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Oprescu’s Bucharest Mayor Candidacy Jeopardized Over Signatures

Bucharest city hall independent candidate Sorin Oprescu went, Tuesday night, at the headquarters of the City Electoral Office, which cancelled several thousands of signatures submitted for his candidacy, while the validation process for the signatures was still underway.

No Homework For Romanian Pupils Over Spring Break

The Bucharest School Inspectorate recommended to teachers not to give students any homework during the vacation, since kids in the seventh and eighth grade have a great deal to study for the midterm exams organized as soon as classes are resumed, namely starting with May 6.

Romanian Prosecutors Go After Ex Fin Min Codrut Seres

The prosecution office within the Romanian High Court of Justice requested approval to prosecute former economy minister Codrut Seres, who is targeted in a case regarding the privatization of several important companies in the energy sector.

eBay Database Romanian Hacker Stays In Custody

The Romanian national accused of repeatedly breaking into email accounts belonging to eBay employees between 2005 and 2007 causing damages of over $2 million will remain in custody after the Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected his action for release.

Romania, France To Support French Investors Who Take On EU-Cofinanced Projects

Romanian Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu and his French counterpart François Fillon on Tuesday agreed to offer support to French investors who take on Romanian projects co-financed from EU funds, following the strategic partnership the two countries signed recently.

Romanian AVAS Rejects Sweden’s Saab Bid In Avioane Craiova

Romanian Privatization Authority, or AVAS, rejected Sweden’s Saab Aerosystems multi-stage bid in local airplane maker Avioane Craiova, Saab marketing director Richard Smith said Tuesday.

Romania To Attend Beijing Olympics

The Romanian Olympic Committee announced that Romania will attend the Olympic Games in Beijing unconditionally, a decision made after consultations between Romanian president Traian Basescu and the president of the committee, Octavian Morariu.

Romanian Transp Min Refuses To Give Up Road Toll

Romania’s Ministry of Transportation on Tuesday rejected a unions’ proposition to eliminate the road toll, arguing the tax is the only revenue source for the roads authority CNADNR, the ministry said in a statement.

Romania, Croatia, Serbia Ink Constanta-Trieste Oil Pipeline Deal

Representatives of Romania, Croatia and Serbia have signed Tuesday in Bucharest the agreement to build the Pan-European Oil Pipeline linking Constanta in Romania to Trieste in Italy.

Romanian Amended Ministers’ Liability Law Unconstitutional

The Romanian Constitutional Court decided Tuesday the law amending the law on ministers’ liability is unconstitutional, as the variant adopted by the Chamber of Deputies includes significant changes of the draft initiated by the Government and adopted by the Senate.

IMF Sees Romania’s GDP Growth Slowing To 4.7% In 09

Romania’s economic growth is seen slowing to 4.7% in 2009 and possibly to harsher levels, on likely spillovers from global financial market turmoil, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.

Romanian Senate Denies Alleged CIA Detention Centers In Romania

The Romanian Senate approved Tuesday 56 to six votes and two abstentions the investigation report stating there are no CIA detention centers or secret American bases on Romanian territory.

Romanian Ctrl Bk Should Further Tighten Monetary Policy-IMF

Romania should see more monetary policy tightening measures to hold back country’s peaking inflation, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.

Romanian Govt Plans Second Budget Revision During Parliament Vacation

The Romanian government plans to conduct this year's second budget revision during July 1- September 1, 2008 and also targets to adopt a series of financial regulations in the field of education.

Romanian Senate Amends Referendum Law

Romania’s Senate amended the referendum law, which stipulates the organization of a referendum along with the legislative, presidential and European Parliament elections.

Romanian Education Min Should Not Take Credit For ’04 Salary Hikes – Unions

The unionists in Romania’s educational system on Monday said they agree with the 2004-2008 salary evolution presented by Minister Cristian Adomnitei, but mentioned Adomnitei should not take credit for the salary hikes occurred before his appointment in the position.

Romanian Ctrl Bk To Become Creditor For Banking Sys

The Romanian central bank might soon become creditor for the banking system, with the intention of lowering liquidity costs, said Eugen Radulescu, adviser to the governor of the Romanian central bank.

Romanian Fixed Telephony Op Romtelecom To Change Number Format

Calls to and from Romanian telephone company Romtelecom will be dialed, starting with May 3, using ten digits, and will include the national prefix, the geographic area code and the local number, for all calls, national and local.

Romanian Social Democrat Head Says Senator’s Resignation Leaves Deep Marks

The head of Romania’s leftist opposition Social Democratic Party, or PSD, Mircea Geoana, said Monday that senator Sorin Oprescu’s decision to quit the party leaves deep marks in the latter’s relationship with the party.

