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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.

Nearly 70% Of Parents In Romania Refused Uterine Cancer Vaccine For Their Girls

16:43, 03 Dec. 2008
Nearly 70% of parents in Romania refused to have their daughters vaccinated against uterine cancer, the Health Ministry said Wednesday.

Romania’s Rompetrol To Cut Pump Prices By RON0.10 Per Liter

16:12, 03 Dec. 2008
Romania’s second-largest oil company Rompetrol, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunaiGaz, will cut Thursday its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.10 lei (EUR1= RON3.8379) per liter, the company said in a statement.

Talks Btw Romanian Social Democrats, Liberals Sidetrack On PM Office Claim -Sources

15:41, 03 Dec. 2008
Romanian leftist Social Democratic Party and the liberals gave up on forming a coalition government, as the latter would not back down on their wish to appoint the new premier and they failed to open up to negotiations, social democrat sources said Wednesday.

Romanian Social Democrats, Democrat Liberals Started Govt Talks – Sources

15:24, 03 Dec. 2008
The leaders of the Romanian Social Democratic Party and Democrat Liberal Party held initial talks these days, in which the democrat liberals proposed the Senate leadership to leftist leader Mircea Geoana, and a two-year Government leadership for each of the two parties.

Romanian Social Democrats Say Govt With Democrats Likelier Than With Liberals

15:04, 03 Dec. 2008
Romanian social democrats’ campaign manager Miron Mitrea said Wednesday that an alliance with democrat liberals is likelier than pone with liberals, but “nothing is set in stone”.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Have Moral Right To Claim PM Position – Party President

14:05, 03 Dec. 2008
Romanian democrat liberal leader Emil Boc said Wednesday democrat liberals have the moral right to claim the prime minister position, but the decision belongs to President Traian Basescu.

Lukoil Romania Cut Gas, Diesel Oil, LPG Pump Prices

13:59, 03 Dec. 2008
Lukoil Romania, a unit of Russian oil company Lukoil Holdings, cut Wednesday its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.09 lei (EUR1=RON3.8090) and its liquefied petroleum gas prices by RON0.31 per liter, the company said in a statement.

Romania Might Up Car Tax For Used Cars, Up Bonus For Old Car Scraps

13:23, 03 Dec. 2008
Romania’s pollution tax for used cars could be increased in the government meeting Thursday, when the government also plans to increase bonuses granted for the scrapping of old cars to over EUR1,000, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said Wednesday.

Deutsche Post Completes Acquisition Of Romanian Carrier Cargus International

13:16, 03 Dec. 2008
Carrier and logistics company DHL International Romania announced Wednesday that the takeover of Romanian carrier company Cargus International by Deutsche Post was completed.

Romanian Agriculture Ministry To Launch Program Promoting Local Wine In Romania

12:25, 03 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Agriculture Ministry will launch next year a EUR400,000 advertising project promoting local wine in Romania.

Romanian Film “The Rest Is Silence” Among Propositions For Golden Globe Nominees

12:05, 03 Dec. 2008
"Restul e tacere"/ “The Rest Is Silence” by Romanian director Nae Caranfil is among the 53 propositions for Golden Lobe nominations for best foreign language film, among contenders such as "The Class" by , de Laurent Cantet and "Waltz with Bashir" by Ari Folman, variety.com reported.

Petrom, ExxonMobil Sign Deal To Explore Black Sea Offshore In Romania

11:30, 03 Dec. 2008
Romania's oil company Petrom and Mobil Exploration and Production Romania Ltd, a unit of US-based oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil, have signed an agreement to cooperate in exploring the hydrocarbon potential of the deepwater portion of the Neptun Block offshore Romania, Petrom stated Wednesday.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Hear Former PM In Graft Case

11:23, 03 Dec. 2008
Romania’s former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase arrived Wednesday morning at the National Anticorruption Department (DNA) to answer prosecutors’ questions in the file in which he is probed in connection with the funding of his election campaign in 2004, when he ran for president.

Romania 3Q Investments Up 23.6% Y-Y To RON24.95B

10:17, 03 Dec. 2008
Investments in Romania increased 23.6% on year in the third quarter of 2008, to 24.95 billion lei (EUR1=RON3.7617), according to the data released Wednesday by the National Statistical Institute, or INS.

Romania’s 3Q GDP Soars 9.1% On Yr To RON139.4B -2-

10:03, 03 Dec. 2008
Romania’s gross domestic product soared 9.1% on the year in the third quarter to 139.4 billion lei (EUR1=RON3.8090), and rose 8.9% in real terms in January-September period, the National Statistics Institute reported Wednesday.

Ctrl Bk To Also Approve Romanian Bks 2nd Tier Management

18:44, 02 Dec. 2008
Banks' second tier managers, such as treasury and arbitrage heads or risk managers, will also be approved by the National Bank of Romania, or BNR, like the executive management and administrators of the credit institutions.

EC Extends SAPARD Funds Payment Deadline For Romania, Bulgaria By One Year

18:41, 02 Dec. 2008
The European Commission adopted a decision Tuesday allowing Bulgaria and Romania to extend the deadline for payments of SAPARD funds by one year, from 31 December 2008 to 31 December 2009, according to a press release issued by the European Commission.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Obtain 166 MP Seats

18:34, 02 Dec. 2008
Romania’s centrist Democratic-Liberal Party, or PDL, obtained most of the MP seats following the Sunday parliamentary polls, latest data published by the election authorities showed Tuesday.

Liberals To Negotiate With Parties Closest To Its Program – Official

16:29, 02 Dec. 2008
Romania’s transport minister and vice-president of the Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, said Tuesday liberals will negotiate with the party that offers the most guarantees and their main conditions are related to the governing program and the prime minister position.

Romanian Liberals Might Find Opposition Therapeutic – Official

16:23, 02 Dec. 2008
Romanian liberal deputy president Puiu Hasotti on Tuesday said the liberals might find it therapeutic to stay in opposition after four years of ruling, but that the country should continue managing the economic crisis under the leadership of Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

Romanian PM Says Solution For Stability And New Govt Need To Be Found Fast

16:18, 02 Dec. 2008
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said Tuesday before a Liberal Party meeting that politicians need to find a solution to make up a stable government as soon as possible and said liberals will have over 20% of seats in Parliament after redistribution.

Romania’s Petrom Cuts Fuel Prices By RON0.09/Liter

15:54, 02 Dec. 2008
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) will cut Wednesday fuel prices by 0.09 lei (EUR1=RON3.8090) per liter, the company said in a statement.