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Presidential Decree Designating Romanian Prime Minster Published In Official Gazette

The presidential decree designating democrat liberal Theodor Stolojan for the prime minster office was published Thursday in Romania’s Official Gazette.

Romanian Deputy PM Office To Be Filled By Social Democrat Ilie Sarbu Or Dan Nica – Sources

The deputy prime minister office within Romania’s future coalition government will be filled by social democrat Senate chairman Ilie Sarbu or social democrat Dan Nica, sources within the Social Democratic Party said Thursday, adding a decision will be made soon.

Romania Calls For Simplified Proceedings To Access EU Funds – President

Romania urges for simplified procedures and reduced bureaucracy to access EU funds, in order for Member States to be able to take swifter actions in times of crisis, President Traian Basescu said before leaving for Brussels to attend the EC winter works on Thursday.

Romania’s Nov Inflation +0.32% M-M, Annual CPI Slows To 6.7%

Romania’s inflation rose 0.32% on the month in November, due to higher prices for food and services, but the annual inflation slowed to 6.7%, from 7.39% in October, the National Statistics Institute, or INS, reported Thursday.

Romania Not To Discard Its EU Commissioner – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday, before leaving for Brussels to attend the winter works of the European Council, that if the majority of EU states wish to apply the Nice Treaty as of Jan 1, Romania will not discard its European Commissioner.

Around 43,000 People In Romania May Lose Jobs By Apr ’09 – Labor Min

The number of jobless people in Romania rose in November by around 12,000 persons and is estimated to increase by another 43,000 persons until April 2009, especially in the construction and agriculture sectors, Labor Minister Mariana Campeanu said Wednesday.

Romanian Environ Min Declines Again To Sign Bill Hiking Car Tax

Romanian Environment Minister Korodi Attila has twice refused to sign the government acts hiking three times a registration tax on used cars, arguing the new tax should be enforced by the new executive.

Romanian Govt Defers Triple Car Tax To Dec 15

Romanian government on Wednesday decided to delay until December 15 an ordinance hiking three times the registration tax on used cars, following countrywide protests.

Romanian Govt Seeks To Postpone Tripled Car Tax

The Romanian government plans to put off the tripling of the car tax for Dec 15 or later and pay back car owner who paid the increased tax as of Monday, but is seeking a legal solution to introduce the changes.

Romanian Social Democrats Say NO To Magyar Democratic Union For Govt Coalition

Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana said Wednesday there won’t be any Government coalition formed of social democrats and of democrat liberals if the Magyar Democratic Union is accepted to be part of this alliance.

Romanian Constitutional Court Deems Amendments To Nationalized Houses Law Constitutional

The Romanian Constitutional Court Wednesday decided the amendments to the Nationalized Houses Law are constitutional, and rejected the litigation signed by 63 lawmakers belonging to the Democratic Liberal Party and by other 55 lawmakers.

Romanian Democrat Liberals, Social Democrats Meet Thursday To Discuss Governing Program

Romanian democrat liberal leader Emil Boc said Wednesday after a meeting in Senate with social democrats that the two parties might create a Partnership for Romania and will meet Thursday to discuss the future governing program.

Romanian High Profile Corruption Case Sent Back To Prosecutors

The leaders of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies decided Wednesday, at the proposal of the legal committee, to send back to the Prosecutor’s Office the two case files involving social democrat MP Adrian Nastase, for which the prosecutor general had requested criminal investigation approvals.

Any Tax Hike Is Problematic – Romanian Ctrl Bk Head

An increase of one of Romania’s main taxes is problematic, as the effects of such a measure are uncertain, and the country's new government should first analyze budget spending, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.

Romanian NGO Denies Having Sent Open Letter To Romanian President

Romania’s Group for Social Dialogue said the open letter addressed to President Traian Basescu on behalf of the organization urging him not to give his consent to a governing alliance that includes social democrats was sent via an email address which does not belong to the group.

Romania’s PM Nomination, Huge Step Back For The Country – Liberal Official

Romanian Liberal Party vice-president Ludovic Orban told MEDIAFAX Wednesday that the nomination of democrat liberal Theodor Stolojan for prime minister is a huge step back after 17 years during which Romania was supposed to evolve towards democracy and modernity.

Romania’s Econ To Grow By 8% In ’08, To Keep Growing Next Yr – Ctrl Bk Head

Romanian economy will grow by 8% in 2008, and will remain in "positive territory" next year, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.

Romanian Intellectuals Urge President Not To Bless A Coalition Govt With Social Democrats

Several Romanian intellectuals sent a letter to President Traian Basescu, asking him not to give his consent to an alliance formed with the Social Democratic Party, formed of ex communists, and to think hard before making a decision that could send Romania 20 years back.

Transylvania Highway Constr Wks Eased, 2,300 Employees Might Be Laid Off

Construction works at Transylvania Highway will be significantly reduced, so that up to 2,300 employees might be affected, as Romania’s national roads and highways company, or CNADNR, owes EUR27 million to US constructor Bechtel, according to the highway’s project manager.

Romanian Bkers To Present Next Wk Lending Norms Proposals To Ctrl Bk

Romanian bankers will present next week the new household lending norms proposals to the central bank, the president of Romanian Bank Association ARB Radu Gratian Ghetea said Wednesday.

