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Romanian Social Democrats Appointed Two State Secretaries For Agriculture

11:28, 30 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Agriculture Ministry will keep the same structure and Liviu Harbuz, head of the Veterinarians College, and Catalin Rosculete, manager of the Caracal Research Development Station, will be appointed state secretaries, minister Ilie Sarbu told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romania’s Econ Outlook Seen Negative In Indus, Construction Sectors During Dec-Feb INS

10:03, 30 Dec. 2008
Romanian managers said that they are negative about two major sectors of the Romanian economy, namely the industrial and construction sectors between December and February, while services and retail are seen stable, the National Institute for Statistics, or INS, said Tuesday.

Romania’s Maternal Benefit To Equal 3 Avg Wages – Sources

20:47, 29 Dec. 2008
Maternity benefit in Romania will be set at the level of three average wages, while the Government is expected to make a final decision at Tuesday’s meeting, people close to the matter said Monday.

Romania Govt Withdraws ’09 Draft Budget From Parl, Proposes New Draft – Sources

20:12, 29 Dec. 2008
Romania’s center-left coalition will withdraw from Parliament the 2009 draft budget and the draft social security budget approved by the former executive in view of submitting a modified version of the drafts, people familiar with the matter said Monday.

Romanian Former State Min Indicted On Money Laundering Charges

18:54, 29 Dec. 2008
Romanian former state minister George Copos on Monday was indicted along with other 12 people on charges of money laundering and forgery in the “lottery” file.

Romania’s Diesel Oil Prices Seen Higher Than Gas In ’09

18:45, 29 Dec. 2008
Romania’s diesel oil prices will be higher than gas ones in 2009, on higher excise enforced January 1st, exchange rate fluctuations and the introduction of Euro 5 norms, which could increase the fuel prices by 3.8% or 10%, the fuel suppliers said Monday.

Around 2,000 Employees To Be Laid Off C Romania By Mar ‘09

18:43, 29 Dec. 2008
Several Romanian economic operators in the central county of Prahova will lay off around 2,000 employees between December 2008 and March 2009, the spokesperson of Prahova Labor Force Recruitment Agency, Dragos Parvan said Monday.

Romanian Suspect Linked To Chad President’s Son Murder Remains Under Arrest

18:12, 29 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Supreme Court on Monday decided that Marin Cioroianu, former member of the Foreign Legion accused of being involved in the murder of the Chad President’s eldest son, is to remain under arrest until his extradition to French custody.

Romania Could Lower Car Tax At Registration, Charge Annual Tax Considering Pollution Standards

16:51, 29 Dec. 2008
Romania’s car tax could be lower in value at the time of vehicle registration and later included in the annual tax paid by owners and calculated in ratio with the vehicle’s pollution standards, according to one of the variants the government is considering in a move to change the car tax regime.

Fin Min To Assess Budget Resources, Situation Far Worse –Romanian Social Democrat Head

15:51, 29 Dec. 2008
Romanian social democrat head Mircea Geoana said Monday the finance minister will assess the budget resources in the near future, as “the situation is far worse” than expected, and guaranteed the priorities of the governing agenda will be visible in the budget for 2009.

Romania’s Carom Starts Producing Biodiesel Next Year, Could Resume Synthetic Rubber Prod

14:54, 29 Dec. 2008
Romania’s synthetic rubber maker Carom Onesti could start producing biodiesel next year following investments of nearly EUR20 million and is considering resuming rubber production.

Romania’s Former PM, Transp Min To Compete For Liberal Party Presidency In 2009

14:26, 29 Dec. 2008
Romanian liberals will likely call for a party congress in July to elect a new party president, position for which the candidates so far are current president Calin Tariceanu and party vice-president and former transport minister Ludovic Orban.

Court Releases Romanian Communist-Era General Chitac To Allow Surgical Procedures

14:11, 29 Dec. 2008
The Bucharest Military Court on Monday decided to discontinue for a three-month period the 15-year prison sentence of former high-ranking general Mihai Chitac to allow surgical procedures.

