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Authorities Launch Probe Into Possible Card Frauds At Romanian Bk Bancpost

The Romanian authorities started an investigation into possible credit frauds at lender Bancpost, after several bank customers filed complaints over missing money, head of the Informational Crime Service, under-commissioner Virgil Spiridon, said Wednesday.

Microsoft Romania General Manager Leaves Company

Microsoft Romania announced Silviu Hotaran will no longer fill the general manager position as of August 31, 2008.

Romania Meets One Condition For Euro Adoption So Far – EC Report

Romania meets one sole criterion for adopting the single currency so far, namely the criterion on the government budgetary position, according to a report published Wednesday by the European Commission.

Steel Pipe Mkr ArcelorMittal To Compensate Protesters

The management of a unit of steel pipe maker ArcelorMittal Galati promised employees compensations for the financial losses they claimed.

Romanian Flag Carrier Tarom Signs Skyteam Pre-Accession Deal

Romania’s flag carrier Tarom and SkyTeam signed an 18-month pre-accession agreement and the Romanian airliner will invest $2 million to be included in the Alliance.

Romania’s Petrom 1Q Net Pft Doubles To RON977M

Romania’s largest vertically integrated oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) said Wednesday its first quarter net profit more than doubled to 977 million lei (EUR1=RON3.6506) from RON381 million a year earlier, on higher oil prices and positive restructuring results.

Romania’s 1Q Pwr Output Up 3.8% On Yr, Resources Dn 2%

Romania’s power output rose 3.8% on the year in January-March, while the country’s total power resources fell 2% on the year in the same period of 2008, the National Statistics Institute said Wednesday.

Romania’s Mar Net Salary Up 5.1% M-M To RON1.192

Romania's net average salary was up 5.1% to 1.192 lei (EUR1-RON3.6506) in real terms in March 2008, compared with February 2008, the National Institute for Statistics said Wednesday.

EC Sues Portugal, UK Over Recognition of Professional Qualifications in Romania, Bulgaria

The European Commission has decided to refer Portugal and the United Kingdom to the European Court of Justice over their failure to transpose in their national legislation the measures recognizing the professional qualifications of specialists coming from Romania and Bulgaria, a press release reads.

Italians Say Rroma People Are Lazy, Rude And Violent- Poll

Most Italians consider that Rroma immigrants are the ones committing illegalities in Italy and they would avoid becoming neighbors with Romanians or rroma citizens established in Italy, according to a poll conducted by two research institutes, Focus Marketing from Napoli (Italy) and Metro Media Transilvania from Romania respectively.

EU Warns Romania Over Discriminatory Dividend Taxation

The European Commission on Tuesday sent a letter of formal notice to Romania about its tax rules, under which dividends paid to foreign companies (outbound dividends) may be taxed more heavily than dividends paid to domestic companies (domestic dividends).

Sugababes Come To Romania On June 3

Brit pop group Sugababes will give a concert in Bucharest, on June 3 announced the representatives of mobile telecom operator Orange, the organizer of the event.

Romanian Exhaust Box Mkr Coturbi Employees Go On Warning Strike

A total number of 95 of the 130 employees of Romanian exhaust box supplier Coturbi, found on the Dacia platform, went on a two-hour warning strike Tuesday, after failed salary negotiations with company management.

Romania Senate Sets Up Inquiry Committee Into Terror Suspect Escape

Romania’s Senate Tuesday decided to set up an inquiry committee to investigate the escape of Syrian businessman Omar Hayssam, accused of masterminding the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq in 2005.

Romania Ctrl Bk Raises Key Rate To 9.75% From 9.5%

Romania's central bank Tuesday raised its main lending rate by 25 basis points for the fifth time in a row to 9.75% from 9.5%, the bank said in a statement.

Romanian Chamber Tacitly OKs Ordinance On Communist Police Archive Study Organization

The law approving government emergency ordinance 24/2008 on the structure studying the archives of the former communist police, or CNSAS, was approved tacitly Tuesday by the Chamber of Deputies.

Romanian Pres Says His Suspension Was Coup D’État

Romanian president Traian Basescu said on national radio station RRA that the honorary president of the social democrats, Ion Iliescu, is an "expert in coups d’état" and staged his suspension from office in April 2007, following negotiations with the prime minister.

Romanian Anticorruption Prosecutors To Charge Liberal Democrat With Abuse Of Office In Lottery File

Romanian democrat liberal vice-president Cristian Boureanu said Tuesday anticorruption prosecutors are charging him with abuse of office in the file involving the Romanian Lottery.

Romanian CEC Deferred Sale Seen Positive -PM

The deferred sale of Romania’s last remaining state-owned savings bank Casa de Economii si Consemnatiuni, or CEC, was not a failure as it would only have favored a profit-driven investor, failing to meet clients’ requirements for customized services, Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu said Tuesday.

Romania’s Petrom Hikes Pump Prices By RON0.12 Per Liter

Romania’s largest oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) hiked Tuesday gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.12 lei (EUR1=RON3.6323) per liter, the company said in a statement.

