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Romania Has Two Months To Transpose Data Retention Directive Into National Law

The European Commission (EC) on Thursday asked Romania and Germany to ensure within two months full compliance with EU rules on data retention.

Romanian Car Repair Shops Might Double Prices Following Authorization Tax Hike

The Romanian Association of Independent Car Repair Shops (ASSAI) said Thursday service garages might have to raise repair prices following a decision by the Romanian Auto Registry (RAR) to increase annual repair shop authorization taxes.

Romanian Mining Industry Unions Threaten Protests Over Lack Of State Aid

Unionists in the Romanian mining industry on Thursday threatened they will stage protests as the Government failed to take any decision to support miners.

Romanian Soldier Injured In Insurgent Attack In Afghanistan

Romanian sergeant Marian Nicula of the 495 Battalion serving in Afghanistan was injured Tuesday evening in an insurgent attack on NATO coalition forces and will be taken to a hospital in Germany, the Romanian Ministry of Defense said late Wednesday.

EP Urges EU States To Lift Labor Market Restrictions Against Bulgaria, Romania By End-2011

All EU member states must allow Romanians and Bulgarians access to the labor market by the end of 2011, ahead of the 2013 deadline, says a resolution adopted Tuesday by the European Parliament, calling on the Commission to initiate infringement procedures against non-compliant Member States.

PM: None Of Romania’s 2012 Budget Scenarios States Wage Cuts, Taxing Pensions

The Romanian Government will propose a prudent draft 2012 budget, which should protect Romania from major risks if the situation in Europe does not improve, and none of the budget scenarios states wage cuts or taxing pensions, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday.

King Michael Of Romania Delivers First Speech In Parliament After Abdication In 1947

Romania’s former king, Michael I, addressed the Parliament Tuesday, on his 90th birthday and 64 years after his forced abdication in 1947.

Romanian President Calls For Prudent 2012 Budget

Romania must use prudence in setting its budget targets for 2012, because the costs to finance the deficit have gone up due to the worsening situation in international markets, President Traian Basescu said Monday.

Romanian PM Needs Parliament Mandate To Negotiate With IMF – Senate President

Romanian Senate president Mircea Geoana said Monday that he will write to Prime Minister Emil Boc and ask him to request the Parliament's mandate before negotiating with the IMF, World Bank and European Commission.

Romanian Opposition Wants VAT Cut To 19% To Vote On Draft 2012 Budget

Romanian opposition Social Democratic Party leader Victor Ponta said Monday the Social Liberal Union will vote on the draft budget for 2012 only if social security contributions are cut by 10% and the value added tax to 19%.

Eurostat Withdraws Reservation On Romania’s Deficit Data

Eurostat has withdrawn its reservation expressed on the quality of Romania’s data on the budget deficit for the 2007-2010 period and confirmed the October 2011 notification from the eastern European country was according to ESA95 methodology, the Finance Ministry said Friday.

Romania Will Neither Cut Nor Tax Pensions In 2012 – Ruling Party Official

Romanian ruling Democratic Liberal Party secretary general Ioan Oltean said Friday pensions will neither be cut nor taxed in 2012.

Romania To Sign EU Financing Contracts Worth EUR250M For Infrastructure Projects By 2012

Romanian Transport Minister Anca Boagiu said that, by the end of the year, the ministry will sign European financing contracts worth EUR250 million for infrastructure investments, raising the total current value of contracts to EUR1 billion.

Romania To Have 123 Km Of Highway Open By End-Year – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday that the country will have "123 km of highway" by the end of the year, of which 90 km are already open for traffic.

PM: Romanian Govt Wants EU Fund Absorption Rate Of At Least 20% In 2012

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday the Government wants Romania to reach a European fund absorption rate of at least 20% in 2012, as the money attracted will help the country’s economy.

Romanian Govt Held No Talks On Introducing New Taxes To Allow For Pension Hike – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday the Government has not held talks on introducing new taxes to allow for future pension increases.

Over 600,000 Phone Nos Ported In Romania In Three Years, Most Towards Cosmote

More than 600,000 phone numbers have been ported in Romania in the three years since this service was launched, 67% of which are mobile numbers, while Cosmote is the destination operator for most of them, according to telecom regulator ANCOM.

Romanian President Urges Adoption Of Social Welfare, Magistrates Statute

Romanian President Traian Basescu urges the Parliament to speed up the adoption of the social welfare law and a bill amending the statute of Romanian magistrates.

Romania OKs Two More Oil Drilling Licenses In The Black Sea

Romanian government Wednesday approved two oil exploration licenses in the Black Sea platform granted by the national agency for mineral resources to a consortium made of oil companies Lukoil Overseas and Vanco International.

Romanian President Wins Suit Against Businessman Dinu Patriciu

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday won his suit against businessman Dinu Patriciu and demanded the payment of 1 leu (about EUR0.23) in damages for “lies and fabricating footage”.

Michelin: Romanian Winter Tire Market Surged 130% In Jan-Sept To 1.46M Units

The Romanian winter tire market increased by up to 130% in the first nine months of the year compared with the same interval a year ago, to 1.46 million units, Alina Ghica, marketing director of tire manufacturer Michelin Romania, told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.

