English

Romanian Bks To Have New Lending Rules In Less Than A Week – Bks Assoc Head

Romanian banks will have new lending rules in less than a week and will ask for a minimum advance paid of 20%-25% at mortgage lending, the president of the Romanian Banks Association, Radu Ghetea, said Thursday.

Romanian Bks May Accept Higher Indebtedness Degree At Mortgage Lending – Ctrl Bk

Romanian households can obtain higher mortgage loans, as the banks may accept a higher indebtedness degree, after the central bank’s Board decided Thursday to discard the stress tests from mortgage lending regulations.

Romania’s Sec Comm OKs Anca Dumitru As Bucharest Stock Exchange GM

Romania’s Securities Commission CNVM approved Thursday the appointment of Anca Dumitru as general manager of Bucharest Stock Exchange, after Stere Farmache resigned last December, sources within capital markets told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Keeps Prices, Makes Offer For Clients Within Car Park Renewal Program

Romanian carmaker Dacia, the local unit of France’s Renault, keeps vehicle prices unchanged but will present a commercial offer for clients buying Dacia cars within the country’s car park renewal program, once authorities launch it.

Romanian Govt To Issue Draft Law Banning Pension-Wage Cumulus

The Romanian Government will push a draft law banning the cumulation of pension with salary in the public sector, a normative act to be debated with urgency in Parliament, Prime Minister Emil Boc announced.

Romanian PM Declines To Comment Before Constitutional Court Motivates Decision

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc will comment on the Constitutional Court’s decision to declare unconstitutional the government decree banning the cumulation of pensions and wages in the public sector after the Court motivates its decision, the government said.

Romanian Pension-Wage Decree Declared Unconstitutional

The Romanian Constitutional Court decided Thursday, with a majority of votes, that the provisions of Government Emergency Ordinance 230/2008, banning cumulated pensions and wages in the public sector, are unconstitutional, thus allowing the exception raised by the ombudsman.

Romanian Pensioners Urge Amendments To Pension-Wage Decree

Romanian pensioners urged the government to enforce Law 250/2007 setting the pension point at 45% of the average gross wage, arguing government decree 230/2008 banning the cumulation of pensions and salaries for state employees, should be applied only for pensions above 3,000 lei (EUR1=RON 4.2772).

Ministries’ Requests May Push Romania’s 09 Budget Def to 12% Of GDP – Sources

Romania’s Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea told social partners from anti-crisis workgroups that, following the ministries’ expenditure requirements, 2009’s budget deficit should reach 12% of the GDP, sources close to discussions told MEDIAFAX on Thursday.

Romanian Leu Exch Rate Slightly Changed, To RON4.2764 Vs Euro

The Romanian leu was very volatile against the euro in Thursday’s trading session and the central bank computed an indicative of RON4.2764 to the euro, close to Wednesday’s exchange rate of RON4.2772.

Romania, Fifth In EU On ’08 Annual Inflation – Eurostat

Romania ranked on the fifth position in the European Union as regards the 2008 annual inflation, with a 6.4% inflationary rate at the end of December, according to EU's statistical office Eurostat.

Romania Interim Interior Min Vies To Crack Down On Violence, Drug Dealing In Schools

Romania’s interim interior minister Dan Nica said Thursday that public safety measures must be taken immediately, since drug dealers offer free drugs to students in many schools, adding many students face blackmail and aggression every day.

Romanian Tourism Min Wants Sector To Contribute To State Budget, Create Jobs

Romania’s tourism minister Elena Udrea said Thursday during the National Tourism Seminar held in Gura Humorului, northeastern Romania, that she wants the tourism sector to become "a contributor to the state budget and a creator of jobs”.

Seven Cos In N Romanian County Scrap 341 Jobs In Jan

Seven companies in Bistrita-Nasaud county, northern Romania, notified the local employment agency they would lay off 341 employees in January, mostly in the construction sector.

Romanian Govt Plans Public Sector Wage Hikes In April Covering Just Inflation

The Romanian government plans to increase public sector wages in April 2009 only in ratio to the estimated rise in inflation, and might up wages again in the fourth quarter of the year in ratio to labor productivity.

Romania’s 11-Mo Curr Acct Gap Widens 7.8% YY To EUR16B

Romania’s current account deficit rose 7.8% on the year in the January-November period to EUR 16 billion, from EUR14.83 billion in the same period a year earlier, the central bank said in a statement Thursday.

Romania New Car Registrations Dn 8.7% In 2008, To 285,000 Units – ACEA

Romania’s new car registrations decreased 8.7% last year, to 285,489 units compared to 312,532 units in 2007, a sharper decline than the European Union average, the European Automobiles Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA, said Thursday.

Romanian Constitutional Reform Must Include A Complete Makeover Of Public Privileges – PM

The constitutional reform in Romania should settle several major issues, namely eliminate the current blockages and ensure decisional rights for the public local administration, as well as a complete makeover of privileges in the public sector, Premier Emil Boc said Wednesday.

Annulment Of Romania’s Pwr Holding Setup Is A Bad Decision – Union Leader

Romania’s Economy Ministry decision to annul the national power holding setup "is the worst decision ever made," following which Romania will no longer matter on the European energy market, Dumitru Costin, head of national union BNS, told MEDIAFAX on Wednesday.