Romanian President Urges Return Of Ambassador To Poland

Romanian President Traian Basescu a said Tuesday on the national radio station RRA that Romania’s ambassador to Poland never mentioned in monthly reports the case of the Romanian national who died in a Polish hospital.

Romania’s Economy Seen Growing 7% In 1Q – FinMin

Romania’s economic growth is expected to stand at 7% in the first quarter of 2008, compared with a 6% growth in the first quarter last year, Romanian Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian said Tuesday in a press conference.

Romanian Saving Bk CEC Changes Name To CEC Bank

Romania’s last remaining state-owned savings bank Casa de Economii si Consemnatiuni, or CEC, changed its name to CEC Bank, part of its reorganization process, the bank said Tuesday.

Romania’s 1Q Industrial Sales Up 1.2% On Yr

Romania’s industrial sales rose 1.2% in the first quarter of 2008 from the year-earlier period due to growth in the energy sector, the National Statistics Institute said Tuesday.

Romania’s Anticorruption Department Re-Opens Controversial Duty-Free File

Romania’s Anticorruption Department (DNA) re-opened the file concerning duty-free shops at Bucharest’s international airport “Henri Coanda” Otopeni after it rejected the start of prosecution in August 2006.

Investors Not Interested To Buy Romanian Ball Bearing Plant Rulmentul Brasov

Investors expressed no interest until Monday, May 5, in taking part in the fifth auction to sell Romanian ball bearing plant Rulmentul Brasov at a starting price of EUR56 million, lower by 20% than the evaluation price.

Romania’s Rosia Montana Area To Become Natural Reservation

The Romanian Senate approved Monday a legislative proposal dubbing the Rosia Montana natural and archeological reservation, creating the administration of the reservation, which evaluates the natural resources in the area and issues environment agreements, protecting, preserving and restoring the area.

Romanian Ftbl League Chief Indicted For Corruption

Romanian prosecutors on Monday brought formal criminal corruption charges against Dumitru Dragomir, head of the national football league LPF, the anticorruption department said in a statement.

Romanian Official Says Sub-Commission Appointed To Debate High-Level Graft Cases

A sub-commission formed of seven rapporteurs is to discuss the request of the Romanian Anticorruption Department (DNA) to prosecute former transports minister Miron Mitrea and former prime minister Adrian Nastase in graft cases, Bogdan Olteanu, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, said Monday.

Romanian Transport Min Mulls Upgrading Cap City’s Rail Beltway By 2011

Romanian transport ministry mulls upgrading the rail beltway of the country’s capital city Bucharest in the next three years, transport minister Ludovic Orban said Monday.

Romanian AVAS Puts Off Avioane Craiova’s Sale Until May 20

Romanian privatization authority AVAS postponed again the deadline to submit the bids for the privatization of airplane maker Avioane Craiova from May 9 to May 20.

Over 200 Employees Of Cable Mkr On Dacia Platform Went On General Strike

Some 230 employees of cable maker Leoni, operating on the same platform as auto-assembly plant Automobile Dacia, went on strike indefinitely Monday morning.

World’s Oldest Bishop Robbed By Two Romanians

Monsignor Antonio Rosario Mennonna, the world’s oldest bishop, was robbed by two Romanian citizens he was hosting in his home in Muro Lucano, the Potenza province, Italian news agency Ansa reported.

Romanian Mar Indus Output Prices +15.6% On Year

Romanian industrial output prices rose 15.6% on the year in March, driven by higher prices in the mining and manufacturing sectors, the National Statistical Institute said Monday.

IMF Urges Romania To Oppose VAT Cut For Food, Earlier Pension Hikes

The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, urged Romanian authorities to strongly oppose a reduction in value added tax (VAT), moving up pension increases and advises cautiousness not to overrun the public sector wage bill.

Romania’s Tourism Ministry To Lift License Of Tour Op Avangarde Turism Club

Romania’s Ministry of Tourism will lift the license of tourism operator Avangarde Turism Club, which failed to observe its contractual obligations to clients, including 100 schoolchildren.

Romanian Social Democrat Nastase Would Run Against President Basescu In 09

Romania’s former social democrat prime minister Adrian Nastase said Saturday he would accept to run against acting President Traian Basescu in the 2009 presidential elections unless the party comes up with a better candidate.

Hundreds Of People Affected By Floods In Eastern Romania

Some 500 people and about 100 homes in Toflea and Brahasesti, in the eastern Romanian county of Galati, were affected by floods following heavy rain Friday evening.

Heavy Rains Flood Several Areas In Romania

Dozens of homes and households throughout the country were hit by floods Friday afternoon following heavy rains.

Romanian Airliner Blue Air Launches Constanta-Brussels Flight

Romania’s low-cost airliner Blue Air will operate starting August 12, a flight on the route Constanta (Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport)-Brussels (Zaventem) to take place every Tuesday, the airliner said.