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Traian Basescu, Mircea Geoana Among Contenders With Most Election Campaign Donations

Romanian President Traian Basescu and social democrat head Mircea Geoana are among presidential contenders who obtained the most donations for their election campaign, according to the country’s election authority.

Romanian Ministries To Be Run By State Secretaries After Interim Terms Expire – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on national television that after the interim ministers’ terms will have expired, the ministries will be run be run by state secretaries.

Romanian President Says Country Is Recovering From Recession

Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Tuesday on national television that the country appears to be recovering from the recession and may see economic growth in the first quarter of 2010.

Romania’s Oct CPI + 0.44% On Mo, +4.3% On Yr

Romania's consumer price index rose by 44 basis points on the month in October, driven mainly by higher service and non-food prices, but the annual inflation slowed for the eighth consecutive month to 4.3%, the National Statistics Institute said Wednesday.

Romanian President Vows To Designate New Prime Minister If Negoita Cabinet Falls

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on national television that if the government formed by Prime Minister-designate Liviu Negoita gets a no-confidence vote in Parliament, he will then designate a new prime minister, other than Negoita.

Romanian President To Promulgate Citizenship Law Wednesday

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday, on television station Etno TV, that Wednesday he will promulgate the citizenship law, approved by government emergency ordinance, adding that in 2009 there were more citizenships granted on this ordinance “than there were since 1990".

Romanian Government Takes New Shot At Pushing Pension Law In Parliament

Romanian interim Prime Minister Emil Boc asked the Senate Tuesday to amend the law organizing the Government so that the dismissed Cabinet can enact the state budget for 2010 as well as the draft laws on fiscal liability and the unitary pension system, parts of the agreements concluded with the IMF.

Romania Is Past Economic Crisis Peak, Econ Growth expected In ’10 – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on public television Etno TV Romania is past the peak of the economic crisis, adding the population will have higher pensions and wages by 2014.

Romania Seeks EU’s Support To Delay Excise Duty Hikes Over Weak Leu

Romania will ask the European Commission to allow it a lower increase in the annual excise duties in January next year, due to the leu’s significant depreciation against the euro over the past twelve months, interim Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Tuesday.

Romanian President Doesn’t Want Parliament Dissolved, Will Seek New Majority

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday he has not set out to dissolve the Parliament after presidential elections and will try to form a new majority if Romania doesn’t have a government until then.

Romania Might Implement Fourth Pension Pillar To Protect Elderly – State Secretary

Romanian Labor Ministry state secretary Mihai Seitan said Tuesday that completing the reform of the pension system could also entail implementing a new pillar, Pillar 0, to protect elderly people.

Austria’s Erste Group, Two Associates To Grant Loans To Romanian Small Entrepreneurs

Austria's Erste Group together with Erste Foundation and the Center for Economic Development will grant loans to Romanian small entrepreneurs in rural areas and in small cities, who do not have access to traditional bank services.

Romania 9-Mo Bad Loans Rise To 8.5% Of Total Lending Vs 3.5% In ’08

Romanian loss-classified loans amounted to 8.5% of the total lending at the end of September, from 3.6% of the total loans in the same period the year earlier, central bank first deputy governor Florin Georgescu said Friday.

Romania Jan-Oct Budget Gap Rises To 5.2% Of GDP – Fin Min

Romania’s consolidated budget deficit rose to 5.2% of the gross domestic product in at the end of October, interim Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Tuesday.

EC May Clear EUR320M Guarantee For Ford Romania This Week

The European Commission might approve this week the EUR320 million guarantee granted by Romania to US carmaker Ford, owner of local assembly plant Automobile Craiova, Competition Council head Bogdan Chiritoiu told a news conference Tuesday.

Romanian Proprietatea Fund GM Says OTC Listing Has Its Short-Term Advantages

Trading the shares of investment fund Fondul Proprietatea on the Romanian Over-The-Counter (ROTC) alternative trading system created by the Brokers’ Association has obvious advantages, at least on short-term, the fund’s general manager Daniela Lulache said Tuesday.

Romanian Parliament Lower Chamber Allows Govt To Draft State Budget

The Romanian Chamber of Deputies enacted Tuesday, with no cons and only two abstentions, the draft amendment to the Law organizing the government, enabling the dismissed Cabinet to draft the 2010 state budget and social security budget.

Romanian Actor Gheorghe Dinica Dies At 75

Romanian actor Gheorghe Dinica, 75, died Tuesday afternoon at the Bucharest Floreasca Emergency Hospital where he was admitted three weeks ago.

Romanian Petrochemistry Needs State Aid To Revive – Interim Econ Min

Romania’s petrochemical industry cannot revive without the aids or guarantees granted by the state to Rafo (RAF.RO) refinery and chemical plant Oltchim (OLT.RO), as 2010 will be a difficult year for the companies that need loans, Tuesday said interim Economy Minister Adriean Videanu.

Parent Banks’ Exposure To Romania Down By EUR700M From End-March – Ctrl Bker

The parent banks of Romania’s top nine lenders have honored their commitments undertook in Vienna as regards to the local market, but their exposure to Romania is lower by EUR700 million compared to the end-March level, central bank's first deputy governor Florin Georgescu said Tuesday.

Romanian President Says Media Groups Are Used To Influence Political Decisions

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Monday many journalists sought refuge in communicating on the internet as they treasure their freedom of expression more than what newspapers paid them, adding media groups are used to influence political decisions and get economic favors.

