English

Belgium Extends Labor Restrictions For Romanians, Bulgarians

20:43, 05 Dec. 2008
The Belgian federal Government decided Friday to extend by three years, until December 31, 2009, the restrictions imposed on Romanians and Bulgarians on the labor market, said a press release issued by the Government in Brussels.

Romanian Court Issues First Decision In Securitate Collaboration Case

20:35, 05 Dec. 2008
The Bucharest Court wrote the first explanation for a sentence in a case involving collaboration with the communist political police, the Securitate. The case involved Dan Trancota, leader of the National Initiative Party.

Romania’s Ctrl Bk New Lending Norms Block Loan Refinancing – BCR Official

19:21, 05 Dec. 2008
The new household lending norms of Romania’s central bank BNR have blocked the loans refinancing, which will further be available for significantly fewer clients, a senior manager within Romania's largest lender by assets BCR said Friday.

Romanian Car Mkr Dacia Resumes Prod For 3 Days, Halts Ops Until Jan ’09 – Sources

17:52, 05 Dec. 2008
Romanian car maker Dacia, the local unit of French Renault, will resume production on December 8, only for three days, and will halt operations as of December 11 until January 2009, citing lower demand on the local and export markets, sources close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romanian Press Club Protests Against Ukrainian Censorship

16:44, 05 Dec. 2008
The Romanian Press Club sent Friday letters to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), protesting against the situation faced by the Blik daily – edited by Adevarul Holding – a publication threatened with suspension by Kiev authorities.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus Visits Romania Next Week, Meets President Basescu

16:12, 05 Dec. 2008
Czech President Vaclav Klaus will visit Romania next week, on Dec 10 and 11, for a working breakfast with Romanian President Traian Basescu and a lunch with the main Czech investors in Romania and Romania’s central bank governor Mugur Isarescu, the Czech Embassy to Bucharest told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Eye Being Govt Nucleus, Consider Liberals For Alliance

15:55, 05 Dec. 2008
Romanian democrat liberal leader Emil Boc said Friday after consultations with the head of state that the Democratic Liberal Party yes forming a government around itself and will start negotiations with liberals Friday.

EC Says Was Not Officially Informed On Romania’s Car Tax Increase Decision

15:35, 05 Dec. 2008
The car tax measures decided by the Romanian government Thursday haven’t been officially presented and the European Commission hasn’t been informed in that respect, Maria Assimakopoulou, spokeswoman for EU Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union Laszlo Kovacs, said Friday.

The Rasmus Set To Perform In Bucharest Feb 16

14:02, 05 Dec. 2008
Finnish rock band The Ramus will perform in a concert at Hard Rock Café in Bucharest on February 16 next year, during a tour to promote their latest album “Black Roses,” organizers said Friday.

Romanian Car Tax Triples For New Cars With 2l Euro 4 Engines

13:59, 05 Dec. 2008
The Romanian pollution tax will also triple for Euro 4 cars with engine capacities higher than 2,000 cc, as the Government Ordinance approved Thursday exempts all owners of cars with cylinder capacities below the mentioned value from paying the tax.

Romania Lowers Employers’ Social Insurance Contribution For Special Working Conditions

13:46, 05 Dec. 2008
Romania will lower by 1.5% to 31% the employer’s contribution to the social security budget for particular working conditions as of December 1, 2009, a recent government decision showed.

Romanian Car Tax For 1.4l, 1.6l Engines To Reach EUR4,800

13:44, 05 Dec. 2008
The tripling of the Romanian pollution tax for cars will lead to tax values ranging from EUR750 to EUR4,800 for the most common types of engines, namely 1.4 and 1.6 liters, regardless of the Euro pollution norm, while for vehicles with large Euro 2 engines the owner will pay more than EUR25,000.

Romanian PM Says Liberals’ Action Plan Can Only Be Achieved With Liberal PM

13:41, 05 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Liberal Party leader, prime minister Calin Tariceanu said Friday after consultations with the head of state that he handed the latter the liberals’ action plan in the economic sector, that can only be achieved with a liberal prime minister.

