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France Reassures Romania Of EU’s Support Over Moldovan Situation

The European Union, and France in particular, wish to reassure Romania of their support over the situation in neighboring Republic of Moldova, spokesman of the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in a press conference Friday.

Romania Might Extend Car Scrapping Progr To Companies – Min

Romania could extend its vehicle scrapping program to include economic operators, provided the Finance Ministry sanctions the project, Environment Minister Nicolae Nemirschi said Saturday.

Romanian Govt OKs Budget Revision, Lump Sum Tax And Wage Bonus Cap

Romanian government on Saturday approved the first budget revision of the year, the introduction of the lump sum tax, as well as an act limiting salary bonuses in the public sector.

Romania’s Green House Progr Might Include Biomass As Alternative Energy Source

Romania’s Green House program, aimed at stimulating the development of renewable energy equipment, might include biomass as an alternative to conventional heating sources, Environment Minister Nicolae Nemirschi said Saturday.

Moldovan Authorities Release Antena 3 Reporter

Ion Terguta, a reporter in Chisinau for Romanian TV station Antena 3, was detained Friday, around 12.30 p.m, and released at around 6 p.m. by Moldovan authorities.

Chisinau Police Releases Detained TVR Reporter

Romanian TVR reporter Doru Dendiu was released by Chisinau police, TVR News Department interim manager Madalina Radulescu told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Econ Min Deems Mioveni Area Proper For New Nuclear Pwr Plant

The southern Romanian area of Mioveni meets the criteria for the construction of the new nuclear plant, and the Nuclear Fuel Factory in this area is doubling its production capacity as of 2010 or 2011, according to Economy Minister Adriean Videanu.

Romanian Education Min Seeks Solutions To Raise Teachers’ Wages 33% As Of Jan 2010

Romania’s Education Ministry is seeking ways to increase teachers’ wages by 33% as of January next year, as a 9% pay raise has already been assigned for this year, minister Ecaterina Andronescu told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romanian Govt To Grant State Aid For Renault’s Car Testing Center – PM

Romanian government will support carmaker Dacia, owned by France's Renault, including by state aid granted to Renault Technologie Roumanie (RTR) car testing center in Titu, southern Romania, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Friday.

Draft Ordinance Sets Salaries In Romanian Justice

A draft emergency ordinance establishes the salaries and other salary rights of staff in Romanian justice, and the monthly salary of drivers is higher than that of an entry level clerk with higher education.

Romanian Six Y-O Boy, Baby Among Italy Quake Victims

The names of five Romanians, including a six year old boy and a baby just a few months old, are on the list of victims of the powerful earthquake that shook Italy, which Italian civil protection authorities published Friday.

Romania’s Capital City Bucharest To Host 16th Edition Of EUROPAfest In May

Romania’s capital city Bucharest will host the 16th edition of famous festival EUROPAfest, during May 7 and 13, which will delight the audience with live concerts of blues, jazz, pop and classical music performed by over 300 artists from 40 countries, the organizers of the event said Friday.

Romanian Press Club Urges Moldovan Authorities To Protect Romanian Journalists In Chisinau

The Romanian Press Club (CRP) urged Moldovan authorities to be extremely “rational” and carefully coordinate their actions with respect to the presence of Romanian journalists in Chisinau these days, as they are are only doing their job and must get protection in this respect.

Five Romanians Caught Looting Abandoned Italian House

Five Romanian nationals were detained on Friday in the Italian province of L’Aquila (in the Abruzzo region) when they were caught attempting to rob a house abandoned due to the earthquake Monday, according to news website Tgcom.

Romania Received No Official Information Regarding Romanians Arrested In Chisinau

Romanian foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu said Friday after a council meeting at the ministry that Moldova hasn’t sent any official information regarding Romanian citizens arrested in Chisinau, although unofficial sources and the media report there are such cases.

Romania Ex-WBA Champ Leonard Doroftei, Coach Open Boxing School In Ploiesti

Romania's former WBA lightweight champion Leonard Doroftei and coach Titi Tudor will launch this fall a boxing school in Doroftei’s hometown of Ploiesti, 60 kilometers from capital Bucharest.

Moldovan President Demands Parliamentary Election Vote Recount

Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin asked the Constitution Court on Friday to order a new recount of the votes following parliamentary elections on Sunday which handed the victory to the incumbent communists and sparked violent protests, AFP reported.

Moldovan Police Seized Bus Carrying Moldovan Students From W Romania

A bus transporting 20 Moldovan students from the western Romanian city of Oradea and heading for the Moldovan capital Chisinau was seized by police in Calarasi, about 50 kilometers away from the capital, according to students’ leader Anatol Cojocari.

Moldovan Police Squads Attacked Pro TV Chisinau Staff

Constantin Rogodantev, camera operator for Moldovan TV station Pro TV, was assaulted Thursday night by police squads protecting the headquarters of Moldovan government, Pro TV Chisinau reported.

Romania Might Introduce Pollution Tax In 2010 To Replace Car Tax – Environment Min

Romanian environment minister Nicolae Nemirschi said Friday after a public debate that the ministry plans to introduce a tax as of 2010, calculated considering pollution levels, to replace the country’s current car tax.

