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Romanian Govt Decides To Raise Gross Minimum Wage To RON700 In 2012 – Sources

The Romanian Government on Wednesday decided to raise the gross minimum wage in 2012 by 30 lei (about EUR7) to RON700 from RON670, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

President Basescu To Reconfirm Romania Wants To Join Fiscal Union Pact

Romania’s President Traian Basescu told the Government Wednesday he will send to the European Council a reconfirmation of the fact that Romania will join the fiscal union pact EU leaders agreed upon last week.

Over Half Of Romanians Aged 16 To 74 Have Never Used The Internet

More than half of Romanians aged 16 to 74 have never used the Internet and less than one third of Romanian households have access to broadband Internet connection, according to the EU’s statistics office Eurostat.

Relocation Of Renault’s Romanian Production Out Of The Question – President

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday Renault is one of the most stable investments on the local market, and added that a relocation of the French carmaker’s Dacia production in Morocco in the future is out of the question.

Romanian Transport Minister Appoints Bucharest Transport Authority Head

Romanian Transport Ministry Anca Boagiu on Tuesday appointed Adrian Crit, former director of Bucharest’s public transport authority RATB, in the position of general manager of the Bucharest Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMTB).

Romania, Bulgaria’s Schengen Entry To Be Discussed Wednesday, Vote To Be Again Put Off – Sources

The EU Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) will discuss Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to border-free Schengen Area Wednesday, but the matter will not be put to the vote, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian Local Authorities Must Allot Funds To Child Protection – Bill

Romanian local authorities must ensure financing for child protection to ensure the system’s functioning, according to a bill put up for public debate.

Romania, Bulgaria Sign Single Airspace Agreement

Romanian Transport Ministry state secretary Alexandru Nazare and Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivailo Moskovski signed an agreement in Brussels to set up a functional airspace block through which Romania and Bulgaria will have a single airspace.

President Basescu Informed EC That Romania Will Join Fiscal Union Pact

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday he informed the European Commission that Romania will join the fiscal union pact recently agreed on by European Union leaders.

Romanian Govt Wants More Flexible Approach To Regulation Freezing Public Sector Hiring

Romania’s Government wants a more flexible approach to the rule whereby only one in seven vacant public sector positions may be filled next year, with a view to applying it at a higher level, and not for each public institution, so as to unfreeze hiring in sectors where staff shortages become acute.

Romanian Govt Pledges To Cut National Co-Financing Rate For EU-Funded Projects By 10 Pct

The Romanian Government wants to temporarily reduce the national co-financing rate for EU-funded projects by 10 percentage points, based on a new EU regulation which increased the European contribution rate.

Over 90% Of Romanians Aged 16 To 24 Navigate The Internet – Poll

Over 90% of Romanians aged between 16 and 24 and those with higher education use the Internet, according to a survey conducted by market research company 360insights.

Romanian Labor Min Proposes Gross Minimum Wage Of RON700 Per Month In 2012

The Romanian Labor Ministry proposed that the gross minimum wage per month in 2012 be set at 700 lei (EUR161), according to a draft decision put forward Thursday by the institution.

Romanian Parliament’s Budget Committees Approve Interior Min’s 2012 Budget

The Romanian Parliament’s committees for budget and finance on Wednesday approved with 23 to 13 votes the budget of the Ministry of Interior.

Constitutional Court Postpones Ruling On Geoana’s Dismissal As Senate Chairman

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday postponed a ruling on the dismissal of Mircea Geoana from the position of Senate chairman.

Romanian Social Democrats Challenge At Constitutional Court Blaga’s Election As Senate Chairman

The Romanian opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) challenged with the Constitutional Court the election of democrat liberal Vasile Blaga as Senate Chairman, senator Dan Sova said Wednesday.

Romanian Constitutional Court Upholds Law Freezing Public Wages, Pensions In 2012

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday upheld the law freezing public sector wages and pensions next year, which the opposition had contested.

Romanian Revolutionaries Stage Protest In Downtown Bucharest

Over 300 Romanian revolutionaries are protesting in the University Square in capital Bucharest, calling on the Government to resign and demanding early elections.

Romania To Export Large Amounts Of Pork To EU Starting Next Year – Minister

Romania will export to EU member states five-digit tonnages of pork annually starting 2012, as the European Commission decided the country may resume pork exports, Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romania Might Increase Resources Allotted To Investments In Spring 2012 – Minister

Romanian Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu said Tuesday additional revenues that might result after the budget execution in the first months of 2012 will most likely be directed to investments.

Romanians Highly Dissatisfied With Public Healthcare Services – Poll

Romanians are highly discontented with the Romanian healthcare system and the way it is managed, according to a research conducted by IRIS Network in 28 countries.

