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Romanian PM Considers New Nomination For Jus Min-Sources

Romanian Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu considers nominating a new minister of justice to avoid a possible situation in which President Traian Basescu refuses to dismiss interim minister Teodor Melescanu, liberal sources said Tuesday.

Education Pact Sparks Clash Btw Romanian Social Democrats, President

Romania’s leftist opposition Social-Democratic Party (PSD) said it would not sign the Education Pact proposed by President Traian Basescu unless 7% of gross domestic product is earmarked for the education system, according to a press statement issued Tuesday by the party’s department for education.

Romania Health Ministry To Pay EUR25M For IT&C Equipment

Romania’s health ministry completed an auction to purchase IT&C equipment meant for the healthcare system for an estimated price of EUR25 million, minister Eugen Nicolaescu said Monday.

Romania’s State Protocol Buildings To Be Sold In Auctions Only

The committee for legal matters of the Romanian Senate on Tuesday established that buildings in the administration of the state protocol authority RAAPPS may only be sold in auctions and not by negotiation.

Romanian Intelligence Service To Organize Young Atlanticist Summit

The Atlantic Council of the USA and the Euro-Atlantic Council in Romania – NATO House will organize, with the help of the Romanian Intelligence Service, between April 2 and April 4, the "Young Atlanticist Summit," created as a meeting opportunity for future leaders in the Euro-Atlantic region.

Cigarettes Might Be Sold Near Romanian Schools, Hospitals

The committee for legal matters within the Romanian Senate decided Tuesday that cigarettes might be sold in stores located less than 50 meters away from schools and hospitals, while the ban on the sale of these products applies exclusively on the premises of the mentioned units.

Romania’s Petrom 07 Crude Oil, Gas Output Slightly Dn

The crude oil output of Romania’s largest vertically integrated oil company, Petrom SA (SNP.RO) fell 4% in 2007 to 70.27 million barrels from 73 million barrels in 2006, due to international factors, the company said Tuesday.

Romania Might Fail To Meet 2014 Euro Adoption Timetable – Ctrl Bkr

Romania might not meet its euro-zone entry timetable, which entails euro adoption in 2014, if the country’s soaring inflation doesn’t go down to sustainable levels in 2008 and 2009, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Tuesday.

Romania To Hold Local Elections On Time – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu restated Tuesday that local elections will not be moved up or postponed and will be organized at a date so as not to overlap with Easter or the European Football Championship.

EU Asks Copy Of Romanian Parliament Committee Report On Alleged CIA Flights

The European Commission is awaiting a detailed report from Romanian authorities regarding alleged CIA flights carrying terror suspects via Romania, and a copy of the report drafted by the parliament investigation committee, BBC Romania reported.

Italian Authorities Put 26 Romanians Under Arrest In Last 48 Hours

Italian authorities arrested 26 Romanian citizens in the last 48 hours, under charges of theft, forgery and resisting arrest, according to Italian news agency APcom.

Greater Romania Party Urges Talks On No-Confidence Car Tax Motion

Corneliu Vadim Tudor, head of the far-right Greater Romania Party, or PRM, said his party would not vote the no-confidence motion on the first registration tax for cars initiated by the Democratic Liberal Party, unless talks are held in this respect.

Romanian Jan Pvt Lending +67% YY At RON154.2B

Romanian private lending rose 66.8% on the year in January in real terms to 154.25 billion lei ($62.4 billion), due to higher loans in both leu and foreign currencies, the central bank said Monday.

Romanian Liberal Democrats Launch No-Confidence Motion

Romania’s Democrat Liberal Party (PDL) leader Emil Boc said Monday the party launches a no-confidence motion dubbed “Tariceanu, give the money back!".

Romania’s Def Min Remains Justice Interim

Leaders of Romania’s ruling Liberal Party, or PNL, did not discuss the issue of the Justice Ministry, and defense minister Teodor Melescanu remains interim justice minister.

Romania To Refund Car Tax Only If Forced By EC Or European Court Of Justice

The Romanian government will return in full the money collected for the car tax only following a decision of the European Commission and possibly of the European Court of Justice.

Romanian Savings Bk CEC To Start Compensation On Dec ‘21

People who deposited money in Romanian savings bank CEC before 1992 for the acquisition of Dacia cars, will receive their money back in one installment, starting with December 21, 2008, economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian said Monday.

Eight Romanians Injured In Road Accident In Austria

Eight Romanians were injured Sunday night in the road accident near Vienna, Austria, and two of the victims are in serious condition, said Ioana Bobes, attaché of Romania’s Embassy to Vienna.

Some 42,000 Romanian Public Servants On Go-Slow Strike

Some 42,000 Romanian public servants affiliated to the de National Federation of Unions in the Administration (FNSA) started Monday morning a two-hour go-slow strike, protesting against the government’s wage propositions.

Romanian Pres Criticizes Autonomy Memorandum Drawn By Szeckler Council

Romanian president Traian Basescu said on Sunday that the request of the National Szeckler Council (CNS) for the autonomy of the Szeckler county, area in eastern Transylvania populated mostly by Magyars, is only “an attempt to stir up spirits.”

