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Bush Administration Backed Romania For Visa Waiver Program But Rejection Rate Is Too High – Official

14:25, 18 Nov. 2008
Romania was backed by the Bush administration for the Visa Waiver Program, but efforts are impaired by the fact that the visa rejection rate of over 10%, Amy Kudwa, spokeswoman for the United States Department of Homeland Security, told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Ctrl Bker: Some Romanian Bks Pay 10% For Deposits, But Ask 35% For Loans

13:59, 18 Nov. 2008
The Romanian national authority for consumers’ protection, or ANPC, should take notice on banks that pay interest rates of about 10% of the deposits, but increased the loan interest rates to near 35%, Adrian Vasilescu, adviser of the central bank's governor, said Tuesday.

Romania Could Target Becoming Seventh Power In EU – PM

13:58, 18 Nov. 2008
Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said Tuesday in western Romanian city Timisoara that Romania could aim to become the seventh power in the European Union if it makes use of its natural potential.

FOCUS: Auto Importers in Romania, Carmaker Dacia Cut Costs, On Lower Demand

13:52, 18 Nov. 2008
Massive used car imports and harsher lending conditions, in the fallout of the global financial crisis, prompted Romanian auto importers to cut costs, scale down their car fleet, curb the expansion process and hire people only in exceptional cases, while local car maker Dacia even halted production.

Romanian Bks Want Softer Lending Rules To Unblock Mortgage Loans

12:45, 18 Nov. 2008
Romanian lenders will request the National Bank of Romania to amend the regulation regarding household lending, as the new rules have blocked mortgage lending, the president of Romanian Banks’ Association, Radu Gratian Ghetea, said Tuesday.

Romania’s Waste Collector Protan Temporarily Resumes Activity In All Units

12:19, 18 Nov. 2008
Romania’s non-hazardous waste collector Protan Tuesday announced it resumes the activity to collect and neutralize animal waste in all its eight units countrywide, following negotiations with the Agriculture Ministry.

Romanian PM: Govt Won’t Increase Flat Tax, VAT

20:50, 17 Nov. 2008
The Romanian government is not planning to increase the flat tax or the value added tax to ensure the necessary funds for supporting the economy, but it will focus on improving the budget revenues collection from taxpayers, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said Monday.

Colgate-Palmolive To Close Factory In C Romania By Mid-December

19:08, 17 Nov. 2008
The Romanian subsidiary of US personal care products maker Colgate-Palmolive will close its plant in the central Romanian city of Brasov by mid-December, and the company will move its production to Poland, the company said on Monday.

Petrila Mine Rescuers Bring Up Four Of Eight Bodies

19:03, 17 Nov. 2008
Rescuers brought up the bodies of four of the eight Romanian miners who perished in the Petrila mine, Hunedoara county prefect Aurel Pricajan announced.

Romanian Govt May Cut Pollution Tax For New Cars To Tackle Used Cars Imports

18:52, 17 Nov. 2008
Romania's Government plans to suspend for three to six months the pollution tax for the acquisition of new cars in order to limit the imports of used cars, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said Monday.

Layoffs Are Not Currently An Option At Oltchim – Romanian Pres

18:12, 17 Nov. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday after talking with the management of chemical plant Oltchim that he would tell the employees unemployment is not in their current outlook, as measures are planned in relation with oil company OMV and state privatization authority AVAS.

China’s HOYO-SHK To Invest EUR20M In Tractor Factory C Romania

17:27, 17 Nov. 2008
HOYO-SHK Modern Agricultural Equipment, the representative of China's Shantuo Agricultural Machinery Equipment in Europe, will invest $20 million in a low-power tractors assembling factory in the central town of Brasov.

Romanian Analysts: Higher Taxes Required To Cope With Electoral Promises

16:02, 17 Nov. 2008
Romania's future government will be forced to increase taxes to ensure the budget revenues needed to apply the recent promises, especially the ones regarding wage hikes, Romanian economic analysts said in a press conference Monday.

Three Bucharest Citizens Caught Testing Smuggled Guns

15:38, 17 Nov. 2008
Three Bucharest citizens were discovered by police, at the end of last week, as they were testing their gas pistols, bought in Bulgaria, in a field in Giurgiu county, the Romanian Police announced.