Romanian PM Confirms Govt Doesn’t Have Gen Budget Data For 2008, Expects It In Jan

12:49, 29 Dec. 2008
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc confirmed Monday the government doesn’t have a clear assessment of the 2008 general consolidated budget and the data, along with forecasts for 2009, will be available in the first half of January.

Court Allows New Medical Examination For Romanian Ex General Stanculescu

11:59, 29 Dec. 2008
The Bucharest Military Court decided Monday that former high-ranking general Victor Athanasie Stanculescu would undergo a new medical examination at the “Mina Minovici” National Forensic Medicine Institute, after Stanculescu’s lawyers requested a new medical checkup.

MOL, Agip Exchange Gas Stations In Austria, Romania

11:47, 29 Dec. 2008
Hungary's oil group MOL sold 10 gas stations operated in Romania to fuel retailer Agip Romania, a unit of Italy's oil company ENI, buying at the same time 26 gas stations operated by Agip in Austria, by an agreement aimed at optimizing both companies’ operations on the fuel distribution market.

Romanian Leu Dn Vs Euro In Early Trade, Touches 4 Units

10:56, 29 Dec. 2008
The Romanian leu traded lower against the euro early Monday, touching RON4.0005 units for a short time in the first trading hour.

Romania Transp Min Scraps Plans To Build Express Roads For Motorways

16:51, 28 Dec. 2008
Romania’s Transport Ministry will give up plans to build 12 express roads in favor of more highways, Minister Radu Berceanu said Sunday.

Bucharest Makes World Record Bid With 281-Kilo Cake

15:06, 28 Dec. 2008
Romania’s capital city Bucharest attempted a new world record on Sunday with a 281-kilogram (619.49 pounds) fruit and cream cake, after it previously made another two bids, with the world’s longest smoked sausage and the biggest Christmas give-away ever.

Romanians Pay EUR45M For New Year Tour Packages

14:18, 28 Dec. 2008
Romanian travel agencies cashed in slightly over EUR45 million from tourists who want to spend the New Year in Romanian resorts and foreign localities, the Federation of Tourism Employers’ Associations, or FPTR, said Sunday.

Romanian President Calls On Ministers’ Solidarity Over ‘Tough Decisions’

16:10, 27 Dec. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Saturday asked the ministers to show solidarity in the tough measures they are about to make, which will most likely defer several parliament-approved laws due to the economic downturn.

Romania’s Rompetrol Cuts Pump Prices By RON0.06/Liter

15:23, 27 Dec. 2008
Rompetrol Downstream, the fuel distribution unit of Romania’s second-largest oil company Rompetrol Group NV , on Saturday cut its gasoline and diesel oil reference prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON3.9297) per liter, the company said in a statement.

Bucharest Breaks World Record For Longest Sausage

14:56, 27 Dec. 2008
Romania’s capital city Bucharest has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records on Saturday with the world’s longest sausage, of 392 meters.

Romanian Health Min Makes Surprise Visits To County Hospitals

13:29, 27 Dec. 2008
Romania’s newly appointed Health Minister, Ion Bazac, has made surprise visits to county hospitals nationwide to see how fit they are to respond to emergencies during holidays.

Fitch Revises Dn Romania’s 09 Econ Growth F’cast To 1%

16:01, 23 Dec. 2008
Fitch Ratings revised downwards its forecast on Romania’s 2009 economic growth to 1%, two percentage points less than its previous prediction, made in November.

Romania Ready To Offer Support In Baghdad Talks On Troop Presence

15:52, 23 Dec. 2008
A Romanian delegation formed of two Foreign Ministry officials left for Baghdad end last week to provide technical assistance in view of potential talks to extend Romanian military presence in Iraq after December 31, the ministry said Tuesday.