Romanian Govt OKs Emergency Ordinance On New Car Pollution Tax

The Romanian government approved Monday the emergency ordinance introducing the pollution tax for cars to replace the current tax perceived upon the first registration of cars.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors Ask Parliament OK To Prosecute Ex-Min Mitrea

Romanian anticorruption prosecutors asked the approval of the Chamber of Deputies Monday to prosecute former minister Miron Mitrea in a corruption case.

Romania, Among Emerging Mkts Most Exposed To Credit Squeeze – S&P

Romania ranks third, after Iceland and Lebanon, in a Standard & Poor's classification of the most vulnerable emerging markets if the global credit squeeze tightens, the rating agency said Monday.

Romania To Issue Eurobonds After EC Spring Forecast – FinMin

Romania’s finance ministry will launch a long-delayed Eurobond issue after the European Commission releases its spring economic forecast, the Romanian Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian said Monday.

Romania’s Booming Property Prices May Steady In ‘09 – FinMin

Romania’s booming real estate prices are likely to remain steady starting with 2009 on rising supply and a strong growth pace in the construction sector, Romanian Economy and Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian said Monday.

Romanian Businessman, Foreign Co To Invest In Wind Power

Romanian businessman Jean Valvis said Monday he plans to invest several million euros, jointly with a foreign partner, in wind and photovoltaic power in Romania.

Romanian Alleged Rapist Assaulted Jail Therapist In Rome – Paper

Romanian national Ioan Rus, accused of rape in Italy, attempted Thursday evening to assault the psychologist of the Regina Coeli prison in Rome, but was seized by prison guards, Italian daily Corriere della Serra reported.

Romania’s AVAS Puts Up For Sale Helicopter Maker IAR Ghimbav

Romania’s Privatization Authority AVAS put up for sale a 64.89% stake in Romania’s sole helicopter maker IAR Ghimbav, AVAS said Monday in a press statement.

Bucharest City Hall Candidate Sorin Oprescu Leaves Social Democrats

Romanian senator Sorin Oprescu announced he will resign from the Social Democratic Party.

Avalanche Risks In Romanian Mountains

The Romanian Ministry of Environment warns that there is the risk of avalanches in the next two days on the Fagaras Mountains, and the same risk is present in the Bucegi mountains at altitudes of over 1,800 meters, because of the warming weather and the rain.

Chinese Co To Invest EUR200M In Bucharest Real Estate

Construction material distributor Zheng Shi International, which also holds the Orient Hyperconstruct store in Romanian commune Voluntari, will invest over EUR200 million in the construction of several residential projects in eastern Bucharest.

Romanian Social Democrat Official Wants Cell Phones Banned In Voting Sections

The president of the National Council of the Romanian Social Democratic Party, Adrian Nastase, said he will suggest to social democrat representatives within the Central Electoral Office to request the prohibition of cell phones in voting sections.

Romanian Pres Says Education Strategy Should Include Student Views

Romanian president Traian Basescu said he hopes the strategy for education, based on the national pact on education, would be completed before the beginning of school year 2008 - 2009.

Romanian Health Min Says Drugs Could Cost Less

Romanian health minister Eugen Nicolaescu said that despite the conduct of medicine distributors, the prices for medicine might be lowered, because there are ways to hide profit in prices.

Romanian Transport Min Fires National Road Co Head

Romanian transport minister Ludovic Orban dismissed the general director of the Romanian Highways and National Roads Company (CNADNR), Mihai Grecu

Barclays’ Director Appointed CEO At Romanian Lender BCR

Barclays’ former director for emerging markets Dominic Bruynseels will be the new CEO of Romania’s largest lender Banca Comerciala Romana, or BCR, the Romanian lender said in a statement Friday.

Romania’s ’07 Budget Deficit Sixth In EU – Eurostat

Romania ranked sixth in the European Union with respect for the budget deficit registered in 2007, with 2.5% of the GDP, while government spending in another 15 community states overtook income, according to data presented Friday by European statistics office Eurostat.

Romanian Prosecutors Wait For Go-Ahead In Probe Against Labor Min

The Romanian anticorruption prosecutors on Friday requested Senate’s approval to start investigations against Labor Minister Paul Pacuraru on charges of bribery, the anticorruption department, or DNA, said in a statement.

Romanian Subway Extends Friday, Saturday Working Hours

Romanian subway trains will be available until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, starting with April 25, due to customer demands, while the costs for the longer hours will reach 175,000 lei (EUR1= RON3.6066) per month, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Transport.

Romanian People’s Action Party Merges With Ruling Liberal Party

Members of Romania’s People’s Action party, or AP, unanimously voted favor of the party’s merger with the ruling Liberal Party, or PNL, and party leaders signed the merger protocol Friday.

Constanta-Trieste Oil Pipe Deal To Be Signed In Bucharest, April 22

The partnership agreement between the Romanian, Serbian, Croatian and Italian companies building the Pan-European Oil Pipeline linking Constanta in Romania to Trieste in Italy, could be signed on April 22, in the capital city Bucharest, after the meeting of the interstate committee.