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Romania 1H Public Debt Rises To 23.27% Of GDP

19:00, 18 Aug. 2009
Romania’s public debt rose to 23.27% of the gross domestic product in the first six months from 21.78% at the end of last year, according to Finance Ministry data.

Romanian Tourism Minister Sues Liberal VP Ludovic Orban For Abuse Of Office

17:49, 18 Aug. 2009
Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea on Tuesday sues liberal vice-president Ludovic Orban for abuse of office, a day after the media made public a recording of the discussion held by the inquiry committee led by Orban regarding the tourism minister’s activity.

Romania Ctrl Bk To Use Own Cash To Refund EUR5B IMF Loan Tranche – Fin Min

15:32, 18 Aug. 2009
The Romanian central bank will use its own funds to repay a EUR5 billion first tranche from a total EUR13 billion loan agreed with the International Monetary Fund, and not public money, the country’s Finance Ministry said Monday.

Romanian Pay TV Co. RCS&RDS Mulls Hiking Capital To RON250M

14:42, 18 Aug. 2009
Romanian satellite TV, phone and internet company RCS&RDS will discuss in September hiking its share capital to 250 million lei (EUR1-RON4.2173) by cash payment or through compensation of exigible and liquid receivables.

Romania President Believes Not Everyone Agrees With Reforming The Education System

14:25, 18 Aug. 2009
Romanian president Traian Basescu said Tuesday during a debate on the education reform that “some would want us to remain at the diagnosis level regarding the education laws, without ever adopting real solutions,” adding that this is the right moment for the reform to be made.

Romania Is Still Open To Other Pwr Projects Besides Nabucco – Econ Min

14:13, 18 Aug. 2009
Romania remains open to other power projects except for Nabucco, Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said Tuesday, not excluding a possible participation in the Russian-Italian rival project South Stream.

Romanian Govt Gives Transport Min RON7.5M For Railway Repairs In C Romania

13:38, 18 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Government could increase this year’s budget for the Ministry of Transport by 7.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2216) for works on the Brasov-Podu Olt railway line, which was damaged by heavy rain in July.

Romania’s 1H Long-Term Goods Mkt Dn 40.4% Y-Y, At EUR664M – Survey

13:38, 18 Aug. 2009
Romania’s long-term use goods market dropped by 40.4% in the first semester, at EUR664 million, compared with the similar period a year earlier, and by 46.8% on the year in the second quarter, at EUR308 million, according to a survey conducted by market researching company GfK.

Romanian News Television Vox News To Go On Air By Yearend

12:59, 18 Aug. 2009
News television station Vox News received Tuesday the audiovisual license from the Romanian National Council for the Audiovisual (CNA) and will go on air by the end of the year, according to station manager Emil Jascau.

Romanian Tourism Min Refuses To Acknowledge Inquiry Committee

20:13, 17 Aug. 2009
Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea said Monday she decided to sue the participants in the discussions held in the inquiry committee, whose recording was made public by media.

The Romanian Anti-Crisis Plan Is Vague, Lacking In Foundation – Analysts

19:59, 17 Aug. 2009
The anti-crisis measures proposed by the Romanian governing coalition are too vague, since they do not quantify budget efforts and the effects of each action, and the impact on the economy could be relatively reduced, according to analysts contacted by MEDIAFAX.

Bucharest General Mayor Voices Out Restructuring, Staff Cuts To Improve Services

18:12, 17 Aug. 2009
Bucharest general mayor Sorin Oprescu on Monday said he would resort to staff cuts and restructure several bodies under the authority of the Bucharest mayoralty, in a move to render services more efficient.

Romania Chamber Speaker To Request Udrea Committee Suspension

17:57, 17 Aug. 2009
Romanian Chamber Speaker Roberta Anastase said Monday she will propose in the Chamber of Deputies’ Standing Office the suspension of the activity at the Udrea Committee.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Ask For The Commission Investigating Tourism Minister To Be Disbanded

17:06, 17 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Democratic Liberal Party officially asks for the parliament committee investigating tourism minister Elena Udrea to be disbanded, Adrian Videanu, vice-president of PDL said Monday, after a party leadership meeting.

