English

Romanian Govt Halts Program Helping Students Buy Computers

14:23, 25 Iun. 2009
The Romanian government decided to suspend this year a program that granted EUR200 aid to help students in low income families buy computers, citing the need to revise selection criteria for beneficiaries and run detailed check-ups on applicants.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Indict Refereeing Corruption Suspects

14:22, 25 Iun. 2009
Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors (DNA) indicted on Thursday Florin Prunea, Gheorghe Constantin, Liviu Facaleata, Cornel Penescu and Cristian Libertatu, suspects in the refereeing corruption case.

Romanian Dacia Tops Renault, Citroen, Ford, Opel In German Client Satisfaction Survey

14:04, 25 Iun. 2009
Romanian carmaker Dacia ranked 13 in a survey regarding the satisfaction of German clients, overtaking France’s Renault and Citroen, U.S. Ford and Germany’s Opel.

EC Urges Romania To Amend Car Tax Legislation

13:43, 25 Iun. 2009
The European Commission sent Romania a letter of formal notice regarding the registration tax for cars, the first stage in the procedure for violations of community law, demanding the amendment of relevant legislation and adding the current system creates discrimination and protects the domestic new

Romania Transp Min Official: Certified Driving Instructors To Be Licensed Under New Rules

13:06, 25 Iun. 2009
Romania’s Transport Ministry secretary of state, Eusebiu Pistru, on Thursday said there will be drafted methodological norms whereby certified driving instructors will be licensed, to allow harsher checkups on driving instructors and force them to pay all taxes to the state budget.

Scholarships Will Match The Number Of Requests From Moldova, Ukraine – Romanian President

12:53, 25 Iun. 2009
Romanian president Traian Basescu said Thursday the Romanian state would be glad to receive as many scholarship requests as possible from Romanian speaking youths in Moldova and Ukraine, adding 70 youths from Transdniester will begin studying in Romania.

Romanian CFR’s Debts To Pwr Suppliers Won’t Be Written Off – Econ Min Off

12:50, 25 Iun. 2009
Three Romanian ministers discussed Wednesday about state-owned railway company CFR’s debts towards power suppliers, and, even though no final decision was reached during the talks, the possibility write off the debts was excluded.

EC Calls On Romania to Disacrd Household Energy Regulated Prices – Energy Watchdog Official

12:48, 25 Iun. 2009
The European Commission asks Romania to give up the household regulated electricity tariffs, in a notification on the startup of an infringement procedure, Thursday said Maria Manicuta, a manager in the country’s energy regulation authority ANRE.

Romanian Govt Sets New Terms For Farming Units Activity To Avoid EC Sanctions

12:10, 25 Iun. 2009
The Romanian Government decided that slaughterhouses, as well as units processing, storing, transporting and manufacturing animal products and by-products, will only function based on sanitary-veterinary licenses and prior official checkups, to avoid sanctions from the European Commission.

Romania’s Petrom Starts Exploring Kazakh Oil Field, In EUR180M Invest

11:52, 25 Iun. 2009
Romania’s dominant oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) announced Thursday to begin production on Kazakhstan’s Komsomolskoe oil field, through TOO Kom – Munai, in an EUR180 million investment.

Slovak Sky Europe Agrees To Pay Daily Taxes To Romanian Airport

11:42, 25 Iun. 2009
Airline company Sky Europe accepted paying daily, in cash, the airport services provided by the "Aurel Vlaicu" (Baneasa) Airport in Bucharest, so traffic is unfolding normally, airport general manager George Mihalcea told MEDIAFAX.

Over 200 Romanian Independent Driving Instructors Picket Transp Ministry HQ

11:36, 25 Iun. 2009
Over 200 Romanian independent driving instructors from all over the country are protesting in front of Transport Ministry building, urging the Romanian Road Authority (ARR) to annul the decision that bans driving schools from working with them.