Romanian Diesel Fuel Prices Grow Because Demand Is High – OMV Petrom

The increase in diesel fuel prices comes from increased demand for this product, as Romania produces less of this fuel than it consumes, Wednesday said Mariana Gheorghe, chief executive officer of oil company OMV Petrom (SNP.RO).

Court Terminates Bucharest Sanitation Contracts, Orders New Auctions

The Bucharest Court of Appeals has decided to terminate the sanitation contracts signed by City Hall and the authorities of sectors 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, and compelling them to hold new procurement auctions for these services.

Romania’s Govt OKs Bill Ratifying U.S.-Romanian Antimissile Shield Agreement

The Romanian Government on Wednesday approved the draft law ratifying the U.S.-Romanian agreement on the deployment of a U.S. ballistic missile defense system in Romania.

Terapia Ranbaxy, ZTE Interested In Taking Over Nokia’s Romanian Facility

Romanian pharmaceutical company Terapia Ranbaxy and ZTE, one of the largest Chinese producers of telecom equipment, are interested in taking over Nokia's production halls at Jucu, once the plant closes, Alin Tise, president of the Cluj County Council, said on Tuesday.

Romanian Census To Begin On October 20 With EUR45M Budget

The national census, to be conducted between October 20 and 31, will be the most complex census carried out in Romania after 1989 and the first since the country's accession to the European Union, with a budget of more than EUR45 million for 2011-2014.

Romania’s 2012 Budget Needs New GDP Growth, Deficit Estimates – PM

Romania's Government has completed the draft of next year's state budget, but it will be sent to Parliament after the European Commission (EC) announces the economic growth forecast and after the budget deficit target is agreed upon with the IMF and EC, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Monday.

Romanian Number Of Insolvencies Nears 14,000 In First 9 Months

A total 13,984 firms went insolvent in Romania within the first nine months of the year, 10% less than in the same interval of the previous year, according to data from the national trade registry ONRC.

Romanian Democrat Liberal Leaders Decide To Oust Silviu Bian From Party

The Romanian ruling Democratic Liberal Party’s Standing Bureau on Monday decided to oust Silviu Bian from the party, following his arrest on corruption charges, deputy Razvan Mustea said Monday.

Integrity Agency Says Fmr Union Leader Marius Petcu Cannot Acount For EUR725,000 In Revenue

Romania’s integrity agency, a body that screens public officials’ wealth and interests, has called on a judicial commission to check the wealth of former union leader Marius Petcu, who was unable to account for part of his declared wealth.

Romanian PM Dismisses State Secretary Arrested For Corruption

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Sunday dismissed Silviu Bian from his position of state secretary and head of the National Employment Agency, following his arrest on corruption charges, Government spokeswoman Ioana Muntean told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian State Secretary Arrested For Bribe Taking

Romanian state secretary Silviu Bian, head of the national employment agency, was placed under 29-day preventive arrest Sunday on charges of bribe taking.

Romanian Employment Agency Chief Caught Taking Bribe

Romania’s National Employment Agency chief Silviu Bian was caught by anticorruption prosecutors Saturday as he was receiving 80,000 lei (EUR18,500) as bribe, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romania Has No Plans To Tax Pensions, PM Says

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday at a party meeting the Government has not included any plans to tax pensions in its draft state budget for next year, denying recent media allegations.

KPMG: Romania Among States With Highest Social Contribution Rates

Romania ranks among the countries with the highest level of combined employer/employee social contributions on $100,000 of gross income, placing it 18th among 87 states surveyed in the category, according to the most recent KPMG International Individual Income Tax and Social Security Rate report.

EU Commissioner: Food Security Not A Past Problem, It Concerns Future

Romanian EU Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos said Friday food security is an issue that concerns the future and fears of food shortages underlie current social commotion and political turmoil.

Bucharest Public Transport Authority To Spend EUR760,000 On Monitoring System

Bucharest's public transport authority (RATB) will buy a monitoring system for 1,000 buses and 100 trolley buses, estimating that the EUR760,000 investment will be compensated in less than a year by reducing costs associated with control terminal personnel.

Minister: Romania Will Have Code Of Conduct For Staff Managing EU Funds

Romanian Minister for European Affairs Leonard Orban said Thursday the ministry will draw up by the end of November a code of conduct targeting those tasked with managing EU-funded projects to avoid cases of incompatibility and conflict of interest.

Romanian Procurement Regulator Admits Only 49 Of 1552 Checked Auction Files

Checkups started recently by the Romanian Authority for Public Procurement Regulation and Monitoring (ANRMAP) show that only 49 of the 1,552 auction files which have been submitted over the past two weeks met requirements, ANRMAP president Cristina Traila said Thursday.

Romanian Authorities Must Compare Prices Of Similar EU-Funded Projects – Banker

Romania's EU fund management authorities and the Ministry of European Affairs should be able to look up and compare the prices of similar projects, because in some instances the difference between them is considerable, said Radu Gratian Ghetea, president of CEC Bank.