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Liberal Official Says President Is Party’s Worst Enemy

Eugen Nicolaescu, vice-president of the National Liberal Party, or PNL, on Saturday accused president Basescu of trying to destroy and discredit the party.

British Citizen Appeals Court Ruling In Nemescu Case

The Bucharest courthouse will rule, at the beginning of February, on the appeal made by British citizen Ali Imran, sentenced to seven years in prison for the murder of film director Cristian Nemescu and other two people.

42 Romanian Counties Get Code Yellow Warning For Strong Winds

Romania’s Ministry for the Environment on Saturday sent out yellow code warning for 42 counties throughout the country, that are to be confronted in upcoming days with strong winds.

Romanian Privatization Auth Restructuring To Leave 100 Jobless

Romanian privatization authority AVAS will fire 100 employees in 2008, through collective layoffs, thus reducing the maximum number of positions in the structure of the institution to 510 employees, from the 610 positions set late 2006.

Theodor Stolojan Would Refuse Romanian Ctrl Bk Headship

Theodor Stolojan, vice-president of the Democratic Liberal Party, Friday said he is not interested in becoming governor with Romania’s central bank BNR stating that the person to occupy this position needs to have “thorough knowledge in the field.”

Romanian Govt Finds Breaches At Financial Guard

Romanian county control services, as well as commissariats of the Environment Guard, the Financial Guard and the inspectorates in constructions, are violating over 20 work rules, storing confiscated goods in gyms and making mistakes in literature, which allow fined companies to win in court.

EC To Present Convergence Recommendations To Romania

The European Commission will present to the Ecofin Council, next week, a recommendation regarding the program for Romania’s convergence, said European commissioner for Multilingualism Leonard Orban.

Romanian Officials’ Transactions To Be Monitored EU-Wide-Draft Law

The transactions made by Romanian officials could be monitored all over the European Union territory as of 2009 at the latest, according to a draft law drawn up to comply with a compulsory European directive.

Romanian Director Mungiu Nominated For César Awards

Cristian Mungiu’s "4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days" was nominated for the 2008 edition of the César awards, at the “best foreign film category,” ecranlarge.com informs.

Romania’s Labor Min Called To Appear Before Anticorruption Dept

Labor minister, liberal Paul Pacuraru, Friday said he was summoned to present himself next week to the National Anticorruption Department, or DNA, but did not state the exact date of the hearing.

BRD Officials Ask Investors To Remain Calm

The management of Romania’s second largest bank Banca Romana pentru Dezvoltare – Groupe Societe Generale (BRD.RO) expressed hope that investors react reasonably to the news of French bank Societe Generale being defrauded.

Animal Diagnosis Inst: Bucharest Zoo Runaway Jaguar Died Of Stress

Experts with Romania’s Institute for Animal Diagnosis and Health on Thursday established that the jaguar that escaped from the Bucharest Zoo late November died of stress.

International Charter Flights 10% More Expensive Starting Summer

Romanian tour operators announced that ticket prices for charter flights going from Romania to international destinations are to increase 10% this summer.

Romanian Govt Notifies Court On President’s Refusal To Appoint Nicolai Jus Min

The Romanian executive on Thursday notified the Constitutional Court on President Traian Basescu’s refusal to appoint Norica Nicolai minister of justice.

Romanian Telecom Users Can Change Op, Keep Number

Romanian telecom users can opt as of October 21, 2008 to change their telecom operator for another one while maintaining in the same time their telephone number.

Romania’s Agric Min To Maintain Current Subsidies For Farmers

Romania’s agriculture ministry will maintain the current subsidies granted to producers in the agriculture field, said on Thursday minister Dacian Ciolos.

Romania’s Sanitas Federation Postponed Going On Strike

The Sanitas Federation on Thursday postponed going on general strike after unionists signed an agreement with the health ministry.

Preventive Arrest For Romanian Cop Cristian Cioaca On E-Mail Violation Charges

The Romanian High Court of Justice decided the preventive arrest, for 29 days, of Cristian Cioaca in the case where he is charged with violating the e-mail address of his wife, lawyer Elodia Ghinescu.

New Romanian Car Tax To Come Into Force On July 1, ’08

The changes in the Romanian car registration tax will come into force on July 1. The sums collected will go from the state budget to the Environment Fund. The values in the new grid published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance are highly similar to the ones presented Wednesday by MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Pres Heckled In Iasi

Romanian president Traian Basescu was booed and heckled in northeastern Romanian city Iasi, at the beginning of the speech he was about to hold. He immediately retorted saying that the event is not political, but the public offered the same response at the end of the speech.

Romania Failed To Counteract South Stream Pipeline Constr On Pol Grounds-Patriciu

Romania was not able to counteract, on political grounds, the project for the construction of South Stream gas pipeline, transporting gas from Russia to Europe, Romanian oil tycoon Dinu Patriciu said Wednesday.