Draexlmaier To Temporary Close Its 5 Romanian Plants

13:38, 05 Dec. 2008
German-based car parts maker Draexlmaier will temporary cease production at all its five plants in Romania, until the beginning of January, due to lower demand, the company said Friday.

Belgium Could Extend Labor Restrictions For Romanians, Bulgarians – Media

12:23, 05 Dec. 2008
The Belgian federal Government could decide, in the meeting held Friday, to extend by another three years the restrictions imposed on Romanian and Bulgarian workers on its labor market, daily De Morgen informed online.

Romanian President Agrees Magyar Party Should Be Part Of Govt – Party Leader

12:19, 05 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Hungarian minority party leader Marko Bela said Friday that the party told President Basescu it would opt for a government formed by the democrats, liberals and the Hungarian party, and the head of state agreed that Hungarians should be part of the future government.

Romanian Ex Political Detainee Ticu Dumitrescu Dies At 80

12:03, 05 Dec. 2008
The head of the Association of Former Political Detainees in Romania, Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu, 80, died Friday, medical sources said.

Magyar Democratic Union Prefers To Enter Government, Rather In Coalition With Liberals

11:56, 05 Dec. 2008
The Magyar Democratic Union in Romania prefers to continue governmental activity, preferably in coalition with the National Liberal Party, but not to build up the opposition, head of the Magyar Democratic Union Marko Bela said before talks with the president on the structure of the new Government.

Court Sets Date For Jan In Fraudulent Privatization Trial Involving Conservative Leader Dan Voiculescu

11:40, 05 Dec. 2008
The Bucharest court set for Jan 6, 2009 the trial date for the case in which conservative leader and media mogul Dan Voiculescu is accused of abuse of office and money laundering in the privatization of the Food Research Institute (ICA).

Romanian President Wants New Govt Instated By Dec 24

10:50, 05 Dec. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Friday at the beginning of talks with the group of national minorities that Dec 29 may be considered for the investiture of a new government, but the urgency to adopt the state budget forces that date to Dec 24 or even Dec 22.

Romanian Singer Anca Parghel Loses Fight To Cancer, Dies At 51

10:35, 05 Dec. 2008
Romanian singer Anca Parghel died Friday morning at the County Hospital in Timisoara, western Romania.

Romanian Clubs Get EUR1.26M UEFA Contributions

19:48, 04 Dec. 2008
Romanian football clubs will receive the total sum of EUR1,260,382 within the indemnities mentioned for placing players at the disposal of the national teams, according to an announcement made Thursday by UEFA.

Romania’s 11-Mo Budget Def At 2.9% of GDP, On Drop In Revs – Fin Min

18:42, 04 Dec. 2008
Romania’s budget deficit widened to 2.9% of the gross domestic product, or GDP, after the first 11 months, due to a slump in budget revenues in the last two months, following the international crisis, the country’s Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian told MEDIAFAX on Thursday.

Romanian Conservative Leader Indicted In Fraudulent Privatization Case

17:32, 04 Dec. 2008
Romanian media mogul and politician Dan Voiculescu on Thursday was indicted on charges of abuse of office and money laundering in the case regarding the privatization of the Food Research Institute (ICA).

Romanian Social Democrats Ponder Protocol With Liberals –Sources

17:22, 04 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD) is considering drafting and signing a protocol with the National Liberal Party (PNL) Thursday evening. social democrat sources said.

Romanian Govt Postpones Labor Group I, II Pension Hikes

16:52, 04 Dec. 2008
The Romanian Government decided, through an emergency ordinance, to postpone the application of the law increasing the pensions for labor groups I and II, promulgated by President Traian Basescu after the normative act was challenged by the Executive in the Constitutional Court.

