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Romanian President, IMF Mission Attend Talks On ’09 Budget

Romanian President Traian Basescu attends talks on the 2009 budget at the Finance Ministry, alongside Prime Minister Emil Boc and the IMF mission in Romania.

Romanian PM Says Freezing Wages May Only Be Decided After Consultations With Unions

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday at the headquarters of the Finance Ministry that a potential decision to freeze wages can be made only after consultations with unions.

Romania’s Oil Co Petrom To Cut 3,000 Jobs As of Feb 1

Romania’s dominant oil company Petrom (SNP.RO), majority owned by OMV AG (OMV.VI), will sack 3,000 employees as of February 1, according to the Employment Agency AJOFM in the southern county of Prahova.

Romanian PM: ’09 Budget Draft To Be Discussed Thursday

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday the 2009 budget draft would be discussed in Thursday’s Government meeting.

Moby Returns To Romania For Gig At B’estfest

American musician Moby will have a concert in Bucharest on July, during the third annual edition of B'estfest, to take place Jul 1 - 5, organizers Emagic Entertainment said.

Romanian Healthcare Unionists To Protest If Protocol With Former Govt Isn’t Observed

Romanian healthcare employees could resume protests if the protocol they signed last year with the Health Ministry isn’t observed, but they will make a decision after they meet with Prime Minister Emil Boc and after the state budget is approved, union leader Marius Petcu said Wednesday.

Romanian Property Values To Be Reduced By 15% In Property Guide

The values included in the Romanian guide or real estate property will be reduced by 15%, experts told the Bucharest Chamber of Notaries Public, adding this correction was needed because of the “atypical evolution of the real estate market" prompted by the economic crisis.

Firefighters Keep Struggling To Put Out Warehouse Fire S Romania

Firefighters have been struggling since Sunday night to put out a fire at the used clothing warehouse located in the Giurgiu Free Zone, southern Romania.

Romanian Ministries To Absorb Little EU Funding This Year

Romanian democrat liberal vice-president Gheorghe Flutur said Tuesday night, after the governing alliance’s central political office meeting, that the government is "pretty cautious" with the outlook of European fund absorption.

Romania Tourism Min Pushes For More Casinos On The Seaside

Romania’s tourism minister Elena Udrea said a larger number of casinos on the seaside would certainly attract more tourists, adding this can only be accomplished with fiscal facilities.

Cristina Traila Appointed Head Of Romania’s Public Procurement Auth

Democrat liberal Cristina Traila on Tuesday replaced Marius Gogescu as head of the Romanian authority in charge with overseeing public procurement, or ANRMAP.

Romanian ’09 Preliminary Budget Sees Pension Spending At 8% Of GDP, Public Salaries At 6.9% Of GDP

The government plans to allocate 8% of the gross domestic product for pensions, 6.9% of the GDP for budgetary salaries and 2% of the GDP for unemployment aid, while education spending is seen at 6% of the GDP, and defense spending at 1.8% of the GDP, according to governmental sources.

Romanian Unionists Dismiss Rumors On Salary Freezing

Romania’s Finance Ministry has never considered freezing salaries in the public sector and talks on the matter concerned a 5% hike of the salary fund, similar to the estimated inflation rate, trade union officials said Tuesday.

Romanian Social Democrat Leader Geoana Considers Running For President – Sources

Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana is considering running for president in the 2009 elections and will make a decision after March 15, when the party expects the results of an opinion poll, sources within the Social Democratic Party told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian Govt Plans To Propose Wage Freeze To Social Partners – Sources

The Romanian government plans to propose to social partners a moratorium on wages and pensions for a limited period, but the document is still being analyzed and hasn’t yet been approved by the ruling coalition, government source told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Senate Chairman Says People Making A Living On Copyright Should Be Protected

Romanian Senate Chairman Mircea Geoana said Tuesday, after an informal meeting with members of the Romanian Press Club, that people earning a living from copyright should be protected.

Romanian Chamber Legal Committee Rejects Criminal, Civil Code Amendments

The legal committee within the Romanian Chamber of Deputies decided Tuesday to reject all draft amendments of the criminal and civil codes, at the initiative of former justice minister Tudor Chiuariu, who proposed the rejection of these initiatives pending the enactment of the new codes.

Romanian Social Democrats Wouldn’t Agree To Freeze Wages For 6 Mos – Paper

Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana told daily Gandul that the social democrats won’t agree to a proposal to freeze wages, which president Traian Basescu said he wouldn’t criticize.

Romanian National Invest Co Has New GM

The new general manager of Romanian National Investment Company, or CNI, is Emil Sabo, who replaced Vilmos Lukacs, the company told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian May Take Up To EUR7 Billion Loan From EU, Under IMF Supervision – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday he announced the European Commission that Romania plans to take a EUR6-7 billion loan from the EU, under the supervision of the International Monetary Fund.