Romanian Parliament Committees Approve Budget Of Ministry Of EU Affairs

The 2012 budget of Romania's Ministry of European Affairs, amounting to 86.7 million lei (EUR20 million), was approved Monday by the specialty Parliament committees.

Romanian Parliament Defense Committees OK Interior Ministry’s Draft 2012 Budget

The Romanian Parliament’s defense committees on Monday approved during a joint meeting the draft 2012 budget of the Interior Ministry, of 7.29 billion lei (EUR1.67 billion).

Romanian Parliament Committees OK Draft 2012 Budgets Of Health Min, Health Insurance House

The Romanian Parliament’s health committees on Monday approved with 14 to ten votes the draft 2012 budgets of the Health Ministry and the National Health Insurance House (CNAS).

Romanian Parliament Committees OK Agriculture Ministry Budget

The committees for agriculture in the Romanian Parliament on Monday approved the 2012 budget of the Agriculture Ministry, of 14.9 billion lei (EUR3.42 billion), nearly RON1 billion lower than this year's RON15.8 billion.

Belgium Might Lift Work Restrictions For Romanians, Bulgarians Starting 2012

Romanians and Bulgarians might be allowed access on Belgium’s labor market starting January 1, 2012, after Flanders, the last Belgian region which opposed this measure, lifted its veto, according to Euractiv.com.

Romanian Parliament Administration Committees OK 2012 Tourism, Regional Development Budget

The Romanian Parliament’s public administration committees on Monday approved the 2012 draft budget of the Ministry of Tourism and Regional Development, of 3.45 billion lei (about EUR793 million).

Danish PM Says Romania May Count On Denmark For Schengen Entry Support

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said Monday during a meeting with Romanian counterpart Emil Boc that support for Romania’s accession to the Schengen area has been included in the government program and Romanian authorities may count on Denmark’s help in this process.

Romanian Tenants To Withhold And Pay Taxes Owed By Landowners

Taxes owed by Romanian landowners will be withheld and transferred to the budget by the tenants, and the owners will not have to file a statement on their income from rents if they choose for their net income to be determined by applying a flat tax rate.

Romanian PM Assures Laid Off Miners They Will Receive Severance Pay

Romania's Government will find ways to pay severance for laid off miners, until the European Union approves state aid for these units, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Sunday on the public TV station.

Small Romanian Vegetable, Fruit Producers To Pay Income Taxes

All small Romanian producers of vegetables, fruit, flowers, cereal and wood will pay a tax of 16% on net income, while livestock farmers, beekeepers and silkworm farmers who do not sell to collectors or processors will continue to be exempted, according to a proposed amendment to the Tax Code.

Romanian Interior Ministry Proposes Holding Local, Parliament Elections Simultaneously

Romania's Ministry of Interior has proposed holding the elections for local authorities and for the Parliament at the same time, arguing that this would reduce the total cost from EUR43 million to around EUR22 million.

Romanian Govt Keeps Livestock Subsidy At Current Level, Over Budget Constraints

Romania's Government has allotted over 1 billion lei (EUR230 million) for subsidies per head for sheep, goats and cattle, but will not increase the amount per head, despite the number of subsidized animals increasing by about 1 million heads since last year.

Romanian PM Appoints New Employment Agency Head

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Wednesday appointed Elvira Rodica Andronescu in the position of head of the National Employment Agency (ANOFM).

Entire Bucharest-Constanta Highway To Be Open For Traffic By Summer 2012 – Minister

Romanian Transport Minister Anca Boagiu said that the entire Bucharest- Constanta highway will be open for traffic by summer next year, as work on the Cernavoda- Medgidia and Medgidia- Murfatlar sections is on schedule.

Romania’s Frame-Law On Healthcare To Be Completed By December 15-20 – Minister

Romania’s Health Minister Ladislau Ritli said Tuesday the frame-law on healthcare, which is currently at the health ministry for debates, will be completed by December 15 or December 20.

Romanian Senate Tacitly Adopts Bill Making November 30 Legal Holiday

Romania's Senate on Tuesday tacitly adopted a bill making November 30, the feast of Saint Andrew, a legal non-working holiday.

Romanian Social Democrats To Challenge At Constitutional Court Blaga’s Election As Senate Chairman

The Romanian opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) will challenge at the Constitutional Court the election of democrat liberal Vasile Blaga as Senate chairman, social democrat senator Titus Corlatean said Monday.

Romanian Democrat Liberal Vasile Blaga Elected Senate Chairman

Romanian former Interior Minister Vasile Blaga on Monday has been elected Senate chairman.

Romanian Constitutional Court Upholds Law Postponing Until 2016 Court-Won Salary Rights

Romania’s Constitutional Court on Monday rejected the contestation targeting the law postponing until 2016 payments of salary rights public sector employees have won in court, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.