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Romania Should Have Dismissed Ukrainian Diplomats ‘Quietly’ – Off

Romania acted wrongly in publicizing the case of two Ukrainian diplomats who were expelled over alleged involvement in an espionage scandal early this year, as the authorities in Bucharest had to take responsibility for this “unpleasant incident”, Ukrainian MP Boris Tarasiuk said Thursday.

Romanian Bks To First Cut Interest Rates For Deposits, Then For Loans –Ctrl Bker

The Romanian banks will first of all cut the interest rates at deposits and then those at loans, following central bank’s decision to cut the key monetary policy rate, Adrian Vasilescu, advisor of BNR governor said Thursday.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Sets ’10 CPI Target At 3.5%, Same As In ’09

The National Bank of Romania, or BNR, set the 2010 inflation target at 3.5%, with a one percentage point variation band, similar to 2009's target, keeping thus the February working version.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Revises Dn ’09, ’10 Inflation Forecasts

Romanian central bank revised downwards its projection on the annual inflation rate at the end of 2009 to 4.4%, from 4.5% it estimated in February.

Annual Interest Rate For Romania’s EUR5B Loan From European Commission Sets At 3% -Fin Min

The interest rate for Romania’s EUR5 billion loan from the European Commission sets at 3% per year, compared with interest rates between 11.5% and 12% for state bonds on the domestic market, minister of Finance Gheorghe Pogea said Thursday.

Romania’s March Net Salary Up M-M To RON1.402

Romania's net average salary in March was at 1,402 (EUR1=RON4.1638), higher compared with RON1.358 in the previous month, the National Institute for Statistics, or INS, said Thursday.

Basescu: Public Servants Shouldn’t Make More Money Than The President

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday said he does not care about the salary cap in the public sector following the introduction of a single and unitary law in the field, but that public servants in “civilized countries” do not make more money than the president.

Reform Is Needed In High School Curricula – Romanian Pres

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Wednesday on national radio station RRA, that the number of classes in high schools needs to be decreased, and this means many teachers will lose their jobs, "because a large percentage of teachers are of poor quality."

Foreign Contribution To Romanian Cos Shr Cap At EUR1.1B In 1Q, Dn 20% On Yr

Foreign investments as contributions to the share capital of Romanian companies totaled around EUR1.1 billion in the first quarter of 2009, down 20% from EUR1.39 billion in the corresponding period a year earlier, according to Trade Registry data.

Romanian Teachers’ Unions Sign Agreement With Ed Ministry, Exams Go Ahead

Romania's four union federations representing employees in the education sector signed an agreement with the Education, Labor and Finance Ministries on Wednesday and suspended planned strikes, which they threaten to resume anytime if the government breaches the agreement.

Romanian Lower House Speaker Mulls Publishing List Of Absentee Lawmakers Each Week

Romanian Chamber of Deputies speaker Roberta Anastase submitted Wednesday a legislative initiative according to which lists of lawmakers who are present or absent from parliamentary commission or plenary meetings would be published on the Parliament’s website each week.

Romania Interior Min Endorses Govt’s Salary Measures In Education

Romanian interior minister Dan Nica said finance minister Gheorghe Pogea assured education unionists during talks Wednesday that the government will strive to avoid reducing teachers’ salaries in 2009 and, as soon as the country’s economy revives a bit, the government will focus on low incomes.

Romanian Returning From Italy With Common Flu Sparks False Alarm

A 21-year old Romanian man returning from Italy presented swine flu symptoms and was placed in quarantine, but the results of tests performed by the Cantacuzino Institute came back negative, according to doctor Adrian Streinu Cercel, who added there are no cases of swine flu in Romania.

EC Loan Not Conditioned By Romania’s Justice Reform – EC Official

The European Commission is not conditioning a EUR5 billion loan to Romania to the country’s progress in fighting corruption, Amelia Torres, spokesperson for EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Joaquin Almunia, told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Only 7,000 Out Of 20,000 Cars Sold In First Stage Of Romania’s Car Park Renewal Program

Only little over 7,000 cars out of 20,000 available within the first stage of Romania’s car park renewal program were sold by the end of April, according to a statistic released Wednesday by the Ministry of Environment.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Injects RON2.9B In Interbank Mkt

Romanian central bank Wednesday boosted liquidity in the interbank market by lending 2.87 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2218) in a repurchase agreement operation (repo) at an annual interest rate of 10%, similar to the monetary policy rate.

Romania’s SME Min Advises Local Cos To Expand Abroad, Raise Exports

Constantin Nita, Romania’s Minister for the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Commerce and Business Environment, advises SMEs to expand abroad, saying that some locally-manufactured products are not known even on the Romanian market.

Romanian Govt Will Solve Teachers’ Financial Problems Eventually – PM

The Romanian Government will solve all of the teachers’ financial problems, cited in their negotiations with the Education Ministry, Prime Minister Emil Boc told MEDIAFAX on Wednesday.