Econ Min Official Confirms Annulment Of Romania’s Pwr Holding Setup

Romanian Economy Ministry will draw up an emergency ordinance to annul the national power holding setup, Tudor Serban, state secretary within the ministry, told MEDIAFAX on Wednesday.

Romanian Interior Min Intelligence Chief To Resign

Virgil Ardelean will resign from the headship of the General Intelligence and Internal Protection Division of the Ministry of Administration and Interior.

Romanian Investors May Trade Eurobonds On Intl Stock Exch – Central Depository

Romanian investors will be able to trade eurobonds on the international capital markets after Romania’s Central Securities Depository set up a direct connection between its own clearing and settlement system RoClear and the similar institution in Luxemburg, settlement house Clearstream Banking.

Romanian Ministers Should Not Be MPs Too – Romanian Pres Committee

The Romanian policy and constitution presidential committee recommends the instatement of incompatibility between the position of Government member and that of Parliament member.

Romanian Int Ministry Intelligence Dept Head To Be Removed From Office – Official

Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana said Wednesday that Virgil Ardelean, one of the state secretaries appointed by ousted interior minister Gabriel Oprea, will be dismissed as head of the ministry’s General Department of Intelligence and Protection.

Ukraine Embassy Delegation Meets Romanian Econ Min Off On Gas Crisis Issue

A delegation of the Ukrainian Embassy to Bucharest met Wednesday with representatives of the Romanian Economy Ministry to talk on the gas crisis issue, in which the Ukrainian side said a deal with Russia on gas transit would be inked, sources within the ministry told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian President Pleads For Single Chamber Parliament

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday that he would opt for a single chamber Parliament and would lift immunity for lawmakers whose actions are punishable under the Criminal Code.

Romanian Const Court Upholds Amendments To Nationalized Houses Law

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled with majority of votes that the amendments to the Law on nationalized houses are constitutional, rejecting a presidential notification in the matter.

Around 450 Employees In Romanian ArcelorMittal Galati On Voluntary Layoffs As Of Jan 16

Approximately 450 employees of Romania's largest steel maker ArcelorMittal Galati, owned by UK-based ArcelorMittal, will leave the company as of January 16, through the voluntary layoffs program, trade unionists said Wednesday.

Romanian New Car Mkt Could Go Dn To Half In 2009, 100,000 Jobs In Jeopardy

New car sales risk dropping to half this year, at around 150,000 units, and nearly 50% of jobs in the Romanian auto industry, namely 100,000, might be scrapped, said Wednesday Brent Valmar, head of the Romanian Association of Carmaker and Importers, or APIA.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Considers Lowering Prices

Romanian carmaker Dacia, the local unit of France’s Renault, to help clients alongside scrap bonuses they receive from the government for their old cars within the country’s car park renewal program, Dacia vice-president Constantin Stroe said Wednesday.

Romania New Car Sales Dn 53% In Dec, Dn 14.1% In 2008

New car sales in Romania dropped 53% on the year in December, to 13,054 units, and were down 14.1% on the year in 2008 compared to 2007, to 270,995 cars, while the entire auto market saw a 11.7% decrease, the Association of Carmakers and Importers in Romania, or APIA, said Wednesday.

Parliament Dissolution, Last Resort To End Crises – Romanian President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday that dissolving the Parliament should be a last resort to end crises, adding it would not increase the authority of the head of state but will increase the ability of state institutions to act responsibly at times of crisis.

Romanian President Would Prefer A Semi-presidential Regime

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday that one of his options in the revision of the country’s Constitution would be to instate a semi-presidential regime and clarifications are needed to correlate the president’s legitimacy to the prerogatives he has.

Romania’s Local Car Production Dn 78.6% In Dec, Up 1.5% In 2008

Romania’s local carmaking output fell a sharp 78.6% on the year in December, to 4,045 units, but an increase of 1.5% was registered for the entire year 2008, to 245,308 cars, the Association of Carmakers and Importers in Romania, or APIA, said Wednesday.

Putin Calls Up Romanian President Over Gas Situation

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called up Romanian President and offered him more information on gas supply situation.

Romania To Attend The Paris Book Fair

Romanian writers Nicolae Manolescu and Eugen Negrici will attend a roundtable, organized within the Paris Book Fair, regarding their recently launched books, "Istoria critica a literaturii romane" (A critical history of Romanian literature), and respectively "Iluziile literaturii romane."

Germany’s Leoni To Close Plant S Romania, 200 Jobs Cut

German auto wiring systems maker Leoni, a supplier for Dacia automaker, will close down one of its four plants in Romania, namely the plant in southern Mioveni, near the Dacia factory, due to lower demand, the company said Tuesday.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Ponders Suspending Production Again, If Demand Stays Low

Romanian carmaker Dacia is considering suspending production again, in February-March, if demand stays low, after the company announced a halt in activity between January 26 and February 8.

Romanian PM Nominates Dan Nica For Interim Interior Min

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc nominated deputy prime minister Dan Nica as interim replacement for Gabriel Oprea, who resigned the position of interior minister after losing political support from the social democrats.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Might Drop 3-4,000 Employees In Spring – Manager

Romanian carmaker Dacia might drop 3-4,000 employees working on one production shifts in spring, unless the situation in the auto industry improves, general manager of the company, Francois Fourmont said at a meeting with local authorities.