Professional Rescuers To Try To Bring Up Bodies Of Miners Killed In Blast Saturday

14:46, 17 Nov. 2008
A team of professional mine rescuers arrived Monday at the Petrila mine, Hunedoara county, western Romania, where two blasts claimed the lives of twelve people Saturday, to try to bring out the bodies of eight miners killed in the first blast.

Second Bucharest City Hall Corruption Suspect Brought In

14:25, 17 Nov. 2008
The second Bucharest City Hall clerk targeted by the corruption sting operation unfolded Thursday by anticorruption prosecutors, and who was under an all-points bulletin, Gheorghe Dicu, was captured and arrested for 29 days under charges of soliciting bribery.

Ford Strategy For Romania Not Affected By Intl Crisis, EC Probe

14:04, 17 Nov. 2008
The international financial crisis and the European Commission’s probe on the state aid granted to US automaker Ford for personnel training, will not affect the group’s plans for investments in Romania, a Ford representative told MEDIAFAX on Monday.

Romanian President Proposes Car Tax Exemption For New Cars To Overcome Crisis

14:00, 17 Nov. 2008
Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday after a visit to the plant of Dacia, the Romanian carmaking unit of France’s Renault, that a solution to the crisis that is affecting the local auto industry would be a temporary tax exemption for new cars.

Romania Offers Unconditioned Support To EU Enlargement – PM

13:53, 17 Nov. 2008
Romanian liberal Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said Monday, within the reunion of liberals in South-Eastern Europe, that Romania offers unconditioned support to the enlargement process of the European Union in the hopes of turning the Western Balkans into a region of stability and prosperity.

Romanian Miners, Rescuers, Management Members Heard In Mine Blasts Investigation

13:11, 17 Nov. 2008
Mine rescuers, miners and “members of the management” are being questioned Monday within the investigation at the mine in Petrila, Hunedoara county, western Romania, where two blasts claimed twelve lives Saturday.

Romania’s Petrom Cuts Diesel Oil, Gasoline Prices By RON0.03 Per Liter

13:08, 17 Nov. 2008
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) cut Monday gasoline and diesel oil reference prices by 0.03 lei (EUR1=RON3.7379) per liter, the company said in a statement.

Union Leaders To Attend Talks In Vienna Over Kraft’s Romanian Chocolate Factory

12:54, 17 Nov. 2008
Two union leaders representing employees of Kraft Foods’ Romanian, Brasov-based chocolate factory said Monday they will go to Vienna on Nov 24 to meet with representatives from all of Kraft’s European units and discuss the problems of the Romanian factory.

Romania Court Delays Trial on Appeals Of Communist-Era Generals To 15 Yr Jail Term

12:13, 17 Nov. 2008
Romania’s Supreme Court decided Monday to put off until January 26, 2009 the trial of the appeals of former high-ranking generals Athanasie Stanculescu and Mihai Chitac for the annulment of the sentence to 15 years in jail each for their role in killing demonstrators during the 1989 anti-communist revolution.

Holland Might Put On Hold Labor Mkt Opening To Romania, Bulgaria

21:13, 16 Nov. 2008
Dutch minister of social affairs, Piet Hein Donner, decided that Holland put on hold the opening of its labor market for Romanian and Bulgarian workers until July 1, 2009, the Brabants Dagblad daily reported on its website Sunday.

Romania Must Adjust Budget To Economic Crisis – IMF Adviser

19:01, 16 Nov. 2008
Romania should target a lower budget deficit in 2009 to 1-1.5% of gross domestic product through prudent spending policies, given that the slowdown in economic growth to 3-4% will trigger a sharp decrease in budget revenue, International Monetary Fund adviser Mihai Tanasescu said Sunday.

Romania’s Econ Min Control Dept To Check Fund Spending At Pitcoal Co

15:41, 16 Nov. 2008
Romania’s economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian said Sunday that the control body of his ministry would check the way funds assigned to the national pitcoal company CNH were used.

W Romania Mine Leadership Suspended In Blasts Aftermath –Fin Min

13:33, 16 Nov. 2008
The leadership of Petrila mine in Hunedoara county, western Romania, was suspended Sunday following the tragic incidents on Saturday when twelve miners died and other thirteen were severely injured, economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian announced Sunday.