Romanian Security Co Agents Indicted In “Mall Scandal” File

Romanian security company BGS head, Bogdan Oprea, and other 54 security agents were indicted Wednesday on charges of outrage and violent acts following the scandal at the Plaza Romania mall late February this year, judicial sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Fin Guard To Be Able To Confiscate Assets, Participate In Searches – Draft Decree

Romanian Financial Guard inspectors will have the right, during check-ups, to confiscate assets, require people checked to identify themselves and participate actively in searches, according to a draft government emergency decree obtained by MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Public Servants’ Statute Unconstitutional – Court

Romania’s Constitutional Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that the law amending the statute of public servants is unconstitutional.

Romania Senate Speaker Concerned About „Hidden” Terms For EC’s EUR5B Loan

Romania’s Senate speaker Mircea Geoana said Wednesday, at the meeting of EU states ambassadors, that it is not at all fair that the European Commission and the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) tie the EUR5 billion loan from the EC to the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.

Eight Of The Romanian Sailors Captured Tuesday Are From Constanta

Eight of the eleven Romanian sailors in the crew of Victoria, an Antiguan ship, who were kidnapped Tuesday by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, are from the Romanian city of Constanta, while the rest are from the counties of Prahova, Dambovita and Galati.

Romania’s Tarom Carried 312,300 Passengers In 1Q 2009

Romanian airline Tarom carried 312,300 passengers between January and March this year, 16.3% less than in the same period last year, according to data of the Association of European Airlines (AEA).

Romanian President: A 10% Jobless Rate Will Trigger Major Social Problems

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday evening on the national television that the country is bound to face major social problems if the unemployment rate touches nearly 10%.

Somali Pirates Abduct 11 Romanians In Aden Gulf

All 11 Romanian sailors aboard the ship Victoria, flying an Antiguan flag, were kidnapped Tuesday evening by Somali pirates in the Aden Gulf.

Romanian Pres: Banks Deemed Willing To Partner Up With Govt, But Little Changes So Far

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday he asked local banks to partner up with the Government, to which the lenders responded positively but they came up with almost nothing so far.

IMF Releases First Tranche Of EUR12.95B Loan – Romanian Pres

Romanian President Traian Basescu said the International Monetary Fund released Tuesday the first tranche of the EUR12.95 billion loan, adding that ECOFIN approved the European Commission loan to Romania, worth of EUR5 billion.

Romanian President Urges Investors To Refrain From Mass Layoffs

Romanian President Traian Basescu Tuesday called on company owners and investors to think “ten times” before operating massive layoffs and suggested a partnership with the government to cushion the effects of the economic crisis.

Romanian Tourists Produced 75 Tons Of Waste On May 1 Vacation

Some 75 tons of waste were collected from the Romanian seaside beaches behind the tourists who spent their May 1 vacation there, but the quantity is approximately one third lower than the one collected last year.

Romania May Regain „Investment Grade” Rating By ’10 – BCR

Romania could regain its status of “investment grade” by 2010, in an optimistic scenario, if it meets the conditions of the financial multilateral agreement with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, analysts of Romania’s largest lender BCR said Tuesday.

Romanian Businessman Gigi Becali Investigated For Forgery

Romanian businessman Gigi Becali will be tried by Bucharest sector 1 prosecutors in connection with an alleged forgery in the wealth statement submitted with his candidacy for a seat in the European Parliament, prosecution sources told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian Opposition’s No-Confidence Motion To Be Debated Monday

The no-confidence motion "The great PDL-PSD hoax" will be presented Monday in a plenary Parliament meeting and it will be debated and voted Wednesday, according to a decision rendered by the leaders of the two chambers of Parliament.

Economic Crisis Can Evolve Into Social Crisis – Romanian President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday that the current economic crisis can evolve into a social crisis, the way it happened in some EU states.

Fixed Radars In Romania Suspended Since Apr 24

Romanian authorities decide to suspend fixed radars across the country as of April 24 following an inquiry into allegedly faulty public procurement procedures for the radars.

Romanian Public Sector Single Salary Law Backed Strongly By PM

Romania prime minister Emil Boc said Tuesday at the Ministry of Labor, in talks about the single salary law in the public sector, that those who believe in special laws should not be in the government and secretaries of state should forget such views or resign.

Romanian Liberals To Challenge Senate Head’s CSAT Vice Presidency

The Romanian National Liberal Party will challenge, at the Constitutional Court, Government Emergency Ordinance 224 allowing Senate president Mircea Geoana to become vice president of the High Council for National Defense, said liberal MP George Scutaru.

Half Of Romanian SMEs Seriously Affected By Econ Crisis – Poll

Half of Romanian small and medium-sized firms are seriously and severely affected by the economic and financial crisis, according to a poll conducted in April by the National Council of Private SMEs in Romania.

Steaua’s Golanski Hit In The Head With Rock

Polish defender Pawel Golanski of Steaua Bucharest had to be rushed in to the hospital on Tuesday after an unknown assailant threw a rock at the team’s car and hit him in the head, police said.

EC Experts Say Romanian Govt Should Direct Investments To Workforce

European Commission experts present in Bucharest to carry out an evaluation and prepare July’s country report took part in the ministers’ meeting on the topic of Communitarian funds and suggested the Romanian Government should direct investments to the development of human resources.