DNA Places C Romania Armed Robbery Suspect Gribenco At Crime Scene -Sources

Testing of DNA traces found in the area of the armed robbery that occurred late January in Brasov, central Romania, which left two people dead, match the DNA of suspect Serghei Gribenco, sources close to the investigation said Friday.

Hundreds Of Moldovans Taken To Chisinau By Bus To Attend Protests Friday

Hundreds of people living in localities around the Moldovan capital Chisinau were taken to the capital by bus Thursday night to participate in anticommunist protests Friday, Moldovan agency BASA-press reported.

Romania’s Ex-Secret Service Official Appointed Interim Deputy Head Of Interior Min Division

Former head of the General Counterespionage Department within the Romanian Secret Service SRI, Paul Iordache, who was involved in the SRI-KGB scandal in 2001, was appointed interim deputy head of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Division within the Interior Ministry, official sources said.

Bucharest Police Chief Transfer Unrelated To Mall Conflict – Min

Romanian Ministry of Administration and Interior on Friday said the transfer of Bucharest Police chief Marian Tutilescu to the department for driver’s licenses and registrations is work-related and has no connections whatsoever with the recent scandal involving a police officer at a Bucharest mall.

Three Romanian Journalists Detained By Moldovan Police, Released A Few Hours Later

Three journalists of Romanian TV station Realitatea TV were detained Thursday night by police in the Republic of Moldova and were released a few hours later, Realitatea TV reported on its website.

Romania’s March CPI +0.5% M-M, Annual Inflation Narrows To 6.71%

Romanian consumer price index rose by a higher-than-expected 0.5% in March compared with the previous month, but the annual inflation fell to 6.71% from 6.89% end-February, the National Statistics Institute reported Friday.

Romania’s Feb Retail Sales Dn 7.9% On Yr

Romania’s retail sales, except for sales of vehicles and motorbikes, were down 7.9% in February, compared with the same month a year ago due to the lower sales of fuel and goods, the National Statistical Institute said Friday.

Bucharest Police Chief Marian Tutilescu Replaced – Sources

The chief of the Bucharest Police, Marian Tutilescu, was replaced Thursday in the aftermath of the scandal at the Plaza Romania mall, according to official sources.

Romania’s Cernavoda Nuclear Plant Restarts 2nd Reactor

The second reactor of Romania's sole nuclear plant in southern Cernavoda was restarted Thursday and reached its nominal power at around GMT 1300, the state-owned nuclear energy producer Nuclearelectrica said.

Romania Gets IMF Agreement In Principle On EUR13B Loan – PM

Romanian Government received from the International Monetary Fund the agreement in principle for the EUR12.95 billion stand-by loan, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romanian Women To Get Pap Smear Testing Charge Free Starting Autumn

Romania’s Health Ministry will unfold a national heath program starting this autumn, for a period of at least five years, allowing women countrywide to benefit from Babes-Papanicolaou testing charge free, which targets to detect pre-cancer and cervical cancer.

Romanian Cos To Pay Turnover-Based Lump-Sum Tax Of Up To EUR10,000 – Fin Min

The lump-sum tax will be calculated according to the companies’ turnover, between an annual minimum level of EUR500 and a maximum ceiling of EUR10,000, the employers’ proposal being accepted by Romania’s Finance Ministry.

Romanian Govt Coalition Maintains Salaries In Education – Sources

The Romanian government coalition decided Thursday that salaries in education will not drop, the minimum pension will be maintained and the pension point will grow to 43.3%, investments will be maintained and leasing companies will be exempt from the lump sum tax, social democrat sources told MEDIAFAX.

EU Calls On Moldova To Resume Normal Relations With Romania

The European Union on Thursday called on Moldovan authorities to resume normal relations with Romania, a EU member since 2007, and to respect all constitutional freedoms.

Romania Urges Moldova To Officially Say How Many Romanians It Arrested

Romanian foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu told a news conference Thursday that Romania notified Moldovan authorities and firmly asked them to communicate officially the number of Romanians arrested to allow them to get consular help.

Romania Notified OSCE Press Freedom Rep On Moldova Situation

Romania has notified the representative for freedom of the media within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) regarding the situation in Moldova, urging the investigation of all cases where freedom of expression was breached, foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu said.

Holiday Tickets Available As Of April 09 – Romanian Tourism Min

Holiday tickets are available on the Romanian market starting with Thursday, April 9, while companies interested can purchase them at issuing units, said Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea.

FOCUS: Romania ’09 Easter Food Sales Seen Similar With ’08 Sales or Lower

Romania's Easter food sales will be higher than sales in a regular month, but the growth rate will be similar to that in 2008 or lower, following a decrease in consumption due to the economic crisis, according to Romanian owners’ associations in the food industry, who added prices will not go up.

Moldova’s Visa Policy Breaches Agreement With EU – Romanian FM

Romanian foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu said Thursday the Republic of Moldova’s decision to reintroduce visas for Romanians breaches the country’s agreement with the European Union and recommended Romanian citizens to avoid trips to the neighboring country.

Moldovan Protests Spark Sovereignty Worries In Transdniester – Media

The role played by “the Romanian factor” in the Moldovan protests, announced by Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin, determined breakaway region Transdniester to demand guarantees regarding its own sovereignty, according to Russian media.