For Geoana

The recount of all voided ballots in Romania’s presidential election held last Sunday found 2,247 valid ballots, of which 1,260 for incumbent Traian Basescu and 987 for social democrat Mircea Geoana, Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau said Monday.

Code Yellow Warning Of Snow, Blizzards In Romania Tuesday-Thursday

Romanian meteorologists issued Monday a code yellow weather warning forecasting snow throughout most Romanian regions and blizzards in mountain areas Tuesday noon through hursday noon.

First Ford Transit Connect Vehicles Assembled In Romania Delivered To Dealers

The first lot of Transit Connect commercial vehicles assembled at the U.S. carmaker Ford’s assembly plant in Craiova, southern Romania, was delivered to Ford dealers in Romania, Ford Romania officials said Monday.