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Italian Interior Min Demands Investigation On Interrogation Tape Leak

Italian interior minister Roberto Maroni demanded an internal investigation after Italian televisions broadcast the recording of the interrogation applied to Romanian Alexandru Loyos Isztoika, suspected of rape on a teenage girl in Rome, Adnkronos informed online.

Gogol Bordello To Return To Bucharest

Gogol Bordello, a band known for its gypsy punk style, is to return to Bucharest for a concert on June 17, at Arenele Romane, organizers One Event stated for MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Foreign Ministry Responds To UN Accusations Regarding State Secrets

Romanian laws on the protection of classified information guarantee fundamental rights and prevent its misuse, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated for MEDIAFAX, after the publishing of a UN report accusing Romania of abusing state secret laws.

Former Romanian PM Finds Running For President ‘Only Natural’

Former Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said it is “only natural” that he should run for president, as he is the only one experienced in dealing directly with current president Traian Basescu.

Traffic Police In C Romania Organizes Amateur Car Racing Contest On National Police Day

The local traffic police department in the central Romanian city of Sibiu said Thursday it will organize an amateur car racing contest to celebrate the National Police Day, in a bid to discourage illegal car races on the city’s streets.

Romanian Liberal Leader Has Low Party Support For New Term

Romanian Liberal Party vice-president Ludovic Orban said in a press conference Thursday that, according to his information, of the two candidates for party leadership, Crin Antonescu has the support of 22 party branches, while Calin Popescu Tariceanu can only count on two – Cluj and Buzau.

Renault Asks Romania For EUR170M State Aid

French automaker Renault asked Romanian authorities for state aids totaling EUR170 million, including a EUR100 million state guarantee for a loan taken from the European Investment Bank.

Romanian Defense Ministry Included In Weapon Heist Trial

Romanian military judges decided, Thursday, to include the Ministry of National Defense in the case file where 11 soldiers are indicted in the Ciorogarla weapon heist.

Romanian Def Ministry Looks Into Academic Titles Granted By Defense University

The Romanian Defense Ministry is investigating, at the request of the National Anticorruption Department (DNA), the granting of academic titles in 2002-2008 at the National Defense University "Carol I", the ministry said in a press release Thursday.

Romanian Fin Min Sees ’09 GDP Growth Between -1% And 1.5%

Romanian Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Thursday, after meeting the IMF representatives, that he currently sees the economic growth between -1% and 1.5% in 2009, compared with the 2.5% GDP growth on which this year’s budget is based.

Romania Should Tax People Who Buy Used Cars And Sell Them For Profit – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday he will ask the ministers of finance and environment for an assessment regarding the sale of used cars bought by individuals, because it is unfair that they don’t pay taxes.

Lending Activity To Be Resumed In Spring – Romanian PM

The lending activity will be resumed this spring, and the economy might revive if the government’s policies continue to be correlated with those of the central bank, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc stated Thursday during the conference Mediafax Talks about Auto Industry.

Pay Bonuses In Romanian Public Sector Limited To ‘Justified Cases’ – PM

Romanian employees in the public sector are to benefit from salary bonuses only in “justified cases”, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday.

Romanian Carmakers Require Payment Delay For 50% Of Their Due VAT

The Association of Romanian Carmakers (ACAROM) asked the government to grant carmakers a delay for the payment of 50% of the value added tax not only for this year, but also for the next.

Hard Access To Loans Will Kill Romanian Auto Market – Dacia GM

The Romanian auto market risks to be smothered unless access to loans is eased and the government’s car park renewal program might fail to replace the 60,000 old cars planned, said Thursday Francois Fourmont, general manager of Romanian carmaker Automobile Dacia.

Romanian Carmakers Want Car Tax Kept Until 2010

Romania’s Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Association, or APIA, urged the authorities to maintain the existing tax on car’s first registration until the end of the year, arguing the proposed yearly tax is not a solution to aid the auto industry.

Two Arrested In Internet Fraud Case In W Romania

Two of the IT crime suspects heard Wednesday in Timisoara, western Romania, were placed under preventive arrest late Wednesday for allegedly having cloned websites of banks causing damages of EUR350,000.

Three Detained For Fraudulent Driving License Release In C Romania

Three people, including an agent of the local driving license service, were detained in the case of fraudulent release of driving licenses and registrations of cars in Sfantu Gheorghe, central Romania, General Anticorruption Department (DGA) spokesperson Sarmizia Fetcu said Thursday.

Romania, Czech Police Crack Human Trafficking Ring

Police have arrested nine Romanian and Ukrainian nationals suspected of forcing 40 Romanians, including minors, to work at a farm in Czech Republic, without payment, Romanian Police said in a statement Wednesday.

False Media Info Condemned Under New Romanian Civil Code

The new Romanian Civil code will establish, aside from the freedom of the press and the right to retort, the right to demand reparations for material and immaterial damages resulting from false information reported by mass-media, Minister of Justice Catalin Predoiu said Wednesday.

IMF May OK Wage Adjustment To Inflation If Romania Adopts Unitary Pay Law

The increase of public salaries with the inflation rate forecasted for this year might be accepted by the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, if Romanian authorities quickly adopt a "correct" unitary pay law for the personnel in the budget system, official sources told Mediafax Wednesday.