Twelve Dead In Powerful Blasts At W Romania Mine

21:12, 15 Nov. 2008
Twelve miners died and other eleven were committed to hospital Saturday following two powerful blasts at a mine in Petrila, Hunedoara county, western Romania, Petrila mayor, Ilie Paducel, said Saturday.

Russia To Supply Romania With Power Produced At Moldovan Plant

16:45, 15 Nov. 2008
Russian power group Inter Rao signed an agreement with Moldovan state-owned company Moldelectrica aiming to supply Romania with electric power produced at its Moldavskaya GRES plant in Transdniester, a press release of the Group read.

Fitch Expects Romania To Adopt Euro No Sooner Than 2015

19:38, 14 Nov. 2008
Fitch Ratings agency said Friday it does not expect Romania to adopt euro sooner than 2015, citing risks in attaining real and nominal convergence.

Fitch Says Global Econ Slump To Hit Romanian Banks

19:33, 14 Nov. 2008
Fitch Ratings agency said Friday in a report that the global financial turmoil has increased the risks for Romanian banks, as banks’ funding will shrink, the cost of funding will rise, which would result in slower economic activities, higher impaired lending and lower profitability.

Local Authorities Willing To Give Kraft Larger Land To Keep Business In Romania

17:10, 14 Nov. 2008
Local authorities in Brasov, central Romania, are willing to offer candy and coffee maker Kraft Foods a larger plot of land in the city to keep it from relocating its business outside Romanian borders.

Romania’s Protan Can Continue Activity At Popesti Leordeni – Court Ruling

15:38, 14 Nov. 2008
The Popesti Leordeni unit of Romanina non-hazardous waste collector Protan can continue activity, as the Bucharest Court suspended the decision reached by the Bucharest Regional Agency for Environmental Protection ceasing the activity at the unit.

Romania Health Min Angry With Downbeat EU Health Consumer Top

14:30, 14 Nov. 2008
The 2008 Euro Health Consumer Index does not have a clear methodology, it includes contradictory data and it makes impermissible remarks about the Romanian healthcare system, Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu said Friday.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia’s Dealers Might Be Driven Out Of Business – Official

14:27, 14 Nov. 2008
Sharp decreases in new car sales because of massive used car imports might force several dealers of Romanian carmaker Dacia to scrap jobs or even drive them out of business if the situation worsens.

Romania-Bulgaria Border Crossing Bridge Toll To Decrease 30% As Of Jan 1, 2009

13:25, 14 Nov. 2008
The toll for the crossing of the Giurgiu-Ruse bridge at the border between Romania and Bulgaria will be lowered by 30% as of January 1, 2009, said Friday Stefan Szobotka, communication manger of the Romanian national roads and highways company, or CNADNR.

Romania Might Terminate Bechtel’s Contract Unless It Fixes Damaged Segment

13:14, 14 Nov. 2008
Romanian authorities might terminate their contract with U.S. company Bechtel for the Transylvania Motorway if the constructor refuses to pay repair costs at the road segment affected by landslides, Transportation Minister Ludovic Orban said Friday.

Sixteen Romanian Soldiers In Mission Abroad Retuned Home On The Rack – Def Min

13:11, 14 Nov. 2008
Sixteen Romanian soldiers deployed abroad on various missions had to return home in recent months and years before completing their missions due to severe diseases, such as paralysis, dermatitis, disc hernia, conjunctivitis, diabetes and tumors, the country’s Defense Ministry informed.

Romanian Education Unionists Call Of General Strike Set For Nov 18

12:43, 14 Nov. 2008
Romanian unions in the education sector said Friday they called off the general strike they planned to start on November 18, but are set to resume protests unless the country’s future government applies the law which raises teachers’ wages by 50%.

Court Rejects Romanian Art Museum Appeal To Suspend Ceausescu’s Estate Return

12:40, 14 Nov. 2008
The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Friday found no grounds to suspend proceedings for the return of Nicu Ceausescu’s estate to his brother, Valentin and rejected the National Art Museum’s request in the matter.