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European Council Sets Financing For Nabucco – Romanian President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Friday in Brussels that the European Council approved the financing for the Nabucco project, and for the interconnecting pipeline between Romanian and Hungarian gas transport systems.

Finnish Soprano Tarja Turunen To Play Bucharest On June 22

Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen, former vocalist of Nightwish, will return to Romania for a concert at Sala Palatului in Bucharest on June 22, part of her European tour "Summer Storm 2009", organizers ARTmania said Friday.

Romanian SMEs No Longer Welcome Holiday Tickets

Romania’s Council for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on Friday announced they have reconsidered the opportunity of holiday tickets for employees, arguing the move will put 20% of the SMEs out of business.

Moody’s Affirms Romania At Baa3, With Stable Outlook

Moody's Investors Service affirmed Friday the Baa3 local and foreign currency ratings of the Romanian government, with a stable outlook, citing the moderated public debt burden, though it expects Romanian economy to contract in 2009.

Romanian Railway Union Unhappy With Plans To Fire 12,000 People, Threaten Major Strike

The program of restructuring of the Romanian railway sector does not offer any form of social protection for laid-off personnel, according to the documents received Friday by the railway workers’ union, who stated they oppose the dismissal of some 12,000 people.

Moody’s Sees EU, IMF Aid To Romania EUR20B Over 2 Yrs

Moody's Investors Service expects Romania to obtain extraordinary financial assistance from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to ease the adjustment as its economy deteriorates, with a total support package of more than EUR20 billion over two years.

Romanian Social Democrats Voice Out IMF Loan-Related Principles For A Solid Ruling

Ovidiu Dontu, vice-president of the Suceava branch of Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD), said Friday that the social democrats considered seven conditions with respect to a potential IMF loan, which, if observed, will allow them to keep an open relation with their democrat liberal partners.

Romanian Ctrl Bk OKs Regulation Allowing Provisions Cut For Loss Loans

The Board of National Bank of Romania approved the regulation allowing the banks to reduce provisions booked for "loss” loans by 25% of the guarantee value, the central bank said in a statement Friday.

Three Romanians Aboard Ship Seized By Somali Pirates

Three Romanians are reported to be aboard Greek cargo ship pirates captured Thursday evening in waters off Somalia, CNN reported.

Romanian Folk Artist Ion Dolanescu To Be Buried Sunday In Bucharest

Romanian folk artist Ion Dolanescu will be buried Sunday at 2 pm, local time, in the Bellu Cemetery in Romania’s capital city Bucharest, his son, Ionut Dolanescu, told MEDIAFAX Friday.

German Ship „Deutschland” Opens Cruise Season In Romanian Black Sea Port

German cruise ship "Deutschland" which carries over 400 tourists from Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United States of America, opens Saturday the cruise season in Romania’s southeastern Constanta harbor.

Romanian Police Detain Group Of ATM Thieves

A criminal group specializing in theft from ATMs was caught Thursday night in the eastern Romanian county of Bacau, in an action coordinated by organized crime prosecutors with the help of the Romanian intelligence service SRI.

Romania Ex-PM, Crin Antonescu Fight For Liberal Leadership

Romanian liberal leader, former premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu and fellow party member Crin Antonescu will draw swords at the party’s Extraordinary Congress on March 20 and March 21, respectively, as liberals are to elect new leadership.

EIB May Partly Assume Bucharest-Ploiesti Highway Financing – Romanian Pres

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thurday, after meeting the management of European Investment Bank, that EIB might partly take over the financing of the highway linking the capital city Bucharest to the southern city of Ploiesti and of their beltways.

Romanian Govt Agrees EIB’s Proposed Capital Hike – PM

The Romanian Government approved in principle a hike of European Investment Bank's capital, through reducing the institution’s reserves, in order to permit granting more funds to member states, the Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romanian Pres: EIB To Allot Romania EUR1B Each Year

The European Investment Bank will assign Romania around EUR1 billion each year in the next few years, Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday after meeting EIB management in Luxembourg.

Romanian Pres: EIB To OK EUR400M Loan For Ford End-April

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday in Brussels the European Investment Bank would approve by end-April a EUR400 million loan for Ford, while a EUR200 million loan for Renault is seen approved in the second half of 2009.

Romanian Folk Artist Ion Dolanescu Dies At 65

Famous Romanian folk artist Ion Dolanescu, 65, died Thursday afternoon of heart attack at his home in capital city Bucharest.

Romanian PM Adviser Names Categories Allowed To Have Pension-Wage Cumulus

The ceiling equal to the average gross wage which bans cumulating pensions and salaries in the public sector will not be applicable to people appointed to public offices, said prime ministerial adviser Mihai Seitan Thursday.

Romanian Agriculture Min Sacks 60 Paying Agency Managers Over Delayed Subsidy Payments

Romanian agriculture minister Ilie Sarbu sacked Thursday 18 managers of the central structure of the country’s Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture (APIA) and 42 local managers, saying they failed to observe deadlines to start payments to farmers.

Romania’s Agric Payment Agency Mgmt To Be Dismissed – Sources

The central and local management of Romania’s Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture (APIA) will be dismissed, sources within the country’s Agriculture Ministry said Thursday.

