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Colgate-Palmolive Shuts Down Plant In C. Romania, Lays Off 45 Employees

U.S. consumer products maker Colgate-Palmolive Co. on Wednesday said will shut down the toothpaste production line at its plant in Brasov, center Romania, a move resulting in 45 job cuts.

Romania’s Labor Productivity Growth Faster Than Wages In 03-07

Romania’s labor productivity grew at a slightly faster rate than the country’s average gross wages in 2003-2007, Vergil Voineagu, head of the Romanian Statistics Institute, said Wednesday.

Romanian Senate Tacitly OKs Ex Ministers Liability Amendment

The Romanian Senate approved tacitly a draft law initiated by social democrat Serban Nicolae according to which former ministers fall under the law of minister liability and the act also applies to criminal cases under investigation.

Romania 07 GDP Growth Slows On Poor Farming Output

Romania’s 2007 gross domestic product growth slowed to 6% on the year in real terms from 7.9% in 2006, primarily due to a decline in farming output, National Statistical Institute, or INS, said Wednesday.

Romania Still Has Widespread Abuse, Corruption, Discrimination Issues – U.S. Report

Romania still faces abuse, corruption and discrimination issues, although the government has addressed some human rights problems during the year, according to the 2007 U.S. State Department country report on human rights practices.

Constitutional Court Calls Parliament’s Attention Over Constitutional Matters

The Romanian Constitutional Court called to the Parliament’s attention the fact that it failed to correlate dispositions of a law that were declared as unconstitutional with the Court’s decision as well as the stipulations of the constitution.

Romanian Prosecutors Check Validity Of Bid On Rehabilitating Bucharest-Pitesti Highway

The National Anticorruption Department, or DNA, is verifying the legality of the auction through which the Bucharest Regional Department for Roads and Bridges chose the contractor that would rehabilitate the Bucharest-Pitesti highway.

Romania’s Environment Min Says 18 Zoos Will Be Closed Down

Romania’s environment minister Attila Korodi said on Tuesday that 18 zoos, among which the Bucharest zoo, that fail to observe the necessary functioning conditions will be closed down.

Romanian Deputies Adopt Law On Criminal Probe Against High-Officials

Romanian deputies Tuesday adopted 188 to 63 and three abstentions the draft law allowing the start of a criminal probe against the ministers who are also members of Parliament only with the approval of the Parliament.

EC Prompts Romania To Introduce CO2 Emission Criterion To Euro3 Cars

The Romanian government is working at the last amendments regarding the country’s tax on car registration after the European Commission asked that the new calculation method considering CO2 emissions also be applied for Euro3 cars.

Romanian Education Sector Unionists Protest Against Pact For Education

The members of the “Spiru Haret” and “Alma Mater” Free Unions Federation in the education sector, said they would protest Friday against the National Pact for Education, which they consider "a political means to win over the electorate."

Romanian Pres Asks PM To Cancel The Car Tax

Romanian president Traian Bsescu sent a letter to prime minister Calin Tariceanu, asking him to cancel, through emergency ordinance, the car tax, accusing Tariceanu that, through such measures, he is belittling Romanians.

Romania Jan-Feb State Budget Surplus 0.2% Of GDP – FinMin

Romania’s general consolidated budget ran a small surplus of around 0.2% of gross domestic product in Jan-Feb, Romanian Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian said Tuesday during a seminar.

Romanian Econ Fin Min Says Pension Hike Was One-Off Deal

Romanian pensions will reach, after the increase in January 2009, sucha high level that any other addition, aside from the indexing in correlations with the average salary, will not be sustainable from a budget perspective, said economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian.

Romanian Jan Trade Deficit At EUR1.41B

Romania’s trade deficit widened roughly 3% in January to EUR1.41 billion from EUR1.37 billion in the corresponding month last year, driven by higher imports from the European Union, the National Statistical Institute said Tuesday.

Romanian Feb CPI +0.7% On Mo, +7.97% On Yr

Romania’s consumer price index rose 0.7% on the month in February, on higher utility prices, taking the annual rate to 7.97%, its highest level since March 2006, the National Statistical Institute, or INS, said Tuesday.

Romania, Bulgaria Engaged In Tough Race For EUR7B Austrian Investment

Romania stands higher chances than Bulgaria to attract the EUR7 billion-investment that Austria's steel-maker Voelstahlpine plans to make in the Black Sea region.

Romanian Constitutional Court Says Dignitary Probes Need Parliament OK

The Romanian Public Ministry is obligated to ask the Parliament for approval in the investigation of ministers or former ministers, who are currently members of Parliament, when the dignitaries are targeted within an investigation.

Air France, Delta Airlines To Operate Direct Bucharest-New York Flight

French airliner Air France will operate starting April 1 a direct flight on route Bucharest-New York, in connection with American airliner Delta Air Lines, the French company said Monday.

Romania Invested 0.49% Of GDP In R&D In ‘08

Romania invested 0.49% of its gross domestic product in research and development in 2006, ranking second to last in Europe, according to a press release issued by Eurostat, which places Cyprus last, with 0.42% of the GDP invested in R&D.

