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Franklin Templeton Says Romania Could Attract EUR3.5B By Listing Nuke, Hydropower Plants

Romanian state-owned power producers Hidroelectrica and Nuclearelectrica could draw funds worth a total EUR3.5 billion when floating stock on the bourse, Monday said Greg Konieczny, manager of investment fund Fondul Proprietatea (FP.RO), which holds minority stock in the two companies.

Romanian President Traian Basescu On Official Visit To Estonia

Romanian President Traian Basescu and his wife Maria Basescu arrived Tuesday in Tallinn, Estonia, for an official visit at the invitation of Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

IMF Sees Romanian Inflation At 4% In December 2011

The International Monetary Fund estimates Romanian inflation will reach 4% at the end of 2011, at the upper limit of the central bank’s target, according to the fund’s latest World Economic Outlook report.

Romanian Rail Co CFR Marfa To Lay Off 3,000 Employees As Of June 1 – Union Leader

Romanian state-run rail cargo carrier CFR Marfa has informed the labor unions and the Labor Inspection about its plan to lay off 3,000 employees as of June 1, said union leader Iulian Mantescu.

Work On Hwy Sector In SE Romania To Be Resumed By Yearend – Transport Minister

Romania’s national roads authority CNADNR will hold a new auction in May to award a construction contract for the highway sector linking Cernavoda to Medgidia, after it cancelled the contract with French constructor Colas, Transport Minister Anca Boagiu said Monday.

EU Discusses Romania, Bulgaria’s Possible Schengen Accession Tuesday

The EU Commission for Home Affairs will discuss Tuesday Romania and Bulgaria's possible Schengen entry, Novinite.com reported.

Romania’s Population Decreased By 6,786 People In Feb 2011

Romania's population decreased by 6,786 people on the month in February 2011, according to data released Monday by the National Statistics Institute (INS).

Bucharest Apartment Rents Fall By Up To 14% In 1Q – Survey

The rents for apartments in Romania’s capital city Bucharest dropped by up to 14% in the first quarter compared with the same period of 2010, with the largest fall in case of three-room flats, according to a survey of real estate website AnunturiParticulari.ro.

Capital Economics: Romanian Economic Recovery ‘Two Speed And Bumpy’

Romanian economic recovery remains “two-speed and bumpy”, with industrial output boosted by external demand, while domestic recovery lags behind, a survey from Capital Economics showed.

Romanian Mihai Necolaiciuc, Wanted For Fraud, To Be Deported To Romania Soon – Lawyer

Romanian Mihai Necolaiciuc, wanted for embezzlement, will be handed over to Romanian authorities in a few days, as U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton signed his extradition decree, Gheorghita Mateut, Necolaiciuc’s lawyer, said Monday.

Romania Inflation Hits 31-Month High In March

Romanian consumer prices rose 0.6% in March from a month earlier, while the annual inflation accelerated to an unexpected 8.01%, the highest level since August 2008, the country’s statistics institute INS said Monday.

Romania Jan-Feb Trade Gap Narrows To EUR582.4M

Romania’s trade deficit narrowed to EUR582.4 million in the first two months of 2011, from EUR1.1 billion in the year-earlier period, the country’s statistics institute INS said Monday.

Romanian Imported Used Car Market Halved From Last Year

Imported used cars currently make up 15% of the Romanian used car market, from 30% in 2010, due to the country’s pollution tax, which was raised on January 1, officials of car sales ad portals told MEDIAFAX.

Romania Won’t Sell 9.84% In OMV Petrom For Less Than EUR600M, PM Says

Romania will get more money from the sale of a 9.84% stake in oil company Petrom (SNP.RO) on the stock exchange than the social democratic Government got for the company’s privatization in 2004, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday on Pro TV.

IMF Experts To Assist Romanian Tax Authority In Checking High Wealth Individuals

A team of International Monetary Fund experts will conduct a technical mission at the headquarters of Romania’s tax authority ANAF between April 7 and 20, to help with indirect control methods and the check-up of individuals with high incomes, the tax authority said.

Romanian Govt Talks To Petrom On Refinery Reopening – Sources

The Romanian Government launched discussions with oil company OMV Petrom (SNP.RO) in a bid to reopen the Arpechim refinery, which Petrom shut down recently, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Govt To OK New Layoffs In State-Run Cos, With Added Social Protection

Romania's Government will soon authorize new layoffs in the mining, energy and defense sectors, but will reintroduce a monthly supplementary income for the sacked employees, a benefit that may be terminated if the beneficiary turns down a new job because of a low salary.

Romanian PM, Education Min Say Country Can’t Afford Wage Hikes For Teachers

Romania can’t afford to give teachers a 50% wage raise next year either, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday, adding such a move would ruin the economy.

Romanian PM Says Healthcare Reform Must Be Completed

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Saturday the country’s healthcare system reform is necessary and must be completed and the health minister has the Government’s full support.

U.S. Dept Of State Human Rights Report – Romanian Govt Ineffective At Enforcing Anticorruption Law

Romanian law provides penalties for public corruption, but the Government does not effectively enforce these laws, says the United States Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report, which also covers cases of politicians with immunity involved in acts of corruption.