Bucharest Bks Fined Over Improper Security Services

Bucharest police announced Thursday they have fined 22 bank offices and headquarters for failure to ensure proper security services against potential break-ins.

Drug Prices In Romanian Drugstores To Increase Just 1% As Of April, Producer Prices Hike 6% – Min

Romanian health minister Ion Bazac told MEDIAFAX Thursday that people needn’t worry about drug prices rising 6% as of April, because that hike is for producer prices and prices in drugstores will only increase 1%.

Constr, Agric Weight In Romanian GDP Up In ’08, Industry’s Contribution Dn 1 Pps

The construction sector and agriculture increased in 2008 their ratio in Romania's gross domestic product, while industry’s weight in the GDP fell by one percentage point, according to data released Thursday by the country’s Statistics Institute INS.

Romanian Transport Ministry Will Send Restructuring Plan To Railway Union

Romanian Transport Ministry representatives will send the railway workers’ union the restructuring program for the sector, and a meeting on the topic is planned for next week.

Romanian Govt Extends Welfare Granting Interval By 3 Months

The unemployment aid granting interval will be extended by three months, while the employer and employees will be exempt from paying social security contributions, throughout the temporary cease of activity, for an interval of three months, the Romanian government decided Wednesday.

Alexandru Ion Tiriac Ups His Stake In Romanian Flamingo At 5.12%

Alexandru Ion Tiriac, the son of Romanian businessman Ion Tiriac, increased his stake in electronics retailer Flamingo International (FLA.RO) at 5.12%, after buying 0.12% of the company’s shares on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

Romania’s Petrom Hikes Gasoline Pump Prices By RON0.07/Liter

Romania’s dominant oil company Petrom (SNP.RO), owned by Austria’s OMV (OMV.VI), will hike Thursday its gasoline pump prices by 0.07 lei (EUR1=RON4.2939) per liter, keeping the same price for its diesel oil, the company said in a statement.

Italian Man Get 5-Year Sentence For Raping A Romanian Woman In Rome

A court in Rome issued a five-year prison sentence against an Italian citizen found guilty of raping a 38-yea old Romanian woman, TGcom.it informed.

Romania Seaside Hotel Rates Kept Unchanged In ‘09 – Hotel Owners

Romanian seaside hotels will charge similar tariffs as the last year, according to hotel owners, who said the number of tour packages sold in the first two months of the year exceeded the sales in the corresponding period of 2008.

Romanians Register Cars In Bulgaria To Avoid Tax – Environment Min

Romanian and Bulgarian ministries of interior are looking for a "catch" that could prevent Romanians from registering their cars in the name of Bulgarian nationals to avoid paying car taxes, Romanian Environment Minister Nicolae Nemirschi said Wednesday.

IMF Sees Romanian Econ Shrinking By 4% In 09, Budget Def At 4% Of GDP – Sources

International Monetary Fund's prognosis on Romanian economy shows a budget deficit above 4% of the GDP in 2009, as the GDP is expected to shrink by 3%-4% this year, Romanian representative to the IMF Mihai Tanasescu told the top members of the Social Democratic Party PSD, part of the ruling coalition.

Romania Won’t Need To Raise Taxes Following IMF Agreement – IMF Official

Romania’s representative with the International Monetary Fund, Mihai Tanasescu, said Wednesday that Romania won’t need to raise taxes following an agreement with the IMF, according to the Fund’s analysis so far.

Romanian Car Producer Dacia Will Handle The Crisis Better – GM

Romanian automobile producer Dacia will handle the crisis better than others, because customer preferences in rich countries are changing and people are looking for cars which have adapted to the new economic conditions, Dacia general manager Francois Fourmont said.

Romanian Environ Min Says Car Park Renewal Program Is Going “Pretty Badly”

Romanian environment minister Nicolae Nemirschi said Wednesday the country’s car park renewal program is going “pretty badly” because of “officials who don’t know what they’re talking about”, but said he would have a better picture of the program when he gets concrete data on Monday.

Fuel Excise Hike, Not Excluded By Fin Min To Boost Budget Revenues

Romania's Government might hike fuel excises in 2009 to increase the budget revenues, finance minister Gheorghe Pogea said Wednesday.

Three Detained In NW Romania Fraudulent Driving License Inquiry

Three people were detained within the investigation of the manner in which driving licenses were issued in Romania county Cluj, following hearings unfolded Tuesday night.

Romanian PM Deems IMF Agreement Essential For Lending Revival

Romania’s agreement with the IMF is essential for reviving the lending activity, as about two thirds of the external loan value will be directed to the central bank and, from the rest of the sum that will go to the Finance Ministry, a part will be distributed to banks, Prime Minister Emil Boc said.

Romanian President’s Daughter Quits Party To Run For EP Independently

The youngest daughter of Romanian president Traian Basescu, Elena Basescu, said Wednesday in a press conference that she is quitting the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) and will run independently for a seat in the European Parliament and plans to return to the party if she wins the election.

Romania’s Agreement With IMF, EC Deemed Preventive – PM

Romania's loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission is preventive, and will have a major role in reviving the lending, the country's Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.