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Romanian Justice Minister Reinvests Codruta Kovesi As Prosecutor General

11:45, 23 Sept. 2009
Romanian Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu signed the proposition reinvesting Laura Codruta Kovesi prosecutor general with the General Prosecution Office, the country’s Justice Ministry said in a press release Wednesday.

Rasnov Castle Closed To Visitors After Balcony Crash

10:47, 23 Sept. 2009
The medieval castle in Rasnov, central Romania, was closed to visitors after a balcony and the entire wall to which it was attached collapsed Tuesday evening without producing casualties.

Govt Ordinance On Additional Letter Of Intent With IMF Published In Official Gazette

10:21, 23 Sept. 2009
The Government Emergency Ordinance on approving the additional letter of intent to the EUR12.95 billion stand-by loan signed by Romanian and the International Monetary Fund was published Wednesday in the Official Gazette, thus enabling IMF to grant the second tranche of the loan.

Romanian Lawmaker Reads Made-Up Speech In Parliament, Lawmakers Applaud -Paper

10:01, 23 Sept. 2009
Romanian liberal lawmaker Adriana Saftoiu tested her colleagues’ attention Tuesday and read a made-up political statement, which consisted of unrelated quotes pasted together, and met with applause at the end of the speech, Romanian daily Gandul reported Wednesday.

Tramcar Derails In Romanian Capital, No Victims

09:57, 23 Sept. 2009
A tramcar ran off the rails Wednesday morning in Romania's capital city Bucharest at the Progresul-Calea Rahovei juncture and authorities said there were no victims.

Dinu Patriciu, Georgian Ex-PM Buy 91% Stake In Georgian Bk For $15M

19:58, 22 Sept. 2009
Romanian businessman Dinu Patriciu and Georgia’s former premier Lado Gurgenidze have acquired control over the People's Bank of Georgia (PBG), after purchasing 91% of the lender’s shares in a deal reported at $15 million.

Romania’s Pension Sys Needs Sound, Though Painful Principles – PM

19:09, 22 Sept. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday at the presidential palace that the public pension system law promoted by the government will be based on sound, “although painful” principles.

Romania To Get 2nd Tranche From IMF Very Soon – PM

17:48, 22 Sept. 2009
Romania will receive a second tranche from the International Monetary Fund loan very shortly and it will use half of the EUR1.85 billion to finance the budget deficit, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday.

Railway Unionists Call For Romanian Transp Min Resignation

16:58, 22 Sept. 2009
Railway unionists threaten to go on strike and are asking for the resignation of Romanian Transport Minister Radu Berceanu, subsecretary of state Constantin Axinia and of the heads of railway units over the situation and the lack of strategies in the sector.

Hollywood Actor Ethan Hawke Comes To Romania For Halloween Charity Ball

16:20, 22 Sept. 2009
Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke will return to Romania to attend the Halloween Charity Ball at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest on October 31, event organizers said Tuesday.

Romanian Presidential Committee Proposes Legal Prostitution, Clean Needle Programs

16:09, 22 Sept. 2009
Romanian Presidential Committee for the Analysis of Social and Demographic Risks proposes, in a report launched Tuesday, the disincrimination of drug consumption and the legalization of prostitution, claiming this would reduce, under certain conditions, several public health risks.

Romanian Prosecutors Launch Probe Into Main Suspect In Train Derailment Case

15:35, 22 Sept. 2009
The Prosecution Office with the Craiova Court of Appeals on Tuesday launched a criminal probe against a former railroad employee on suspicion of involvement in the railroad accident that occurred Monday morning near Carcea, in Romanian southern county of Dolj.