Romanian Prosecutors Indict High Officials In Graft Case

15:47, 23 Dec. 2008
Romanian anticorruption prosecutors on Tuesday indicted Paul Pacuraru, former labor minister during April 3, 2007 – September 23, 2008, and Ilie Morega, member of the General Assembly of Shareholders in thermal power producers Rovinari and Turceni, and the Oltenia National Coal Company (SNLO), on charges of corruption.

Romania’s New Transp Min To Sack 24 Subordinated GMs, On High Salaries

15:31, 23 Dec. 2008
Romania’s new Transport and Infrastructure Minister Radu Berceanu said Tuesday that he would dismiss the managers of the 24 companies in the ministry's subordination, due to their high salaries.

Romania’s Environ Min Vows To Tackle Car Tax Issue In Jan ‘09

14:32, 23 Dec. 2008
Romania’s new environment minister, Nicolae Nemirschi, said Tuesday, after taking over his portfolio, that he rejoices the "support" of Prime Minister Emil Boc in tackling the car tax issue in January 2009.

Romanian Govt To Back SMEs, Youth, Tourism – PM

14:09, 23 Dec. 2008
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said the new government set tourism, youth, sports and SMEs among its priorities and Elena Udrea is the right person to head the Tourism Ministry.

Romania’s Fin Min First Priority Is Naming State Secretaries

14:05, 23 Dec. 2008
Romania’s new Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea said Tuesday that his first priority is naming state secretaries, as the institution needs a leading team.

Romania’s New Agric Min Says Ministry Employees Too Involved In Politics Should Go

13:49, 23 Dec. 2008
Romania’s new minister of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development Ilie Sarbu said Tuesday upon taking office that ministry employees who got too involved in politics should resign.

Romania’s Alro Slatina Employees Protest Against Management Board Plans

12:51, 23 Dec. 2008
Over two thousand employees of Romania’s Alro Slatina, the largest aluminum producer in Central and Eastern Europe, owned by Dutch-based Vimetco, gathered Tuesday morning to protest in front of the company’s building against the board’s decision to sack staff.

Romanian New PM Took Over Attributions, Office

11:56, 23 Dec. 2008
Romania’s new Prime Minster Emil Boc and former Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu signed Tuesday at the government headquarters a protocol for the handing over and receipt of documents regarding the government’s activity, then government said in a statement.

Ferrari California To be Launched In Romania Jan ‘09

11:04, 23 Dec. 2008
The latest model of Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari, California, will be launched on the Romanian market at the end of January, at a price starting from EUR180,000, VAT included.

Romanian President Hoped Liberals Would Have Had A Flexible Stance Following Poll Results

10:51, 23 Dec. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday night on a TV show he tried to convince former Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu to give up his request to stay at the head of the Cabinet instated following the elections, and hoped until the last minute the National Liberal Party would become “flexible”.

Romanian New PM, Ministers Take Over Portfolios

10:25, 23 Dec. 2008
Romania’s new Prime Minister Emil Boc, sworn in Monday, arrived at the government headquarters Tuesday morning to take over his office and talk to his ministers before the Cabinet meeting scheduled for later in the day.

Romanian President Says Constitution Is Ambiguous, Needs Revision

10:09, 23 Dec. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday evening in a TV show that the country’s Constitution needs to be revised and its errors and ambiguities need to be cleared, and the new center-left coalition government has a majority large enough to allow it to look into the fundamental law.

Romanian PM Voices Confidence In Partnership With Pres, MPs And Church

22:31, 22 Dec. 2008
Romanian newly appointed Premier Emil Boc on Monday said he believes in a partnership with the President, the parliament and the Church, arguing the country needs solidarity based on collaboration.

Romania’s New Govt: A Political Compromise For Populace Benefit – President

22:06, 22 Dec. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Monday said the newly appointed center-left government is the result of a political compromise in the public’s interest, mentioning he finally saw his dream come true, namely a government that won a transparent support in parliament.