Romania To Get Bailout Funds In Tranches, If All Terms Observed – EU Official

European Commission's financing for Romania will be a "back-to-back" loan and will be given in tranches, if all conditions set up with Romanian authorities are observed, Amelia Torres, the spokesperson of EU Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, stated Wednesday.

Romanian President: I Wish Romania Needed No IMF Deal

Romania’s President Traian Basescu said Wednesday on the public radio station that he, as well as other politicians, wished Romania didn't need to borrow money from the International Monetary Fund, or IMF.

Germany’s TUI Comes To Romania For Negotiations End April – Min

Romanian Tourism Ministry and hotel owners will carry out negotiations with Germany’s TUI end April in an attempt to persuade the leading world travel operator to resume operations in Romania, Tourism Minister Elena Udrea said Wednesday.

Romanians’ Contribution To Public Health Insurance Might Increase To 6-6.5% This Year

The Romanian Ministry of Health intends to increase the social health insurance contributions (CASS) from 5.2-5.5% of employees' gross wage to 6-6.5%, a move that will add RON2.7 billion to the social health insurance budget, state secretary Aurel Nechita said Wednesday.

Romanian Prosecutors Detain 22 IT Crime Suspects

The number of people taken in for hearings Wednesday on suspicions of IT crimes increased to 22, local police said.

Dracula Myth To Be Promoted Internationally By Romanian Ministry Of Tourism

Romania will promote the myth of Dracula internationally and will try to keep Bran Castle in the tourist circuit, Romanian tourism minister Tourism Elena Udrea said Wednesday at the International Tourism Fair in Berlin, Germany.

Romania May Ask IMF For 2-Yr Stand-By Agreement – Sources

Romania will send the International Monetary Fund, after concluding the negotiations in Bucharest, a letter of intent requiring a two-year stand-by agreement, with five years to reimburse the loan, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Typical Bk Debtor: 20, Male, Lives In Giurgiu – Survey

Romania’s typical debtor is a man, aged 18-20, who lives in the southern county of Giurgiu and who takes out consumer loans, according to a survey by the Romanian Credit Bureau released Wednesday.

Romania’s Rating Downgrade Should Not Influence IMF Loan Negotiation

Romania’s rating downgrade to below "investment grade" should not influence the negotiations between the local authorities and the International Monetary Fund on a loan agreement, the National Bank of Romania’s chief economist Valentin Lazea said Wednesday.

C Romanian County Brasov To Have New Tourism Brand, „be.live.it”

The Association for the Promotion and Development of Tourism in Brasov (central Romania) will launch, in the International Tourism Fair in Berlin, which will be "be.live it", the Ministry of Tourism announced Wednesday.

Bringing Snowdrops Into Hungary Is A Crime

Hungarian authorities notified Romanian border authorities in the county of Arad that bringing snowdrops into Hungary is a crime, as the plant is protected by law.

Romanian Economy May Enter Technical Recession After 1Q – Raiffeisen Analyst

Romania will probably enter a technical recession following the first quarter, as the country’s gross domestic product fell by 3% in the last quarter of 2008 compared with the previous quarter, Raiffeisen Bank chief economist Ionut Dumitru said Wednesday.

Romanian Loteria I Tax Evasion Case Files Sent To Constitutional Court

The Romanian Supreme Court allowed the request for the suspension of the case Loteria I, where businessman George Copos is on trial for tax evasion, and sent the case to the Constitutional Court, as lawyers raised an exception on jurisdiction should the defendant change status.

Nineteen Investigated For Fraudulent Driving License Release In C Romania

Nineteen people are being investigated over the fraudulent release of driving licenses and registrations of cars in Sfantu Gheorghe, central Romania, following extensive searches Wednesday morning, the General Anticorruption Department (DGA) said.

Romanian Ctrl Bker: An IMF Loan Would Support Forex Reserves, Foreign Investors’ Trust

A potential loan from the International Monetary Fund would protect Romania’s foreign currency reserves and would send a strong signal to strengthen foreign investors’ confidence, National Bank of Romania’s chief economist Valentin Lazea said Wednesday.

Romanian Prosecutors Search Homes Of Suspected Hackers

Romanian prosecutors are searching Wednesday morning homes of people suspected of having hacked into servers of universities in the United States, NASA and illegally cloned websites of banks in the European Union to get credit card information.

Romania’s Feb CPI +0.88% M-M, Annual Inflation Widens To 6.89% – 2

Romania's consumer price index rose by a higher-than-expected 0.88% in February, compared with the previous month, and the annual inflation widened to 6.89%, from 6.71% end-January, the National Statistics Institute, or INS, reported Wednesday.

Moody’s Places Romania In Second Rating Risk Category

Rating agency Moody’s grouped emergent states into four risk categories and placed Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia in the second category, that of countries whose credit fundamentals are resilient but which could be subject to some rating volatility should assumptions of support prove unfounded.

Romanian Auth Starts ’09 Edition Of Car Park Renewal Program

Car makers Dacia, Renault-Nissan, Hyundai, Opel and Chevrolet received the largest shares in the first stage of the program aimed at stimulating the renewal of the Romanian car park, namely 1,731 units each, according to the Romania Environment Fund Administration (AFM).