Farmer Threatens To Bring 1,250 Cows To Govt HQ, In Protest To Romania’s Lack Of Support

15:29, 22 Sept. 2009
A Romanian farmer warned Tuesday Agriculture Ministry officials, during the Mediafax Talks about Romanian Agriculture seminar, that he would bring his 1,250 cows to the headquarters of the government, ministry and presidential palace, upset that the state doesn’t support farmers.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Detain Chief Of Arges Fin Guard, FC Arges Manager

15:24, 22 Sept. 2009
Aurel Stoian, chief of the financial guard in Arges, southern Romania, and Gheorghe Pieca, manager of Arges football club, were heard and detained Tuesday by anticorruption prosecutors on charges of bribery in the corruption case involving FC Arges owner Cornel Penescu.

Romania’s Jan-Jul Public Debt Rises To 27.9% Of GDP

15:23, 22 Sept. 2009
Romania’s public debt rose to 27.92% of the gross domestic product in January-July period from 21.78% of the GDP at the end of last year, according to Finance Ministry data released Tuesday.

Romania’s Social Assistance System, Grossly Cheated – President

15:15, 22 Sept. 2009
Romania’s social protection system is inefficient because it is cheated by thousands of people who take early retirement because they had tonsillectomies or appendectomies and are helped by “some very generous doctors”, Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday.

Law On Food Product Trade To Bring Nearly 30% Drop In Prices – Romanian Agr Min

14:34, 22 Sept. 2009
The law on food product trade might bring about drops in prices for final consumers, of up to 30%, Romanian Agriculture Minister Ilie Sarbu said Tuesday.

Romania’s Ex Agriculture Min Criticizes Banks’ Decision Not To Finance Agriculture

14:25, 22 Sept. 2009
The decisions of the banks not to finance start-ups in agriculture is “absurd” and the state should intervene to allow farmers to get loans, Romania's former Agriculture Minister Dacian Ciolos said Tuesday.

Railway Workers In NE Romania Resume Work After Halting 15 Passenger Trains

14:09, 22 Sept. 2009
Romanian railway workers in them northeastern county of Iasi resumed activity Tuesday around 11.30 a.m. after they started a spontaneous protest in the morning and blocked 15 passenger trains and two freight trains in stations in the county.

Romanian Petrom Cuts Fuel Prices By Up To RON0.06 Per Liter

13:37, 22 Sept. 2009
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) Tuesday cut its gasoline and diesel oil prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON4.2665) and by RON0.03 per liter, respectively, the company said in a statement.

Romanian Lawmakers Adopt Inquiry Committee Report On Environment Min

13:05, 22 Sept. 2009
Romanian lawmakers adopted Wednesday a report of a parliamentary commission investigating an advertising contract awarded by the Environment Ministry and which proposes that state institutions check the respective contract.

No. Of Farming Projects In Need Of Co-Funding Up 50% In ’09 – Romania Agric Min Official

12:41, 22 Sept. 2009
The number of rural development projects in need of co-funding, submitted to Romania's Agriculture Ministry, was up 30-50% in 2009, in the fallout of the economic crisis, Agriculture Ministry secretary of state Liviu Harbuz said Tuesday.

Romania Govt Proceeds To Accept IMF 2nd Installment

12:38, 22 Sept. 2009
The Romanian Government will meet Tuesday, at 4 p.m. local time, to approve the second tranche of the loan granted by the International Monetary Fund and the supplementary letter of intent to the stand-by agreement.

Munaf’s Ten-Year Prison Sentence Ruled By Bucharest Court Of Appeals Is Final

12:15, 22 Sept. 2009
The decision ruled by the Bucharest Court of Appeals on April 10, 2008 which sentenced to ten years in prison Iraqi-American citizen Mohamad Munaf, guide to three Romanian journalists kidnapped in Iraq in 2005, is final.

IMF Board OKs Romania’s Access To EUR1.85B Tranche

08:19, 22 Sept. 2009
The International Monetary Fund's Executive Board late Monday granted Romania access to EUR1.85 billion, the second tranche of a EUR13 billion loan, and approved a higher budget deficit target.

Romania Has Enough Funds To Pay Wages, Pensions – Fin Min

20:36, 21 Sept. 2009
Romania has enough resources to pay pensions and salaries in the public sector, despite the economic crisis, Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Monday.