Romanian Pres, PM To Meet With Foreign Counterparts In NATO Summit

Romanian President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, as hosts, will hold numerous bilateral meetings with the heads of states and governments attending the NATO summit, including George W. Bush, Angela Merkel and Hamid Karzai.

Romania Could Attract EUR2.5B In Non-reimbursable EU Funds – Fin Min

Romania could attract up to EUR2.5 billion in non-reimbursable European Union funds for 2007-2013, and authorities plan to get EUR800 million by yearend, economy and finance minister Varujan Vosaganian said Monday.

Romanian Research Sector Union Leader On Hunger Strike

Romania’s research union leader Radu Minea went on hunger strike Monday in front of the president’s office building demanding the independence of the research sector, a separate budget for research and the revision of all laws in the sector passed since 2005.

Romanian Execs Ask Govt To Shed Light On ‘08 Utility Price Hikes

Romanian businessmen Monday asked the Romanian government and energy watchdog to make public a timetable with electricity and gas price increases projected for 2008.

Romanian Milk Processors Deny Unions Involvement In Price Setting

Romanian milk processors Monday said prices for raw milk are set solely through negotiations between processors and suppliers, not together with the unions in the field.

EIB Might Grant EUR200M Loan To Romania, Hungary, Poland

The World Bank’s Financial unit, European Investment Bank, or EIB, might grant total loans of EUR200 million for the upgrade of domestic appliance capabilities in Romania, Poland and Hungary.

Romanian National Education Federation Agrees With Education Pact

The Romanian National Education federation (FEN) supports the national pact for education, stating that this is a political commitment expected for 18 years now, which will set the basis for the removal of politics from structures managing education.

Romanian Interior Min To Use 23,000 Units In NATO Summit Security

Some 23,000 employees from the Romanian Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform will be part of the security detail in the NATO summit organized in Bucharest, early April.

Romanian Social Democrat Avatars Hold Talks With PM, Democrat Liberals

The leader of the Bucharest branch of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Marian Vanghelie, said party leaders Ion Iliescu and Adrian Nastase held a meeting Friday with prime minister Calin Tariceanu, adding that a meeting with the democrat liberals and one with the head of state would follow.

Romanian Privatization Authority To Reclaim Majority Stake In Two Companies

Romanian privatization authority AVAS will reclaim the majority stake within the companies Alimentatie Publica, in northeastern Romania’s Botosani and Textila Unirea in Bucharest, which were privatized before 2000, since the investors failed to pay the total acquisition price.

Bucharest District 6 Mayor Is Incompatible – Liberal Official

The vice president of the Bucharest branch of the Romanian National Liberal Party, Antonel Tanase, stated that the mayor of Bucharest District 6, Cristian Poteras, is incompatible with his position, since he is the manager of a firm.

Flood Warning Extended In Romania Until Monday At Noon

Romanian hydrologists extended the code orange and code yellow warnings, until Monday at noon, for the counties in which there is the risk of floods, namely Hunedoara, Arad, Mures and Timis.

Romanian Border Police Intercepts 41 Indian Aliens

Northern Romania’s Maramures county border police officers, in collaboration with officers from the Romanian intelligence Service (SRI), caught, in the locality Tisa, 41 Indian citizens who entered the country illegally from Ukraine, crossing the river Tisa with an inflatable raft.

Romanian Liberal VPs Rule Out Election Overlapping

Romanian National Liberal Party vice presidents Teodor Melescanu and Norica Nicolai stated it is "almost impossible" for parliament elections to be organized at the same time as local elections, pointing out that there is not enough time for early parliament elections.

Romanian Forecast Commission Issues Early Spring ’08 Econ Outlook

The Romanian National Forecast Commission issued the 2008 preliminary spring forecast, touching the main macroeconomic indicators, the variation in industrial output, the trade balance, employment, wages, inflation and the exchange rates.

Arabian Businessman Eyes Over 51% Stake In FC Rapid Bucharest

Arabian businessman Fatih Taher, owner of several companies in Romania, Friday told MEDIAFAX that his company Griro SA mulls buying over 51% in FC Rapid Bucharest football club.

Simona Miculescu, Accredited As Romanian Ambassador To UN

Romanian President Traian Basescu Friday signed the decree accrediting Simona Miculescu as Romania’s ambassador to the United Nations, according to the presidential administration.

Romania’s Pres Confident Constitutional Court Will OK Uninominal Law

Romania’s president Traian Basescu said Friday on the public radio that the law on the uninominal voting system enacted by the Parliament observes the Constitution and expressed confidence that the Constitutional Court will approve the act.

Romania Adheres To European Haemovigilance Network

Romania adhered to the European Haemovigilance Network, which will ensure a safer transfer of blood from donor to receiver, said Friday Andy Rosin, manager of the Blood Transfusion Center in Covasna.

DNA Evidence Shows Hayssam Fled Romania Among Sheep – President

Romanian president Traian Băsescu said Friday on the public radio that there is technical evidence, including DNA samples, that Omar Hayssam fled Romania “among sheep”.