U.S. Dept Of State Human Rights Report: Abuse Continued In Romanian Prisons In 2010

Abuse in Romanian prisons continued in 2010, with the media and NGOs reporting assaults on prisoners both from prison staff and from fellow inmates, says the United States Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report.

Lukoil Romania Follows Fuel Price Moves With RON0.06/Liter Hike

Oil company Lukoil Romania on Friday raised its pump prices by 0.06 lei (EUR1=RON4.1146) per liter, after competitors OMV Petrom (SNP.RO) and Rompetrol announced price increases by RON0.09 per liter earlier the same day.

Romanian Democrat Liberal MP Indicted For Blackmail

Romanian anticorruption prosecutors on Friday indicted democrat liberal MP Dan Pasat on charges of blackmail and corruption.

Romanian Environment Min: ECJ Ruling On Pollution Tax Refers To Older Version

Romania's Environment Ministry said Friday that the European Court of Justice's (ECJ) judgment on the car pollution tax refers to the initial form of the act introducing the tax and not the one amended in 2010.

Romanian Teachers To Receive Unpaid Wage Rights Starting 2012 – Education Min

Romanian Education Minister Daniel Funeriu said Friday court rulings granting unpaid salary rights to teachers will be applied staring 2012 and the money will be paid in tranches.

Romanian Inflation Seen Rising To 7.8% In March

Romanian consumer prices are likely to increase by 0.5% on the month in March, while the annual inflation is seen accelerating to 7.8%, according to a median forecast of the country’s association of financial and banking analysts AAFBR.

Topoloveni Plum Jam, First Romanian Product Entered In EU Quality Register

Topoloveni plum jam ("Magiunul de prune Topoloveni") on Friday has become one of the 1.000 products included in the European quality system, after it was entered in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications, according to the European Commission.

Romanian Petrom Sets Tone For New Fuel Price Hikes With RON0.09 Raise

Romania’s largest oil company OMV Petrom (SNP.RO) Friday raised its gasoline and diesel oil pump prices by 0.09 lei (EUR1=RON4.2065) per liter, which could trigger similar increases from other local fuel sellers.

Fraud Convict Nicolae Popa To Be Handed Over To Romanian Authorities Before Easter

Romanian fraud convict Nicolae Popa will be turned over to Romanian authorities before Easter, after Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed a decree to extradite him.

Romania Can Raise Public Salaries By 5%, Pensions By 7% Next Year – Fiscal Council

Romania's public sector salary fund can be increased this year by no more than 5%, provided the economy grows 1.5% in 2011 and 3.9% in 2012, while public pensions could be raised by at least 7%, the Parliament-appointed Fiscal Council said Thursday.

Romanian Govt To Seek Confidence Vote For Teacher Wage Cap Act, Social Code

Romania's Government on Thursday decided to begin the steps towards seeking a vote of confidence in Parliament for the bill capping wage raises for teachers who won salary rights in court, and for the Social Dialog Code, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Environment Min Wants Harsher Punishments For Wood Theft

Romanian Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said Thursday that he will propose punishing all wood theft by prison, regardless of the quantity cut illegally.

Romanian Economy Not Out Of The Woods Yet – Fiscal Council

The Romanian economy has stabilized, but the country is yet to emerge from its worst recession in over a decade, the parliament-appointed Fiscal Council said Thursday.

Romania 1Q Budget Deficit At 1% Of GDP

Romania’s consolidated budget posted a deficit of 5.6 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.1089) in the first quarter, equal to 1% of the gross domestic product, an official of the Finance Ministry said Thursday, citing preliminary data.

European Court Of Justice: Romanian Pollution Tax Contrary To EU Law

Romania's car pollution tax is contrary to European Union law, since it discourages the sale of second-hand vehicles purchased in other member states to Romania, says the Court of Justice of the EU, in a judgment issued on the request of a Romanian court.

Romania Issues European Arrest Warrant For Businessman Dinel Staicu

A Bucharest court issued a European arrest warrant Thursday for businessman Dinel Staicu, who changed his name to Dinel Nutu, and reportedly fled the country as he was convicted to seven years in prison for fraud.

Romania Taking Steps Towards EU Permission To Farm GM Soy – Agric Min

Romanian Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara said Thursday that Romania has applied to the European Union for permission to grow and export genetically modified soybeans, starting with 2012.

Romania Ctrl Bk Readies Measures To Discourage FX Household Lending

The Romanian central bank is preparing a set of measures to discourage foreign currency borrowing among people who get their paychecks in lei, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said in an interview.

Romania Can No Longer Rely On Pesticides In Agriculture – Minister

Agriculture cannot rely on the use of pesticides, which pose health risks, Romanian Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara said Thursday at the Mediafax Talks about GMOs conference, and highlighted that genetically modified plants reduce the use of chemicals.

Romania Still Plans To Create Energy Champions – Official

Romania has not yet given up the idea of creating two national energy champions, and it is currently evaluating alternative solutions to this end, an Economy Ministry official said Thursday.