Romanian Newly Designated PM Wants Govt Formed In 10 Days

Romania’s freshly designated prime minister, democrat liberal Theodor Stolojan, said Wednesday that one of his main objectives is to form a coalition government in ten days, to have it invested by Dec 22.

Romanian President Officially Designates Theodor Stolojan For PM

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday designated democrat liberal Theodor Stolojan for the prime minister office.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Keep Same Stand On Coalition With Magyar Union – Magyar Head

Head of the Magyar democratic Union in Romania, Marko Bela, said Wednesday following another meeting with the democrat liberals that the latter party is maintaining its position to have the Union as partners in the coalition Government.

Contaminated Irish Pork Reaches Romania, Food Safety Authority On The Watch

Over 3.5 tons of contaminated pork from Ireland, which reached a warehouse in Romania’s capital city Bucharest, were supplied to five companies located in three Romanian counties, Csutak Nagy Laszlo, vice-president of Romania’s sanitary-veterinary and food safety authority, said Wednesday.

Romanian Mediafax News Agency Gets Press Award

Romanian news agency Mediafax Tuesday evening received the Press award at the VIP Superlatives Gala, for “the professionalism which characterizes the agency’s activity to supply information”.

Romania’s 10-Mo Trade Def Up 11.2% On Yr To EUR19.19B

Romania's January-October trade deficit rose 11.2% on the year to EUR19.19billion, from EUR17.26 billion in the same period a year earlier, but exports grew at a higher pace than imports during the first ten months,the National Statistics Institute reported Wednesday.

Romanian Soc Democrat Leader Confident New PM Appointed Wed

Romania might have a new premier tomorrow evening, following a new round of consultations between President Traian Basescu and the two parties most likely to form a coalition government, namely the leftist Social Democratic Party and the centrist democrat liberals, social democrat leader, Mircea Geoana said Tuesday.

Kevin Reynolds Named Romania’s Automobile Craiova New Chairman

Kevin Reynolds, the strategy and financial department manager of Ford Europe, was officially named Tuesday as the new chairman of the Managing Board of Romania’s auto assembly plant Automobile Craiova (AUCS.RO), owned by U.S. automaker Ford.

Romania’s GDP To Grow By 3.2% In ’09 – World Bank

Romania’s economic growth will slow down to 3.2% in 2009, from 8.6% in 2008, according to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects 2009 report, released on Tuesday.

Romanian Minority Party UDMR Wants Equal Partnership In Coalition Govt

The Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, or UDMR, would rather join the Opposition than be treated as the “fifth wheel” in the coalition government, UDMR deputy president Laszlo Borbely said Tuesday.

Romanian Car Dealers Stage Protests Against Triple Car Tax

Officials of 40 used-cars dealerships in Salaj County, northwest Romania, said will organize protests on Thursday against the government’s recent decision to triple the registration tax for used cars.

Romanian Suspect Arrested In Killing Of Chad Leader’s Son

Romanian Marin Cioroianu – former member of the Foreign Legion accused of being involved in the murder of the Chad President’s eldest son – said he was not at the scene of the crime, as he had been drinking with his employer throughout the entire night before the murder, according to his lawyer.

Lukoil Romania Cuts Gasoline, Diesel Oil Prices

Lukoil Romania, a unit of Russian oil company Lukoil Holdings, cut Tuesday its gasoline and diesel oil prices by 0.12 lei (EUR1=RON3.8998) and RON0.06, respectively, the company announced.

Romanian Environment Min Refused To Sign Decree Tripling Car Tax

Romanian environment minister Attila Korodi said he is discontent by the haste with which the Romanian government decided to triple the car tax without internal consultations or approval from the European Commission and refused to sign the government emergency decree on the tax.

Romanian IM, Communication Service Alonia Reports 30,000 Clients

The total number of users of the online communications service Alonia, launched by communication services operator Media Sat on December 1, reached 30,383 clients Tuesday, according to data provided by the company.

Romania’s Car Tax Tripled As Of Monday Upon Govt Decision Publication

Romania’s pollution tax on cars tripled as of Monday, when the government decision amending the tax was published in the country’s Official Gazette.

Romania’s Fertilizer Plant Nitroporos To Lay Off 500 Staff In ‘09

Romanian-British joint venture InterAgro will lay off some 500 employees at its Nitroporos company, trade union officials said Tuesday, threatening full-scale protests against the decision.

EC: Romania Should Lift Car Tax For Used Cars Registered In EU Until Dec 2009

The European Commission officially responded to the Romanian government’s decision to introduce a one year exemption from the car tax, but noted a “technical problem”, saying the exemption should be granted for used cars registered in EU during the exemption period but brought into Romania later.

Some 4,000 Liters Of Blood Donated In Romanian National Blood Donation Program

Some 4,000 liters of blood were donated in the past five months within the Romanian national blood donation program "A chance for life," which will be extended to another ten counties in Romania.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia To Consider Other Measures If Production Halts Don’t Unfreeze Mkt

Romanian Carmaker Dacia, a unit of France’s Renault, will consider other measures in spring if further production halts set for January and February don’t “unfreeze the market”, general manager Francois Fourmont said late Monday.