Romanian Railroad Unionists Want RON600 Minimum Wage

Unionists from Romanian National Railroad Company CFR request the allocation of at least 500 million lei (EUR1 = RON4.2390) for infrastructure, the application of the RON600 minimum wage and the maintaining of jobs in the railway sector, union leader Gheorghe Popa told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian President Would Agree To Govt Freezing Wages, Pensions For Six Months

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Tuesday on public radio that he won’t react negatively if the government reaches an agreement with unions and freezes salaries and pensions for six months to use public money to salvage the economy.

Romanian Public Servants Threaten Protests, Ask For 50% Wage Hikes

The National Union of Public Servants (SNFP) threatens to organize protests in the second half of February at the Government’s headquarters and to trigger a labor conflict, asking for wage hikes reaching 50%, the protection of those in control institutions and stability in public office.

EBRD Cuts Romania’s Growth Forecast From 3% To 1%

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or EBRD, cut its 2009 growth forecast for Romania from 3% to 1%, for the second time in the last two months, the EBRD said Tuesday in a press statement.

Several Romanians Arrested On Rape Charges In Italy

Several Romanians were arrested by Italian police, suspected of having raped, Thursday night, a 21-year old girl in Guidona, Il Tempo reported online.

Romanian Leu Up Vs Euro, Exch Rate Strongest In 2 Weeks

The Romanian leu appreciated against the euro on Tuesday and the central bank computed a daily indicative of RON4.2390 to the euro, the leu's strongest value in two weeks.

Romania Railway Unions, Transp Min Officials To Discuss Wage Issues Jan 29

Constantin Axinia, deputy secretary of state within the Romanian Transport Ministry, will meet with unions in the railway sector on January 29 to discuss wage-related issues, considering the collective labor contract expires on January 31.

Romania’s Lottery Co Appeals Against State Aid Reimbursing Decision

Romanian national lottery Loteria Romana will appeal the Bucharest Court of Appeals decision, to reject its prior appeal against theCompetition Council, which said back in 2006 the lottery has to return to the state budget at least 50 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2634) in state aid.

EC Could Make Romania To Pay Back Up To EUR13.9M In SAPARD Funds

Romania might be forced to pay back the European Commission up to EUR13.96 million it received within the SAPARD program, as check-ups revealed irregularities in payments performed in 2004 and 2005.

Romania’s 09 Austerity Budget To Impact All Ministries – Deputy PM

Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Dan Nica said Tuesday the country will have an austerity budget this year, that will impact all ministries, adding that the ministries’ final budgets would be decided on Tuesday evening, after the meeting of the ruling coalition.

Romanian Govt Can’t Afford Not To Assign 6% of GDP To Education – Minister

Romanian education minister Ecaterina Andronescu said Tuesday after a meeting of social democrat ministers that the government cannot afford not to grant the education sector 6% of the gross domestic product.

Romanian Pre-University Teachers To Get 35% Wage Hike This Year – Sources

Romanian teachers in the pre-university system will get wage increases of 35% in 2009, in two stages, and the measure was included in the 2009 state budget draft, official sources told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Debts Of Former Govt Need To Be Paid, Thousands Of Cos Might Go Bankrupt – Romanian Deputy PM

Romanian deputy prime minister Dan Nica said Tuesday the Executive is making efforts to pay the debt of EUR2 billion in January and February, left by the former Government, adding the risk to cause tens of thousands of firms go bankrupt is real.

Romanian President Clears Out Issue On Recent Illegal Phone Tapping Allegations

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday evening on national television that, as far as he knows, Romania has no background of illegal phone tapping whatsoever and rejected the recent statements of his former adviser Claudiu Saftoiu, alleging they talked about the contents of phone conservations between two prominent political leaders.

Romanian Govt’s Grace Period Ends With Presentation Of Budget – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Monday on public television that the grace period he grants the center-left coalition government ends with the presentation of the 2009 state budget draft.

Romanian President To Pass Law On Nationalized Houses On Friday

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday evening on the national television station he will pass on Friday the law on nationalized houses, as he no longer has any means of going against the normative act, and added the Government must closely follow the corrections it can make.

Russian PM Agreed On Direct Gas Sale To Romania – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said late Monday on public television that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin agreed on the direct gas sale to Romania, eliminating gas supply intermediaries.

Romanian President’s Second Mandate Depends On Coalition Govt Results

Romanian President Traian Basescu publicly admitted he had told democrat liberal leaders a month ago that unless the Government has results and curb the effects of the economic crisis on Romanians, he will not run for a new term as president.

Bucharest Mayor Eyes Partnership With Skoda For Trams Maintenance

Bucharest Mayor Sorin Oprescu eyes partnership between the Central Repair Workshops of the public transport company RATB and the Skoda car plants, for assemblage and maintenance works to trams in Romania’s capital city.

Romanian Health Min Launches ‘What Hurts?’ Toll-Free Line For Complaints

Romania’s Health Ministry on Monday launched a toll-free telephone line for patience and doctors alike who wish to complain or make suggestions regarding the healthcare system, Minister Ion Bazac said.