Romanian Udrea Committee To Continue Works Tuesday

16:52, 17 Aug. 2009
The president of the Romanian public procurement regulator ANRMAP, Cristina Traila, is expected Tuesday for hearings within the Udrea Committee.

Romania’s Cap City New Apartment Prices Dn Up To 40% Y-Y In 1H – Survey

15:53, 17 Aug. 2009
The prices in euro currency of the new dwellings from Romania’s capital city Bucharest dropped by 15-40% in average in the first semester compared with the same period a year ago, touching 2005‘s prices, according to a survey conducted by real estate consultancy firm CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

Romanian SME Min To Procure Consultancy Services Worth RON17.4M

15:52, 17 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Ministry for Small and Medium Sized Companies (SMEs) intends to buy consultancy services worth 17.4 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2216), in view of opening single offices for companies, developing strategies for the business environment and evaluating administrative barriers.

Romania Posts 6th Largest 5-Mo Trade Gap In EU

15:51, 17 Aug. 2009
Romania posted the sixth largest trade deficit in the European Union bloc in the first five months, with both exports and imports falling compared to last year, the EU’s statistics agency Eurostat said Monday.

Romanian Citizens To Go To Japan Without Visa, September 1

15:02, 17 Aug. 2009
Romanian citizens will be able to travel to Japan without visa, from September 1, but they will have to present a valid passport, while the visit should not last more than 90 days, according to the Japanese Embassy to Bucharest.

Corus Partners Up With Romanian Peer In EUR12M Deal

14:57, 17 Aug. 2009
Corus, the European arm of India's Tata Steel Ltd., will invest some EUR12 million together with a Romanian peer in a production unit in Sfantu Gheorghe, central Romania, local authorities said Monday.

Romania’s Ruling Coalition OKs 32 Anti-Crisis Measures To Be Enforced Sep 1

12:41, 17 Aug. 2009
Mircea Geoana, head of the Romanian Social Democratic Party, announced Monday after the ruling coalition’s meeting that PSD and PDL agreed on 32 anti-crisis measures that would be enforced on September 1.

Romanian Authorities Confirm 31 New AH1N1 Virus Cases, Toll Reaches 253

12:30, 17 Aug. 2009
Romania’s Center for Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases found 31 new AH1N1 flu cases between August 10-16, which increases the total number of infections to 253, the Health Ministry said Monday.

New Romania – Bulgaria Ferry Line To Be Launched In Oct – Press

11:39, 17 Aug. 2009
The ferry line linking Romania’s Turnu Magurele to Bulgaria’s Nikopol will be launched in October, after the completion of a ten-kilometer road, mayor of the locality Nikopol, Valerii Zhelazkov said cited by Bulgaria’s BTA news agency, Sofia Echo informed on its website.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Propose 37 Anti-Crisis Measures

17:58, 16 Aug. 2009
Romanian economy minister Adriean Videanu presented Sunday in a press conference the anti-crisis measures proposed by his party, such as the widening of de minimis aid for small and medium sized companies (SMEs), adding 37 measures have been found and will be discussed in the Government coalition.

Romanian Low-Cost Tourism Program „One Week By The Sea” To Start Sep 1

14:37, 16 Aug. 2009
The Federation of Owners in Romanian Tourism will launch, between September 1 and 30, the 15th edition of the program "One week by the sea", offering a choice between 62 one to four-star hotels, with prices between 159 lei (EUR1=RON4.2116) and RON400 for six nights.

Romanian Mayors May Keep Staff Above Norms, But Lose Govt Funding

14:35, 16 Aug. 2009
Romanian deputy Prime Minister Dan Nica said Sunday that following talks with local public representatives resulted in the establishment of principles for the decentralization of public administration, including staff norms, which means a reduction in mayoralty staff numbers.

