English

Romanian Liberal VP Snaps At Govt Magyars’ Kosovo Stance

19:50, 21 Feb. 2008
Liberal senator Norica Nicolai said on Thursday that the Hungarian minority party UDMR has to assume responsibility for the lack of solidarity with the Romanian government with respect to the Kosovo independence matter.

Serbia Eyes Romanian Harbor Capacities

18:48, 21 Feb. 2008
Serb president Boris Tadic, stated Thursday, after meeting his Romanian counterpart, that his country is interested in renting, on long term basis, some of the capacities in Constanta Harbor.

Romanian Fiscal Authority To Be Able To Transfer Debt Claims

18:03, 21 Feb. 2008
The Romanian National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) will be able to transfer the debts it manages, but the price will not be lower than the nominal value of contributor bonds, according to a draft ordinance amending the Fiscal Procedure Code.

Giovanna Reggiani’s Killer To Be Also Charged With Sexual Assault

16:48, 21 Feb. 2008
The Rome courthouse ruled to maintain the sexual assault charges against the Romanian immigrant charged with the murder of 47-year-old Italian Giovanna Reggiani, according to the Italian press.

Serbian President Thanks Romania For Support In Kosovo Issue

15:38, 21 Feb. 2008
Serbian president Boris Tadic thanked Romania for its support in the Kosovo independence issue, adding he is grateful to the country.

Russia Salutes Romania’s Stance On Kosovo Independence

13:10, 21 Feb. 2008
The Russian Embassy to Bucharest saluted the Romanian Parliament’s decision not to recognize the self-proclaimed independence of Serbia’s breakaway region of Kosovo.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia To Launch SUV In 2009

12:45, 21 Feb. 2008
Renault Romanian unit Dacia will launch its first compact SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) in the second half of 2009, aiming to lure the fans of Korean-made SUVs, and it will be sold at a price lower by a few thousand euros, compared with the prices set by competitors.

Romanian Ex-Transport Min Took Note Of Corruption Charges Against Him

11:00, 21 Feb. 2008
Romania’s former transport minister Miron Mitrea said Thursday after he met anticorruption prosecutors that he took note of the charges bright against him in the file probing him alongside former prime minister Adrian Nastase.

Gas Blast Injures Seven In S Romania

10:00, 21 Feb. 2008
Seven people were injured Wednesday night in a blast caused by an accumulation of gas in the Ocnita commune, in Romania’s southern county of Dambovita.

Romania’s Petrom Hikes Pump Prices By RON0.09 Per Liter

10:00, 21 Feb. 2008
Romania’s largest oil company Petrom SA (SNP.RO) hiked Thursday gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.09 lei (EUR1=RON3.6475) per liter due to recent increases in international oil prices, the company said in a statement.

Romanian Magyar Civic Union To Use Unofficial Referendum Towards Autonomy

20:32, 20 Feb. 2008
The president of the Magyar Civic Union in Romania – the Sfantu Gheorghe Seat, Gazda Zoltan, said that the next step towards territorial autonomy is the internal as well as external valuation of the results obtained in the unofficial internal referendum, organized by the National Szeckler Council.

Romanian Electoral Code Committee Sets Uninominal Vote Principles

19:31, 20 Feb. 2008
The Romanian electoral code committee adopted the fundamental principles of the law on the uninominal voting system, as well as a large part of the articles in the law. The only matters left to discuss are the provisions regarding the electoral threshold and the manner of mandate attribution.

Romanian Govt Tries To Call Back Migrant Workers

16:53, 20 Feb. 2008
The Romanian government will create and periodically update, starting with December 2008, a database of Romanian citizens working abroad, including the working conditions and the reasons for immigration, and will offer facilities for Romanians returning to the country, helping them open a business.

Romanian Govt To Nearly Double Indemnities For People Persecuted In Communist Era

16:48, 20 Feb. 2008
Indemnities granted to people who were persecuted on political grounds during the communist regime and those granted to war prisoners and those deported abroad, will be increased 90%, labor minister Paul Pacuraru said Wednesday.

Serbian President Boris Tadic Expected In Bucharest Thursday

16:03, 20 Feb. 2008
Serbian president Boris Tadic is expected Thursday in Bucharest for a meeting with Romania’s Chamber of Deputies speaker Bogdan Olteanu, the Chamber said in a press release Wednesday.

Romanian Govt To Send New Car Tax Letter To EC

15:56, 20 Feb. 2008
Romania’s car tax will be calculated considering CO2 emissions for Euro4 cars, while the current formula, considering pollution norms, emissions and engine capacity, will be applied to all other vehicles, but the sums are to increase significantly from the proposal undergoing debate.

Romanian Businessman, Wife Of Ex-Agriculture Min Heard In Graft File

12:57, 20 Feb. 2008
Romanian businessman Gheorghe Ciorba, probed alongside former agriculture ministers Ioan Avram Mureaan and Decebal Traian Remes for influence peddling and corruption, was heard on Wednesday by anticorruption prosecutors, together with Remes’ wife.

European Commission OKs Romania’s Rural Development Plan

12:53, 20 Feb. 2008
The European Commission on Wednesday approved the National Plan for Rural Development, allowing Romania to access some EUR8 billion in EU funds by 2013, agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos said.

Romanian MEP Criticizes „California Dreamin” To Represent Romania In EU Film Festival

12:36, 20 Feb. 2008
Social democrat MEP Ioan Mircea Pascu urged the European Parliament Monday evening to reconsider the choice of "California Dreamin’" by Cristian Nemescu to represent Romania in the film festival organized within the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.

Romanian Umbrella Killer Had No Intent To Kill- Italian Judge

21:45, 19 Feb. 2008
A Romanian woman sentenced to 16 years in jail for killing a Rome subway passenger by stabbing her through the eye with an umbrella, did not intend to kill the woman, according to judge Donatella Pavone.

