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Time Warner To Invest $241M In CME

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (CME), the owner of Romanian TV station PRO TV, announced Monday it will partner up with U.S. giant broadcaster Time Warner, which will invest $241.5 million in CME.

Romanian Car Maker Dacia To Expand Model Range After SUV Launch

Romanian car maker Dacia will continue to expand its model range after the launch of the sixth car in the Logan line, the Dacia SUV, Amont Renault design manager Patrick Lecharpy said Monday.

Austrian Bks To Continue Financing Romanian Units – Austrian President

Austrian President Heinz Fischer stated Monday, after meeting Romanian President Traian Basescu, that the credit lines for the Romanian units of Austrian banks will continue, adding that "there would be certain problems that need to be discussed."

Romanian Singer To Undergo Liver Transplant Tuesday Morning

Cristi Minculescu, the frontman of Romanian rock band Iris, will undergo surgery Tuesday morning, in a German hospital, whereby he will receive a part of his wife’s liver, band manager Cosmin Nicoara told MEDIAFAX.

Romania’s Agreement With IMF, EC To Be Announced This Week – EU Commissioner

Joaquin Almunia, E.U. Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, said Sunday in Brussels that the financial agreement between Romania and the International Monetary Fund and the E.U could be announced this week.

Romanian Exchange Office Burglary Suspect Confirmed By DNA Evidence

Romanian investigators have DNA evidence proving that the man charged with breaking into an exchange office in the northwestern city of Cluj-Napoca is also guilty of breaking into the home of Cluj County Council president Alin Tise, judicial sources said.

Romanian Seaside Hotels Ready To Welcome Tourists For Easter

Romanian travel agencies said 41 hotels on the seaside are ready to welcome tourists for Easter this year, of which, 22 hotels in Mamaia resort, three in Eforie Nord and 16 hotels in Olimp, Venus, Saturn and Mangalia resorts.

Court Rejects Appeal In Romania’s Rafo Onesti Trial By Irrevocable Decision

The Brasov Court of Appeals rejected by irrevocable decision the appeal of UK-registered crude oil supplier Glencore Energy in the trial against Romanian refinery Rafo Onesti, at its request to register $75 million in receivables, representing the value of 123,530 tons of crude oil.

Romania To Have Nearly Optimal Weather This Year

The year 2009 will be “nearly optimal from the point of view of weather”, with precipitation close to multiannual average values, but drought may affect certain parts of Romania in summer.

Romanian Social Democrat Ministers To Meet With IMF Officials Monday

A delegation of Romanian social democrat ministers led by party leader Mircea Geoana meets with representatives of the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, Monday afternoon at the Romanian Senate.

Romania New Car Sales Down 60% YY In February

New car sales in Romania decreased 59.9% on the year in February, to 9,082 units, and by 61.8% on the year in January-February, to 16,190 units, on a market that registered a similar decline, the Association of Car manufacturers and Importers (APIA) said Monday.

Bucharest Hosts Third World Summit Of Prosecutors General March 24, 25

Romania’s capital city Bucharest will host Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24 and 25, the third World Summit of Prosecutors General, Attorneys General and Chief Prosecutors.

Romanian President To Find Solutions For Austrian Investors On Local Mkt

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Monday morning that he is going on his official visit to Vienna determined to find solutions for Austrian investors on the Romanian market, to the best interest of both parties.

Romanian Public Sector Employees Protest Monday Against Scrapping Of Wage Bonuses

Romanian unionists in education, administration, healthcare and police affiliated to the "Cartel Alfa" union federation picket Monday the headquarters of the Ministry of Labor and of the parties making up the country’s governing coalition, demanding the government continue to grant them bonuses.

No Salary, Pension Cuts In Romania Following IMF Loan – Sources

The financial support package Romania and the International Monetary Fund are negotiating will not trigger lower basic salaries and pensions, government sources said Sunday.

Romania Hikes Taxable Pension Ceiling To RON1,500 – Sources

Romanian government will hike the minimum taxable ceiling for pensions to 1,500 lei (EUR1-RON4.2950) from RON1,000 until early next year at the most, people familiar with the matter said Sunday.

Romanian Upper House Speaker, U.S. Senator John McCain Hold Talks In Brussels

Romanian upper house Speaker, Mircea Geoana held talks in Brussels on Saturday with U.S. Senator John McCain and other American officials on the existing climate in Romania, the geographical and political evolutions in the region, as well as on the difficulties triggered by the economic crisis.

Romanian PM Says Debt Funds Blocked By Secondary Ordinators

Romanian Premier Emil Boc on Sunday requested prefects to present him by March 27 with a chart of payments made to companies for unbilled works in 2008, saying the government has information that the debts were unpaid by secondary credit ordinators.

EIU Sees Romania Prone To Social Unrest

Romania deals with a high-probability rate of social unrest in response to the economic crisis, British thinktank Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) warned in a report Friday.

Bucharest Authorities Crack Down On Uptown Building Ads

The Bucharest municipality plans to ban ads placed on buildings in central city, on art and historic monuments, on fences in cemeteries, public parks and gardens, as well as on road tunnel walls, sidewalks and trees, the municipality said in a draft decision.

Romanian Bucharest-Bacau Flights Temporarily Redirected

Flights between the Romanian cities of Bucharest and Bacau, handled by Romanian airline Tarom, will be redirected to Iasi, starting this Saturday and until April 12, due to the temporary closing of the “George Enescu” International Airport in Bacau.

Romania’s Rompetrol Raises Gas Pump Prices By RON0.07/Liter

Romania’s second-largest oil company Rompetrol, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunaiGaz, rose Friday its gasoline pump prices by 0.07 lei (EUR1=RON4.2950) per liter, keeping the same price for diesel oil, the company said in a statement.

Romania May Get EUR4B From EC Out Of EUR19B Financial Package – Sources

Romania might get EUR4 billion from the European Commission’s bailout fund, as part of the EUR19 billion financial package discussed with the E.U. and the International Monetary Fund, government sources told MEDIAFAX on Friday.

Romanian Tourism Pack Prices Range From EUR90 To EUR1,500

Tourism agencies presented, in the Romanian Tourism Fair, their offers for Easter and the summer season, through which tourists can buy packs at prices ranging between EUR90 and EUR1500.

Employees Of Romania’s Disbanded PM Chancellery Get Layoff Notifications

Some 83 employees with the Romanian Prime Minister’s Chancellery, which was recently disbanded, received layoff notifications from the Government Secretariat General.

Two More Romanians Arrested In Rome Rape Case

Italian Police have arrested two more Romanians in the case of the teenage girl who was raped in Rome on February 14, within the investigation carried out in Romania, the online version of Italian newspaper La Repubblica said.

Romania To Decide In Next Period If Taking External Loan – Pres

Romania will decide in the next period if taking or not the external loan from the IMF and the E.U., and a conclusion will be drawn after the negotiations in which the country will be represented by the Finance Ministry and the central bank, President Traian Basescu said Friday.

Romanian U.S. DoD Hacker Has College Education

The Romanian young man accused of having hacked the US Department of Defense servers is a Banks and Financial Markets MBA student within the Economy and Business Management University in northeastern Romanian city Iasi, which prompted a univeristy committee to look at his case.

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.