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Romania Dec Retail Sales See Biggest Monthly Decline In EU

12:45, 03 Feb. 2010
Romanian retail sales fell at the biggest pace in the European Union in December 2009 compared with the earlier month, official data showed Wednesday.

Romania Ctrl Bk Cuts Key Rate By 50 BPs To 7%

12:43, 03 Feb. 2010
Romania’s central bank on Wednesday cut its key rate by 50 basis points to 7%, the lowest level in more than two years, but kept the minimum reserve requirements unchanged.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili To Visit Romania In Spring – Press

11:49, 03 Feb. 2010
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili is expected to visit Romania this spring, Saakashvili’s spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze said, quoted by newspaper Georgian Times on its website.

Romanian Member In Council Investigating Security’s Archives Incompatible With Position

11:11, 03 Feb. 2010
Romania’s National Integrity Agency said Mircea Dinescu, a member in the National Council Investigating Security’s Archives (CNSAS), has been incompatible with this position since 2006, as he was both a member in the Council and the manager of a commercial company.

Romanian PM Urges Ministers To Tackle Staff Shortage In Institutions Managing EU Funds

09:13, 03 Feb. 2010
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc has called on ministers to find ways to tackle the staff shortage within the institutions managing European Union funds, according to a press release issued by the government.

Romania To Pay 13th Salary For 2009 Until April, Scrap It As Of 2011 – PM

09:12, 03 Feb. 2010
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday evening on B1 TV the extra 13th monthly salary per year for 2009 will be granted to public sector employees until April 2010, depending on budget loans approved by the Finance Ministry, but stressed this salary will no longer be paid in 2011 for 2010.

EU Directive Forces Carmakers To Equip Cars With Brake Assist Systems By 2011

07:30, 03 Feb. 2010
Automakers will be forced to equip their cars and utility vehicles with brake assist systems as of February 2011 if they want to sell their cars in the European Union, according to a directive improving pedestrian protection.

Only Social Pensions Can Be Updated, Other Increases Depend On Budget – Romanian PM

20:13, 02 Feb. 2010
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said the Government can bring only the minimum pension in line with the rate of inflation and perhaps increase the smallest pensions through a social initiative Fund, but this depends on the resources created by the economy’s evolution in following months.

Fitch Revises Romania Outlook To Stable, Affirms ‘BB+’ Rating

17:28, 02 Feb. 2010
Fitch Ratings revised Romania's outlook to stable from negative, while affirming the country's ratings, citing an improvement in external financial and economic conditions, the ratings agency said Tuesday.

Romanian Capital Authorities To Amend Law On Stray Dogs

16:36, 02 Feb. 2010
Bucharest municipality officials discussed Tuesday a proposal to amend the law on the city’s stray dogs, to the effect that the dogs would not return to the streets after being neutered.

Romanian Prosecutor General Kovesi Says EC Justice Monitoring May Be Lifted This Year

15:44, 02 Feb. 2010
Romania’s Prosecutor General, Codruta Kovesi, said Tuesday on radio station RFI that the Public Ministry and the National Anticorruption Department have registered some real progress, and European Commission monitoring could cease this year, but this also depends on the other justice institutions.

Azerbaijan May Export Crude Oil, Gas To EU, Including Romania

15:12, 02 Feb. 2010
Azeri state oil company Socar may export crude oil and natural gas to the European Union, including Romania, based on a memorandum of cooperation in the power sector signed Tuesday between the two countries, director with the Economy Ministry Coreliu Condrea told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Children Need Non-Violent Cartoon Role Models – Liberal Deputy

14:14, 02 Feb. 2010
Romanian liberal lawmaker Cristina Pocora said in the Chamber of Deputies' plenary session on Tuesday that Romanian children need cartoons featuring characters who do not promote violence, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie and Pluto.

Romanian Senator Says Journalists Should Submit Statements Of Interests

13:56, 02 Feb. 2010
Romanian democrat liberal senator Iulian Urban brought an amendment to the law regulating the functioning of the National Integrity Agency, according to which all journalists will have to submit a statement of interests, adding his proposition is meant to ensure transparency.