Romanian Ctrl Bkr: Leu To Weaken Below 10% Vs Euro In 08

21:32, 19 Feb. 2008
The Romanian leu will weaken against the euro this year by less than 10%, heading towards the level in 2005-2006, Romania’s central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said on Tuesday.

Two Romanian Parties Threaten To Initiate No-Confidence Motion Against Govt

21:09, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s leftist opposition Social Democratic Party, or PSD, and the Democratic Liberal Party, or PDL, each threatens to initiate a no-confidence motion against the current government.

Romanian Official Sheds Light On Early Statements

19:04, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s state counselor for defense, Constantin Degeratu said on Tuesday that his early statements regarding the country’s stand with respect to the newly formed state of Kosovo do not suggest that government should change the position it adopted in the matter.

Romanian Democrat Liberals Threaten To Initiate No-Confidence Motion Against Govt

18:30, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s Democratic Liberal Party, or PDL, will initiate a no-confidence motion to dismiss the government, if the latter fails to annul the first registration tax for cars, party head Emil Boc on Tuesday told a news conference.

N Romania Student To Attend Gaming Olympics

18:26, 19 Feb. 2008
A 21 year-old student from Romania’s northern county of Bistrita, will represent Romania in the largest European video games competition- The Samsung Euro Championship, to take place in Hanover (Lower Saxony) between March 6 and March 9.

Romania Pledged To Adjust Gas Prices To EU Levels By ’07- ANRE

16:55, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania pledged to hike the natural gas prices every year, so that they should have reached the European levels by 2007, the president of Romania’s energy watchdog, Olosz Gergely, said Tuesday.

Romanian ’07 Construction Output Growth Highest In EU – Eurostat

16:44, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania registered the highest construction output in the EU in 2007, with a 30.9% hike, while for the 27 member states, this area registered an annual drop of 4%, according to European statistics office Eurostat.

Romania’s Labor Code To Remain Unchanged For Another Two Yrs-Unions

16:30, 19 Feb. 2008
Bogdan Hossu, the head of the Union Confederation Cartel Alfa, said the Romanian Labor Code might not be amended in the next two years for electoral reasons.

Romania Might Change Position In Kosovo Matter – Official

16:28, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s state counselor for defense, Constantin Degeratu, said Tuesday the country might change its position with respect to the newly created state of Kosovo, if it fits its interests and those of the European Union.

Cigarette Packs In Romania To Include Text And Image Warnings Starting July

14:43, 19 Feb. 2008
Cigarette packs sold in Romania starting July 1 will have printed text warnings and a color photograph or illustration of the unhealthy effects of smoking, the Health Ministry said.

Romania’s Former IT&C Minister Officially Notified On Prosecutors’ Charges

13:02, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s former IT&C minister Zsolt Nagy has been officially notified Tuesday on the charges brought against him in the file in which the anticorruption prosecutors with the DNA are investigating the way in which a government decision regarding a plot of land owned by the Romanian postal company was signed.

Romania Should Send Troops To Chad – Def Min

12:37, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s defense minister Teodor Melescanu told the Senate’s defense committee that Romania should prove by deploying troops to Chad that it is a factor of stability and can unfold such a mission.

Former Social Democrat PM Stages Political Comeback

12:18, 19 Feb. 2008
Romania’s former prime minister Adrian Nastase told MEDIAFAX he submitted his candidacy Tuesday morning for the position of head of the National Council in the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

ECHR Rules Romanian Govt To Pay EUR10,000 To Two Bucharest Citizens

11:16, 19 Feb. 2008
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled the Romanian government should pay EUR10,000 to two Bucharest citizens with whom the public water and sewage company Apanova refused to conclude drinkable water distribution contracts.

Romanian Parliament Backs Pres Statement On Kosovo

20:34, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian Chamber Speaker Bogdan Olteanu announced that the reunited Parliament Standing Offices reached consensus on a statement supporting the official point of view of Romanian authorities, not acknowledging the independence of Kosovo.

Romanian Pres Says Magyars Were Fair In Talks On Kosovo

20:26, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian president Traian Basescu stated that the Magyar minority party (UDMR) was fair in the talks held Monday at his office, but he added that he scolded the party, saying that in regions Harghita and Covasna "there are aspects that might be interpreted as ethnic purification” against Romanians.

Romania Opposes Kosovo Independence

20:08, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian president Traian Basescu stated, after talks with political parties, that Romania maintains its stance and does not acknowledge the independence of the Kosovo province for reasons such as the grant of collective minority rights and lack of observance for Serbia’s territorial integrity.

Trial Of Syrian Justice Evader Ends, Court Expected To Reach Verdict

20:06, 18 Feb. 2008
The trial of Syrian businessman Omar Hayssam, previously sentenced by the Bucharest Court of Appeals to 20 years in jail for the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq in 2005, ended Monday and the Supreme Court is expected to reach its verdict after the defense and prosecution pleadings had been heard.

Romanian Health Min Holds Ground On Drug Price Freeze

19:43, 18 Feb. 2008
Romanian hospital managers that accept, through additional document, the hike of medicine prices over the values mentioned in the national catalogue will pay the difference on their own, health minister Eugen Nicolaescu told MEDIAFAX.

Bucharest’s Intl Airports To Be Closed During NATO Summit

16:44, 18 Feb. 2008
Bucharest’s international airports "Aurel Vlaicu" Baneasa and "Henri Coanda" Otopeni will be closed during the Bucharest-hosted NATO summit in April, and operators will use other airports in the country, said Monday Antonel Tanase, state secretary in the Ministry of Transports.