Romanian Govt Eyes Cancelling Controversial Police Car Purchase Contracts

20:53, 24 Iun. 2009
The Romanian Government decided to take legal action in a bid to cancel the contracts concluded, last year, between the Romanian Police and the company Ager Leasing, for the purchase of police cruisers, Government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romania Is A Transit Country On Heroin Traffic Route – UN Report

20:01, 24 Iun. 2009
Drug consumption is low among Romanian youths, but the country is part of the heroin transit route, according to 2009’s World Drug Report published Wednesday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Romanian Govt Increases Most Gambling Taxes – Sources

19:56, 24 Iun. 2009
The Romanian Government decided to increase most gambling taxes and the minimum required share capital for the gambling license, Government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Public Procurement Watchdog Fined Ministries, Cos, Sports Clubs Over Faulty Purchases

17:10, 24 Iun. 2009
Romania’s public procurement watchdog ANRMAP applied last year nearly one hundred fines ranging between 5,000 and 140,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2284) to ministries, public institutions, state-owned companies and sports clubs for breaches of public procurement procedures.

Romanian PM Asks Finance Ministry To Analyze Co-Financing Guarantees For All Programs

17:01, 24 Iun. 2009
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc asked the Finance Ministry on Wednesday to analyze the possibility to guarantee co-financing for all operational programs, after ministers complained that banks did not send letters of guarantee in time.

Romanian Govt To Hike Corporate Deposits Guarantee Limit To EUR50,000

16:53, 24 Iun. 2009
The Romanian Government will hike the guarantee threshold for companies' bank deposits to EUR50,000 from EUR20,000, after it increased the guarantee ceiling for household deposits in October.

Romanian Predeal City Hall To Invest RON17M In Ski Slopes

16:42, 24 Iun. 2009
The mayoralty of Predeal town, also a famed ski resort in Romanian central county of Brasov, plans to assign over 17 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2284), VAT not included, for landscaping works on ski slopes to meet international standards needed to organize the 2013 Olympic Festival for European Youth.

Romanians Depend Too Much On Social Welfare – President

16:13, 24 Iun. 2009
Romanian President Traian Basescu said on Wednesday that, in 2008, half of Romania’s population received social aid, which in his opinion is wasteful and is caused by “populist” political behavior.

Romanian Lawmakers OK Setup Of Committee To Check Contract Awarded By Environment Min

15:56, 24 Iun. 2009
Romania’s Chamber of Deputies approved Wednesday 186 to one vote and one abstention the creation of an investigation committee to look into the awarding by negotiation of an advertising contract by the Ministry of Environment in April.

Romanian Senate Adopts Law Whereby Local Councils Set Max No Of Taxi Licenses

14:37, 24 Iun. 2009
The Romanian Senate adopted on Wednesday a law whereby the maximum number of taxi licenses is to be fixed through a local council decision.

EC: Romania Must Reduce Budget Deficit Below 3% Of GDP By 2011

14:15, 24 Iun. 2009
The European Commission on Wednesday concluded that Romania is running an excessive deficit, and the country has to reduce the budget deficit to below 3% of the gross domestic product by 2011.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Adviser: Lenders Hiked Interests Following The Market

13:59, 24 Iun. 2009
Romania’s Competition Council is wrong in its allegation that banks have agreed on fixing interest rates, as the rate increases were caused by a market phenomenon called "prices sympathy”, said Wednesday Adrian Vasilescu, an adviser of the central bank’s governor Mugur Isarescu.

Romanian Senators Vote To Extend Pregnancy Leave To 24 Weeks

13:52, 24 Iun. 2009
Romanian senators on Wednesday adopted, 79 to one vote and one abstention, a draft law extending pregnancy leave to 24 weeks from the current 18 weeks allowed by the law.

Bucharest’s Baneasa Airport Allows One Sky Europe Plane To Take Off To Vienna

13:36, 24 Iun. 2009
Bucharest’s international Baneasa airport will allow an airplane of low-cost airliner Sky Europe to take off to Vienna on Wednesday, June 24, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

Romanian Lawmakers Refuse To Resume Vote Allowing Prosecution Of Ex PM

12:31, 24 Iun. 2009
Romanian lawmakers decided Wednesday not to resume in the fall session votes regarding the prosecution of former social democrat prime minister Adrian Nastase, just minutes after they had decided the vote would be resumed after the summer recess.