Romania’s PM Urges Lawmakers To Enact National Minority Statute

13:16, 02 Feb. 2010
Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc Tuesday urged lawmakers to finish the legal procedures to enact the statute of national minorities, which has been stalled in Parliament for the past three years, adding the normative act is essential for a democratic society.

Romania Earmarks RON439M For Furlough Measures In 2010

12:12, 02 Feb. 2010
Romania’s government will assign 439 million lei (EUR1=RON4.0805) to extend furlough measures in 2010 and expects 200,000 employees will benefit, Prime Minister Emil Boc told lawmakers Tuesday.

Romania Cannot Raise Public Sector Wages – Fin Min

11:04, 02 Feb. 2010
Romania’s Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu held back any comment on the decision of public administration employees to cease work for two hours Tuesday morning disgruntled by wage cuts and planned layoffs, but highlighted the Government cannot raise salaries this year.

Romanian Public Administration Employees Cease Work For Two Hours Tuesday Morning

09:17, 02 Feb. 2010
About 45,000 Romanian public administration employees Tuesday ceased work for two hours, starting 8.30 a.m., in protest over wage cuts and planned layoffs in the public sector.

Tax Evasion Is Aided By Public Bodies Failing To Apply Law – Romanian PM

20:23, 01 Feb. 2010
The main factor permitting tax evasion is not incomplete legislation, but failure to apply the law, aided by certain bodies which should oversee the payment of budgetary obligations, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said on Monday.

Medicine Prices In Romania To Grow Come Apr 1 Due To Exchange Rate Shift

19:24, 01 Feb. 2010
The prices for medicine will grow in Romania starting with April 1, since the state budget law uses an exchange rate of EUR1=RON4.25, as opposed to the RON4 for EUR1 exchange rate used in the 2009 state budget, said Health Minister Cseke Attila.

Romanian PM Wants Changes In The Vote Redistribution System

19:00, 01 Feb. 2010
The current Romanian electoral system is inefficient when it comes to citizen representation, because it has allowed access to positions for politicians who ranked second and third in elections, disadvantaging the winners, said Monday democrat liberal leader and Prime Minister Emil Boc.

Flash Mob Gathered In Romanian Capital To Mark Ten Years Since Baia Mare Cyanide Spill

16:30, 01 Feb. 2010
A flash mob of around 30 youths assembled Monday before the Romanian Environment Ministry in Bucharest, to mark ten years since the cyanide and heavy metals spill in Baia Mare, northern Romania, an incident sometimes called “the second Chernobyl.”

Romanian PM To Address Parliament On Govt’s Legislative Priorities

15:00, 01 Feb. 2010
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc will present the Government’s legislative priorities in Senate Monday, at 5 p.m. and in the Chamber of Deputies Tuesday at 10 a.m., the standing offices of the two chambers of Parliament decided Monday.

Romanian Infrastructure Requires Major Investments – Foreign Investors Council

14:32, 01 Feb. 2010
Romania’s transport infrastructure requires major investments and the country could get money from the EU, the Foreign Investors Council said Monday, adding Romania’s poor infrastructure makes any trip take twice as long as in Western Europe.

Rosia Montana Gold Mining Project On Hold, Urbanism Certificate Null – Romania’s Environment Min

14:27, 01 Feb. 2010
Romania’s Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said Monday during the commemoration of ten years since a major cyanide spill at a gold mine in Baia Mare, northern Romania, the Rosia Montana gold mining project is on hold because the project's required urbanism certificate is null.

Romanian Leu Rises Vs Euro, Exch Rate Hits 13-Mo High At 4.08 Units

13:22, 01 Feb. 2010
The Romanian leu edged higher against the euro in mid trade Monday and the central bank’s reference gained 1% on the day at RON4.0805 to the European currency.