Romania To Resume Econ Growth In 2010 – Pres

17:53, 15 Aug. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Saturday said on private television ProTV that the country will resume the economic growth as of 2010 and sees no perspective on stopping the negative economic growth of the gross domestic product.

Acting President Traian Basescu Will Run For Second Mandate – Romanian Transp Min

14:29, 15 Aug. 2009
Romanian transport minister Radu Berceanu on Saturday said he is sure that acting president Traian Basescu will run for a second mandate and will announce his candidacy close to the start of the electoral campaign.

Romanian Doctors Should Earn At Least RON5,000 – Health Minister

17:33, 14 Aug. 2009
Romanian health minister Ion Bazac said Friday that the “decent minimum wage” of a doctor should amount to 5,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2116).

UPDATE: Thirteen Dead, Three Badly Injured In Train-Hit Van, In NE Romania

17:25, 14 Aug. 2009
Other two people of those injured on Friday in the train-hit van in Iasi, north-eastern Romania, died on the way to the hospital, increasing the death toll to thirteen, including one infant, deputy secretary of state Raed Arafat said Friday.

Romania’s Draft Code Of Education Up For Public Debate For 3 Weeks

16:53, 14 Aug. 2009
Romania’s draft Code of Education was launched for public debate Friday, on the Education Ministry’s website and it will be analyzed by social partners and the representatives of parents, pupils and students, over the next three weeks.

Romanian Transport Min Keeps Bridge Toll, Introduces Tachograph Inspections

14:35, 14 Aug. 2009
The Romanian Ministry of Transport will maintain the tax on the Cernavoda bridge and will introduce inspections for road toll, tachographs, as well as a permanent scale for heavy trucks, said transport minister Radu Berceanu.

Romania PM: Public Sector Layoffs Depend On Performance Evaluations, Family Situation

14:04, 14 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Friday said layoffs in the public sector would be made based on performance evaluations, adding the family situation of certain employees will also be considered to avoid sacking the members of the same family.

Romania Needs At Most 150 Hospitals, Has Triple Number – Health Minister

14:01, 14 Aug. 2009
Romanian health minister Ion Bazac said Friday that Romania needs at most 150 hospitals and the number of hospitals in the country is currently triple and the healthcare sector needs restructuring.

Romanian Prime Minister To Analyze Solutions Regarding Education Laws

13:58, 14 Aug. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Friday he will analyze the solutions regarding the two packs of laws on education, one drawn up by a presidential commission and the other by the Education Ministry.

Romanian University “Spiru Haret” Allowed To Admit Students For ’09-’10 School Year

13:45, 14 Aug. 2009
The Bucharest Court of Appeals decided Friday to suspend two articles of Government Decision 749/2009 eliminating "Spiru Haret” University from the list of acknowledged universities and banning the organization of 2009-2010 admission contests for new students looking to study at the university.

Romania July Inflation Rate Highest In EU27

13:45, 14 Aug. 2009
Romania reported the highest annual inflation rate in the European Union in July, followed closely by neighbor Hungary, EU’s statistics agency Eurostat said Friday.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Hear Ex-Youth&Sports Min In Corruption Case

12:15, 14 Aug. 2009
Romania’s former youth and sports minister Monica Iacob Ridzi went Friday morning to the National Anticorruption Department (DNA) for hearings in connection with contracts concluded between the Youth Ministry and companies Artisan and Mark for organizing the festivities on the “Youth Day” on May 2.

Problems In Romanian Judiciary, Public Administration Can Only Be Fixed By Spending Cuts – President

11:59, 14 Aug. 2009
Romanian president Traian Basescu said Friday that problems in the judicial system and public administration can only be solved by lowering expenses, adding the finance minister’s proposal to force people into ten days of unpaid leave is wrong.

Romanian President Says Privatization Auth Was Wrong To Shut Down Tractor Maker

11:40, 14 Aug. 2009
Romanian president Traian Basescu said Friday the country’s privatization authority AVAS was hasty in deciding to shut down tractor maker Tractorul Brasov, adding a government program helping farmers buy tractors would have helped the country’s agriculture sector.