About 200 Subway Employees Picket Romanian Govt HQ Demanding Wage Raises

About 200 employees of Romania’s state-owned subway company Metrorex are picketing the Government’s headquarters Tuesday in protest that they can’t negotiate wages and a new collective labor contract, as their previous contract expired on November 1.

Romania To Freeze Prices Of Existing Medical Drugs – Drug Makers Association

The Romanian Association of International Drug Producers said prices of medical drugs on the Romanian market will not go up, but warned the sub-financing of the country’s healthcare system might hinder patients’ access to short-term treatment.

Romanian President Can’t Dissolve Parliament Even If Reelected – Paper

Romania’s future president, whoever he may be, won’t be able to dissolve the Parliament if it rejects a second proposed Government, because the president’s prerogatives in relation with Parliament only last throughout one term, Constitutional Court judge Ion Predescu told Romanian daily Gandul.

Romanian Actor Gheorghe Dinica In Critical Condition After Bile Duct Surgery

Romanian actor Gheorghe Dinica, 75, who underwent bile duct laparoscopic surgery Monday evening, is in critical condition and is receiving complex medical treatment and care, the Bucharest Floreasca Emergency Hospital said in a press release Tuesday.

Romania Petrom 3Q Net Pft At RON615M, Dn 2% On Yr

Romania’s largest oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) Tuesday reported a net profit of 615 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2968) in the third quarter, slightly down from RON626 million in the same period a year ago, on a 25% lower turnover.

Romania Should Not Buy AH1N1 Vaccine For Children – Former Health Minister

Former Romanian Health Minister Ion Bazac said Romania should not buy the AH1N1 flu vaccine for children, which was rejected by Poland, and that the Government should make the terms requested by the producer public.

Romanian PM-Designate Presents Cabinet List, Includes Acting Ministers And One Independent

Romanian Prime Minister-designate Liviu Negoita said he submitted to Parliament a Cabinet list of fourteen ministries, led by some of the current interim democrat liberal ministers, but also including independent Gabriel Oprea.

Romanian President To Celebrate Fall Of Berlin Wall With Son Of Martyr Hero

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday before leaving for Berlin, Germany, to attend the events celebrating 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, that he decided to take along a young Romanian student whose mother was killed in the anti-communist revolution of 1989 in Romania.

Romanian Senate Set For Speedy Enactment Of Fiscal Liability Law

The Romanian Senate will discuss, with urgency, the legislative initiative regarding the fiscal liability law, and Senate Chairman Mircea Geoana asked dismissed Prime Minister Emil Boc to state a stance in the matter within three days.

Romanian Social Democrats Give Proposed Govt The Cold Shoulder

Romanian social democrat head Mircea Geoana said Monday the social democrat MPs will not attend the procedures involved in the confirmation of the Negoita government, so as not to legitimize, through their presence, "the parody" prepared by President Traian Basescu.

Romanian Cable Operators Push For Law On Telecom Infrastructure

The Romanian Cable Communications Association urged competent authorities to pass a law on telecom infrastructure, arguing the Romanian cable services industry is "at the beck and call of local authorities and owners of utility poles", which hinders upgrades on the local telecom networks.

Romanian Subway Unionists To Call Gen Strike As Of Nov 16 If Wage Talks Fail

Employees of Romania’s state-owned subway company Metrorex will go on general strike indefinitely as of November 16 if negotiations with management on wage raises fail, union leader Ion Radoi said Monday.

Romanian Democrat Liberals, Christian Democrats Signed Protocol To Back President For Reelection

Romanian Democrat Liberal Party and the Christian Democratic People’s Party signed Monday a protocol stating that the two parties will back President Traian Basescu for reelection.

Romanian Insurer Allianz-Tiriac To Raise Auto Civil Liability Policy Prices By 20% In 2010

Romanian insurer Allianz-Tiriac Asigurari will increase price for auto civil liability policy RCA by at least 20% for contracts starting January 1, 2010, and in some cases prices will double compared to the beginning of 2009, the insurer’s general manager Cristian Constantinescu said Monday.

Romanian Social Democrats To Delay Conf Vote For New Govt Until After Elections -Sources

Romania’s opposition Social Democratic Party decided Monday to delay holding confidence vote for the country’s new government until December, after presidential elections, people familiar with the matter told MEDIAFAX Monday.

Romanian Jan-Sept Trade Gap Narrows To EUR6.93B

Romania’s trade deficit narrowed in the first nine months to EUR6.93 billion from EUR17.98 billion in the same period the year before, the National Statistics Institute said Monday.

Romania Sept Adjusted Industrial Output Up 1.3% On Month

Romania's adjusted industrial production rose 1.3% in September compared with August, while unadjusted output increased 21.3% on the month, the National Statistics Institute said Monday.

Romanian PM-Designate To Announce Proposed Cabinet Monday Afternoon

Romania’s Prime Minster-designate Liviu Negoita said he will have a list of proposed ministers sent to Parliament Monday afternoon, adding the Cabinet is backed by democrat liberals and independent lawmakers.

Romanian Intelligence Service Well-Informed On Terrorist Omar Hayssam’s Escape – Service Head

Romania’s Intelligence Service (SRI) head George Maior on Sunday said SRI knows "exactly" how Syrian businessman Omar Hayssam, tried and convicted in Romania for terrorism, fled the country and said he sent the file to the Court of Appeals in Oradea, western Romania.