Romanian PM Says Parliament Must OK Criminal Probe On Ministers

Romania’s Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said that Parliament has to approve the starting of criminal investigation against former and acting ministers.

EXCLUSIVE: EUR950 Tax On Euro 4 Cars In Romania

The value of the Romanian car first registration tax for cars will hike two-three times for new Euro 4 cars, namely EUR420 for 1400 cubic centimeters, EUR480 at 1600 cubic centimeters and EUR950 at 1900 cubic centimeters, but it will also drop ten times for 14-15 year old Euro 1 cars, between EUR323 and EUR652.

Romania To Rein In Yearend Spending Frenzy-PM

Romania's government plans to take tight measures to rein in massive budget spending in the last two months of the year to keep the country's budget deficit in check.

Romania’s Insurance Regulator Extends Deadline For Compulsory Additional RCA Reserve

Romania’s insurance watchdog on Wednesday said it postponed until April 1 a regulation compelling insurers authorized to sell mandatory civil liability car policies, or RCA, to set up and preserve an additional technical reserve for insurance contracts.

Romanian Govt To Approve Single-Digit Salary Hike In 2008-PM

The Romanian executive on Wednesday agreed upon a single-digit hike in average wages in 2008, with education and healthcare fields to receive the highest increases, Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu said.

EC To Drop Infringement When Romanian Parliament OKs New Car Tax

Romanian economy and finance minister Varujan Vosganian informed the members of the Romanian government that the changes to the "car pollution tax" will be promoted in the next Government meeting, and Romania will stop facing infringement once the Parliament approves these changes.

Romania To Deploy 175 Troops To Kosovo

Romania will send 175 police officers and gendarmes to a Kosovo region at European Union’s choice, President Traian Basescu said on Wednesday.

Foreign Cos Appreciate Romanian Workers For Skills, Salary Demands – Report

The number of Romanian women working abroad is larger than the number of men, while Romanians are considered the best employees, due to their skills and the fact that they are working overtime for modest pay, according to a report compiled by European Citizens Advice Service.

Romanian Jus Min OKs Launch Of Criminal Probe Against Eight Dignitaries

Romania’s interim justice minister Teodor Meleşcanu on Tuesday sent to the prosecutors, as requested by the presidency, the files on starting criminal investigation against eight former and acting ministers.

Romanian IT&C Authority Proposes New Interconnection Fees

A number of 33 fixed telephony operators could apply, starting with the second quarter of 2008, an interconnection fee of 1.15 eurocents/minute, according to a draft decision of the National Authority for the Regulation of Communications and Information Technology (ANRCTI).

Romania Police Seized 2,304 Kg Narcotics, Hallucinogens In 2007

The Romanian Police seized 2,304 kilograms of narcotics and hallucinogens in 2007, up 82% on year, the head of police Gheorghe Popa said Tuesday.

Romanian Interior Min Demands Crackdown On Street Violence

Romanian interior minister Cristian David said Tuesday at the activity report meeting of the Romanian Police that police chiefs in cities with frequent gang wars and gang retaliations should “make room for someone better.”

Parliament Often Bent Constitution To Fit Political Interests –President

Romanian President Traian Basescu told young graduates of the National Magistrates Institute on Tuesday that lawmakers have often “bent” the Constitution to make it fit political purposes.

Romanian PM Romania Supports US Missile Shield

Romania supports the extension of the American missile shield project, but without “hostility” from Russia, which needs to understand that it could team up with the EU and NATO in the set up of such global protection measures, said Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

Gas Bills Should Rise 10% In 1Q – Distrigaz Sud

Natural gas prices for end-users should rise 10% in the first quarter of 2008, if the methodology set up by Romanian energy watchdog ANRE, comes into force, gas distributor Distrigaz Sud, majority-owned by French utility Gaz de France, said Tuesday.

AXN Takes “Suicidal Squirrels” Off The Air

TV network AXN will take controversial “Suicidal Squirrels” cartoon off the air, Steven White, General Manager for Central Europe with AXN network said Tuesday in the meeting with the Romanian audio-visual watchdog CNA.

Romanian Leu Likely To Rebound – Ctrl Bk Governor

The Romanian leu is likely to rebound after hitting a three-year low against the euro this week due to local and international jitters, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Tuesday.

Romanian President Criticizes Gov On Energy-Related Question

Romanian President Traian Basescu criticized the government Tuesday as he did not get an answer yet to a question related to the energy sector during a meeting of the country’s defense council last year.

Romania Needs Better Governing On All Levels – President

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Tuesday, at the launch of the project revising the Sustainable Development Strategy, that the country needs better governing on all levels.