Romanian Govt Ups Pollution Tax For Used Cars

16:19, 04 Dec. 2008
The Romanian Government decided Thursday to increase up to three times the pollution tax for cars on purchases of imported used cars. Also, the government decided to increase the bonus for the scrapping of used cars, ministry sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Employees Pessimistic About X-Mas Bonuses In ’08 – Poll

15:49, 04 Dec. 2008
International economic downturn made Romanian employees less confident they will receive Christmas bonuses in 2008, as only 20% of employees expect bonuses compared to 53% in 2007, according to a survey released Thursday by the BestJobs recruitment website.

Final Official Parliamentary Election Results

15:04, 04 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Central Election Office announced Thursday the final official results of the parliamentary election held Sunday.

ECB Cuts Key Rate By 75 Bps, To 2.5%

15:01, 04 Dec. 2008
The European Central Bank cut Thursday its key monetary policy interest rate by 75 basis points, from 3.25% to 2.5%, to help euro-zone economy recover from its worst economic situation since the European currency was launched, in 1999.

Over 75% Cars Tested In Bucharest Likely To Cause Accidents Due To Technical Deficiencies

14:50, 04 Dec. 2008
Over 75% of the 3,759 cars checked in traffic in Bucharest and Ilfov, southern Romania, by the Romanian Auto Registry between January and mid November 2008 do not comply with traffic safety standards, the institution said.

Some Cos Planning Layoffs Withdrew Notices To Local Employment Agencies – Official

14:48, 04 Dec. 2008
Part of the companies that announced they would lay off about 35,000 people in the interval Nov 2008 - Mar 2009, withdrew their notifications to local employment agencies, said Thursday Sonia Diaconescu, official within Romania’s national employment agency.

Romanian PM Asks For „Severe Discipline” On Public Expenses

13:38, 04 Dec. 2008
Romania's Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu asked the Finance Ministry to adopt "severe discipline" measures regarding public spending, also asking for cuts in costs for bonuses granted to employees.

Romanian Cris-Tim Mulls Buying Competitors Faced With Liquidity Crisis

13:25, 04 Dec. 2008
Romanian meat processing company Cris-Tim plans to buy its competitors facing liquidity problems, the company’s general manager Radu Timis said Thursday, adding that Romania will be strongly affected by the financial crisis as of 2009.

Romanian Tenaris Silcotub To Halt Ops Dec 19-Jan 5

12:50, 04 Dec. 2008
Romania’s main seamless pipes producer Tenaris Silcotub will halt operations between December 19 and January 5 on the backdrop of the international financial crisis, putting some of the employees on technical unemployment, the company’s traded union leaders said Thursday.

Romania’s ANRE Might Keep Current Gas Price By 3Q ’09

19:10, 03 Dec. 2008
The current gas price might be kept in Romania until the third quarter of 2009, when it might slightly go down due to lower crude oil and imported natural gas tariffs, Gabriel Sarbu, head of the Price Department within the country’s energy watchdog ANRE, said Wednesday.

Retailers May Benefit From Intl Crisis, Layoffs – Rewe Romania

17:50, 03 Dec. 2008
Romanian retailers could take advantage of some of the international financial crisis effects, such as the layoffs in other sectors and the price stagnation of lands and constructions, according to Antonio Radu, Rewe Romania’s general manager on finances and administration.

Romania’s ’09 Avg Salary Seen Up 5% Vs Pvs F’cast Of 9%

17:49, 03 Dec. 2008
Romania’s average salary growth is seen at 5% in 2009, compared with the previous forecast of maximum 9%, Ion Ghizdeanu, president of the National Prognosis Commission, said Wednesday.

Romania’s Cefin Real Estate Postpones Projs On Lending Shortage

17:48, 03 Dec. 2008
Romanian developer Cefin Real Estate Asset Management will postpone the real estate projects it did not start due to difficulties in getting funds, while the undergoing constructions works are seen completed in due time, the group’s general manager Stefano Albarosa said Wednesday.

Romanian Pollution Tax For Cars Could Use Exponential Growth Format

17:46, 03 Dec. 2008
The Romanian pollution tax for cars will grow “exponentially” in ratio with the age of the car, and for cars older than eight years and costing some EUR1,000, the tax will exceed the purchase value.