Romanian Justice Minister Wants To Change Cos Registration Sys

19:50, 21 Sept. 2009
Romania’s Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu proposes the Government to change the system used when registering companies at the National Trade Register Office, so that it no longer involve judges, since 17,200 cases are blocked at the institution by the magistrates’ protest.

Romanian Education Minister Not To Enforce School Mgmt Order

15:30, 21 Sept. 2009
Romanian Education Minister Ecaterina Andronescu said Monday during a meeting of the Social Democratic Party’s standing office she will not enforce the order regarding school principal appointments and added the norms of the education law will be presented Wednesday, during the government meeting.

Romanian Retailers Displeased With Anti-Competition Law

14:42, 21 Sept. 2009
The law regulating the selling of food products goes against the principle of competition and will lead to bankruptcies while also forcing foreign retailers to pull their direct investments from Romania, according to Romanian large retailers association AMRCR.

Romanian Supreme Court Magistrates To Continue Protests

14:41, 21 Sept. 2009
Romanian magistrates with the High Court of Justice decided Monday, within their general assembly, that they would continue protests, according to court officials.

Romanian PM Stands By Decision To Sack Educ Min Unless She Pulls School Mgmt Order

12:36, 21 Sept. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Monday reiterated his decision to sack social democrat Education Minister Ecaterina Andronescu unless she cancels the order she passed recently entitling her to replace and appoint school principals.

Passenger Train Goes Off Track In S Romania, No Casualties

11:56, 21 Sept. 2009
Fifteen people were hospitalized after a fast passenger train traveling from western Timisoara to capital city Bucharest went off the rails Monday morning soon after it left the railway station in Craiova, Dolj County, southern Romania.

Romanian President Traian Basescu States Priorities For Potential Second Mandate

18:37, 20 Sept. 2009
Romanian president Traian Basescu said, answering a question, that should he run for a new mandate as president his priorities would be the reform of the state, the revision of the constitution and a policy for the promotion of Romania.

Romanian Environ Ministry Might Introduce Refund For Plastic Containers Return By End ‘09

15:36, 20 Sept. 2009
Romania’s Environment Ministry might introduce by the end of the year a refund for returning plastic containers, which will be applied in large stores for starters, minister Nicolae Nemirschi said Sunday.

Romanian Interior Ministry Sets New Measures To Prevent Multiple Voting

11:45, 20 Sept. 2009
Polling stations in Romania will have personalized stamps with the election year and the number of the polling station and web cameras at the entrance to the special polling stations, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Govt Can Pay Wages, Pensions Without Delays By End ’09 – Romanian PM

18:44, 19 Sept. 2009
The Romanian Government can pay wages, pensions and social aid until the end of the year without delays, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday on Realitatea TV channel.

Romania Scores Below European Avg In International Tests – PM

18:30, 19 Sept. 2009
The lack of efficiency of the current education system is proved by the score obtained by the Romanian students in international tests, which is below the European average, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday on Realitatea TV.

Romanian Commissioner For Multilingualism Leonard Orban Ponders Career Decisions

14:43, 19 Sept. 2009
Romanian EU Commissioner for Multilingualism Leonard Orban told MEDIAFAX in an interview that he wishes he could have a second mandate as EU commissioner, but also admits that he has more options, adding that he hesitates to enter Romania’s political scene.

Magyar Democratic Union In Romania Can Form Alliance, But Not At All Costs

13:53, 19 Sept. 2009
The Magyar Democratic Union in Romania (UDMR) is able to form a governing alliance with other parties, but not at all costs, party leader Marko Bela said on Saturday.

Romanian Social Democratic Women Back Adrian Severin For EU Commissioner

13:09, 19 Sept. 2009
Rovana Plumb, head of the women branch within Romania’s Social Democratic Party, said she will propose the party to back MEP Adrian Severin for the European Commissioner seat.