Two Sky Europe Planes Held On Bucharest’s Baneasa Airport Over Debts

12:21, 24 Iun. 2009
Two airplanes of low-cost airliner Sky Europe are being kept grounded on Bucharest international Baneasa airport over a debt of EUR529,000, Transport Ministry state secretary Marin Anton told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romanian Unionists Urge Govt To Put Off Taking Responsibility For Unitary Pay Law Until Sept

10:50, 24 Iun. 2009
Romanian unionists urged the government to put off taking responsibility for unitary and single wage law in the public sector until September to allow more debates on the issue, and the unionists’ proposal was backed by the country’s labor minister Marian Sarbu.

Romanian Officer, Bulgarian Citizen Indicted On Espionage Charges

09:55, 24 Iun. 2009
Romanian petty-officer Floricel Achim and Bulgarian citizen Zikolov Peter Marinov, under arrest in a case of espionage, have been indicted along six others.

Forty-Two Romanians In Belfast Returned To Romania

09:21, 24 Iun. 2009
Romania’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alin Serbanescu on Tuesday said 42 Romanian citizens in Belfast have been repatriated so far, adding they are among nearly 140 Romanians who said they wish to return to Romania.

Romanian Car Output Up 8.1% In May, 3.6% In Jan-May ’09

17:52, 23 Iun. 2009
Vehicle output in Romania grew by 8.1% in May, compared to the same month of the previous year, to 28,567 units, while in January-May production grew by 3.6%, compared to the similar interval of 2008, to 111,609 units.

Romanian Deputies Vote Against Prosecution Of Former PM

16:59, 23 Iun. 2009
Romanian deputies on Tuesday rejected, with 116 "pros," 100 "cons" and 10 abstentions, the prosecutor general’s request that deputies resume voting on the start of prosecution of former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase.

Bucharest Court Upholds Travel Ban On Becali

16:26, 23 Iun. 2009
A Bucharest court on Tuesday upheld a travel ban on Romanian MEP George Becali, who is facing police inquiry in a kidnapping case.

Romanian Transp Minister Sacks Manager Of Otopeni Intl Airport

15:45, 23 Iun. 2009
Romania’s transport minister Radu Berceanu on Tuesday dismissed Sorinel Ciobanu as general manager of international airport Henri Coanda Otopeni, arguing the social democrats failed to issue a statement and clearly say whether or not they back Ciobanu for this position.

JV With Gazprom For Storing Gas To Ensure Romania’s Energy Security In Winter – Econ Min

15:33, 23 Iun. 2009
The construction of the gas storage facility in Margineni, eastern Romania, in joint venture with Russian gas monopoly Gazprom will confer Romania a total energy independency during the winter period, according to the country’s economy minister Adriean Videanu.

Romanian Competition Council: „First Home” Program Doesn’t Breach State Aid Rules

14:45, 23 Iun. 2009
The “First Home” program, through which the Romanian government guarantees mortgage loans of EUR60.000 at most, does not break the state aid rules, Competition Council president Bogdan Chiritoiu said Tuesday.

EC, Romania Sign MoU On EUR5B Financial Assistance

14:27, 23 Iun. 2009
Romania and the European Commission reached agreement on a EUR5 billion balance-of-payments loan, to help Romania weather the financial crisis.

Romanian Justice Minister Confirms EC Report Delay

13:35, 23 Iun. 2009
Romanian Justice minister Catalin Predoiu said Tuesday on RFI that the European Commission’s report on the justice system will be delayed due to elections in Bulgaria, adding that Romania must take advantage of the extra time to speed up reforms.

Romanian Meteorologists Widen Code Yellow Warning For 23 Counties

12:09, 23 Iun. 2009
Heavy rains, windstorms and hail prompted Romanian meteorologists to extend a yellow code warning to 23 counties, valid Tuesday, from 10:00 to 21:00 local time.