Romanian Central Bank Pumps RON9.24B Into Interbank Market

13:20, 01 Feb. 2010
Romania’s central bank on Monday boosted the interbank market liquidity by injecting 9.24 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.0805) in a one-week repurchase agreement operation, at an annual interest rate of 7.5%, equal to the key monetary policy rate.

Romania’s Proposed Tax On Fast-Food To Raise Food Prices 20%, Leave 36,000 People Jobless

13:01, 01 Feb. 2010
Introducing a tax on fast-food in Romania could lead to an average 20% increase in food prices and leave over 36,000 people in the food industry jobless, industry officials said Monday.

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

12:58, 01 Feb. 2010
About 45,000 Romanian public administration employees will go on a two-hour warning strike on February 2, and protests will continue with an indefinite full-blown strike planned to start on February 12, if the Government does not raise small salaries and put an end to job cuts in the public sector.

Romanian Governing Party To Push For Single-Chamber Parliament, Less MPs

19:29, 30 Ian. 2010
The leader of the Romanian Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), Prime Minister Emil Boc, said Saturday that a single-chamber Parliament and the reduction in the number of MPs represent the top priority for the PDL.

Romanian Paul Constantin Pepene Gets Gold In U23 World Skiing Championship

16:51, 30 Ian. 2010
Romanian Paul Constantin Pepene won Saturday the gold medal in the U23 World Skiing Championship on the 15+15 km pursuit course, unfolded in Hinterzarten (Germany), according to the official website of the competition.

Romanian Govt OKs National Power Holdings Setup

17:46, 29 Ian. 2010
The Romanian government approved the reorganization of the energy sector by creating two national power holdings which include almost all the state-owned assets in the field, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romania Govt To Approve Draft Pension Law Next Week, Send It To Parliament For Adoption

15:13, 29 Ian. 2010
Romania’s government on Friday analyzed the final form of the draft law on the unitary public pensions and decided to approve it in its meeting next Wednesday in order to send it to the Parliament for adoption immediately, people present at the talks told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romania’s Govt Approves Decree To Set Up Citizenship Special Agency

14:56, 29 Ian. 2010
Romania’s Government approved Friday the decree setting up the National Agency for Citizenship to grant Romanian citizenship to those who lost it.

Romanian Opposition Leader Deems Integrity Probe Political Vendetta

14:54, 29 Ian. 2010
Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana said the actions initiated by the National Integrity Agency (ANI) against him are aimed at his defamation in the public eye, and they are "an attempt to intervene and influence the results of elections held within the Social Democratic Party."

Rod Stewart’s Concert In Bucharest On June 29 Removed From Concert Tour List

12:59, 29 Ian. 2010
British singer Rod Stewart’s concert due to take place on 29 June in Bucharest’s "Iolanda Balas-Soter" Stadium, as the singer’s official website read on January 25, was removed from his concert tour list.

About 57% Romanians Polled In Dec Believe Their Financial Situation Worsened Since ‘08

12:22, 29 Ian. 2010
In December 2009, about 57% of Romanians considered their family’s financial situation worsened since December 2008, and 30% of them believed their financial perspective would get even worse, according to a survey conducted by market research company GfK Romania.

Romanian Govt Plans To Strengthen Social Protection Measures For Low-Income Families

11:26, 29 Ian. 2010
Romania's government plans to introduce a package of laws to reform the social protection system and laws will target to ban social benefits, such as trousseaus for newborns, for people holding "Mercedes cars and villas" and grant it to low-income families, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Friday.

U.S. Secretary Of State Thanks Romania For Committing Extra Troops To Afghanistan

11:16, 29 Ian. 2010
U.S secretary of state Hillary Clinton Thursday thanked the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Romania for deciding to commit additional troops to Afghanistan, U.S. State Department said in a press release.

Romania Integrity Agency Urges Probe Into Opposition Leader For Alleged False Wealth Statements

10:35, 29 Ian. 2010
Romania’s National Integrity Agency (ANI) has requested the General Prosecution Office to launch a probe into social democrat leader and Senate chairman Mircea Geoana for alleged forgery in his wealth statement, regarding the purchase of an apartment and two parking lots worth EUR733,000.