Romania Will Fight Back If Hungarian Govt Supports Szeckler Autonomy-Pres

Romania’s president Traian Basescu said he does not believe that the Hungarian government issued a statement according to which it would support the autonomy fight of the Szeckler county.

Romanian Pres Holds No Info About CIA Prisoner Site At Kogalniceanu Base

Romanian president Traian Basescu said on Sunday in Covasna, central Romania, that he has no knowledge of alleged prisoner exchange at Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase.

Romania’s Ctrl Bker Highlights Importance Of Financial Stability

Romania’s central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said that price stability, the central bank’s main objective, cannot be ensured at the cost of financial stability and excessive external imbalance.

Kogalniceanu Base Commander Denies CIA Prisoner Site Existence

Adrian Vasile, the commander of the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase, in eastern Romania on Sunday denied the information regarding terror suspect exchanges that allegedly took place at the airbase.

Ex National Security Counselor Says He Knows Nothing About CIA Flights

Former presidential counselor for national security, Ioan Talpes, on Sunday told Mediafax reporters that he knows nothing on the disclosures regarding strange “parcel exchanges” from Mihail Kogalniceanu American airbase in eastern Romania.

Magyar Autonomy, An Issue Romania Needs To Deal With -Official

Laszlo Tokes, president of the National Council of Magyars in Transylvania, said that the autonomy of the Magyar minority in Romania is a domestic problem the country needs to solve.

Romanians From Transylvania Ask Pres To Solve Magyar-Romanian Issues

The members of the Romanian civil society from Transylvanian Covasna and Harghita regions met on Saturday with president Traian Basescu and raised some issues with which the Romanian community in the area is currently confronting.

Local, Parliament Elections Cannot Take Place Simultaneously- Liberal Official

Ludovic Orban, the vice-president of the National Liberal Party, or PNL, Saturday told a press conference that local elections and parliament elections cannot legally nor constitutionally take place in the same time.

Nastase Comeback Seals Deal Btw Liberals-Social Democrats-Official

Emil Boc, the head of the Democratic Liberal Party, or PDL, said on Saturday, during the congress of the young organization of the party, that Adrian Nastase’s comeback within the Social Democratic Party structures seals the symbolic agreement between social democrats and liberals.

Cesar Award For “Best Foreign Film” Goes To “Viata Celorlalti”

Cristian Mungiu’s "4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days" lost the award for the “best foreign film category” of the 33rd edition of the Cesar Awards to Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s “Viata celorlalti.”

Romanian Pres Visits C Romania County Populated By Magyars

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Friday that his visit in central Romanian county of Covasna, area populated mostly by Magyars, has nothing to do with Kosovo’s recent declaration of independence, as some politicians had stated.

Romania’s Econ Shows Signs Of Overheating – EU Council

Romania’s rapidly expanding economy is showing clear signs of overheating with a ballooning current account deficit, growing labor shortages and private lending, the Council of the European Union said after examining Romania’s updated euro adoption timetable for 2007-2010.

Romanian Ex PM Makes Comeback On Political Scene

Former Romanian prime minister Adrian Nastase was elected president of the National Council of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), with 418 votes, against Dan Mircea Popescu, for whom 202 delegates voted, while 28 votes were annulled.

Social Democrats Adopt Resolution, No Mention Of No-Confidence Motion

The National Council of the leftist opposition Social Democratic Party, or PSD, adopted on Friday a resolution delegating the party’s management to use “all democratic instruments” in view of finding a solution to escape the current political deadlock.

FIFA President Sees Romania Among Potential Euro-2008 Semi-finalists

FIFA president Joseph Blatter said Thursday in an interview for the UEFA official website that Romania, France, the Netherlands and Italy are semi-potential finalists for Euro-2008.

Romania To Pay Ex Miners’ Leader Only EUR10,000 For Illegal Detention

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Friday rejected the appeal of former miners’ leader Miron Cozma, who had requested EUR4 million in damages for illegal detention after the annulment of a pardoning decree.

Bucharest Intl Airports To Stay Open During NATO Summit

Romania’s Foreign Ministry state secretary Victor Micula told MEDIAFAX Friday that Bucharest’s international airports Otopeni and Baneasa will be open during the NATO summit in April.

U.S. Supreme Court To Hear Munaf Case On March 25

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear on March 25 the case of American-Iraqi citizen Mohammad Munaf, sentenced to death in Iraq for the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists.

Bucharest Social Democrats Appoint City Hall Candidate

The Romanian Social Democratic Party’s (PSD) Bucharest branch council decided unanimously that Marian Vanghelie would be the party’s candidate for Bucharest city hall, social democrat sources told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Doctors Eye EU Jobs

Te Bucharest Medical College (CMB) is registering, on a daily basis, between eight and 15 requests for documents that would allow doctors to work in hospitals in the EU, the numbers being worrisome since the number of doctors in Romania is almost the lowest in Europe, according to professor Ioan Lascar.