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

19:44, 07 Apr. 2011
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

19:24, 07 Apr. 2011
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

17:34, 07 Apr. 2011
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

17:07, 07 Apr. 2011
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

17:01, 07 Apr. 2011
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

16:58, 07 Apr. 2011
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

14:56, 07 Apr. 2011
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

14:31, 07 Apr. 2011
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

13:09, 07 Apr. 2011
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

13:06, 07 Apr. 2011
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

13:02, 07 Apr. 2011
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.

Romania Ctrl Bker Says 2009/2010 Inflation Fiscal In Nature; Pressures Remain

12:38, 07 Apr. 2011
Romania’s high inflation over the past two years was induced by fiscal imbalances and upward pressures will persist as long as the relation between taxpayers and beneficiaries of social security programs remains profoundly uneven, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said.

Romania Ctrl Bk To Up 2011 Inflation Forecast As Food, Energy Prices Surge

12:13, 07 Apr. 2011
Romania's central bank will revise upward its year-end inflation forecast, due to higher-than-expected international prices for energy and food items, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said in an interview.

Living Standard Of Romanians On Welfare Won’t Return To ‘08 Level Before 2015 – Ctrl Bker

11:59, 07 Apr. 2011
The standard of living in Romania will grow differently after the country steps out of recession, with first signs of improvement to be seen in the production and export sectors starting this year, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu said Wednesday.

Romanian Govt Does Not Support Additional Tax On Bank Profit Without EU Agreement

11:25, 07 Apr. 2011
Romania's Government does not support introducing a "solidarity tax" of 2.5% on the profit of financial and lending institutions, proposed by a number of MPs, without a EU consensus, fearing that banks will transfer their profit abroad.

Romanian Organized Crime Prosecutors To Question 30 Suspected Weapon Traffickers

11:08, 07 Apr. 2011
Thirty people have been brought in for questioning Thursday morning in Craiova, southern Romania, after authorities fighting organized crime and terrorism raided dozens of homes of suspected arms traffickers.

EC Warns Romania About High Poor Air Quality

18:24, 06 Apr. 2011
The European Commission (EC) has sent Romania an additional reasoned opinion concerning the high daily and yearly concentration of airborne particles (PM10), prompting the Environment Ministry to call for a videoconference on the issue with county prefects.

Romanian Health Insurance House Placed Under Parliament Control – Bill

15:19, 06 Apr. 2011
Romania's Senate on Wednesday adopted a bill amending Law 95/2006, on healthcare reform, placing the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) under the Parliament's control.

Romanian Modern Retail Rose By 100 Units In 2010

14:57, 06 Apr. 2011
Some 100 stores were opened last year in Romanian modern retail (supermarkets, hypermarkets, discount stores), amounting to a total 642 units at the end of the year, according to research company Nielsen.

Romania Could Earn Up To EUR1B Per Year From GM Soybean Farming

14:44, 06 Apr. 2011
Romania is missing out on almost EUR1 billion every year because it does not farm genetically modified soybeans, since the national production potential is about two million tons, Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara said Wednesday.

Romanian President Signs Condolences Book For Victims Of Mazar-i-Sharif Attack

14:38, 06 Apr. 2011
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday signed the book of condolences for the victims of the attack on the UN office in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan, opened at the United Nations Information Center for Romania.

Romanian Govt Mulls Giving EUR5,000 Incentives To Electric Car Buyers

12:50, 06 Apr. 2011
Romania’s Environment Ministry is working on a government emergency decree whereby the Government would grant incentives to people buying electric cars, to cover the price difference between regular and electric vehicles, which is currently of abut EUR5,000.

Romanian MEP Vadim Tudor Indicted For Assault, Disobeying Court Orders

11:34, 06 Apr. 2011
Romanian prosecutors on Tuesday indicted far-right Grater Romania Party president Corneliu Vadim Tudor for assault and disobeying court orders in a case regarding the evacuation of the party’s headquarters in Bucharest.

Indonesian President Signs Extradition Papers For Romanian Fraud Convict Nicolae Popa

11:23, 06 Apr. 2011
The Indonesian president has signed the decree extraditing Romanian fraud convict Nicolae Popa and he is to be turned over to Romanian authorities within 30 days, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Wednesday.

Romanian Court Allows Parole For Fmr Mp Nati Meir, Ruling Not Final

10:35, 06 Apr. 2011
A court in Galati, eastern Romania, has allowed the release under parole of former lawmaker Nati Meir, on trial for influence peddling and convicted to seven years in prison for fraud.

Romanian President Sends Law On State-Church Social Assistance Partnership Back To Parliament

22:10, 05 Apr. 2011
Romanian President Traian Basescu has asked the Parliament to re-examine the Law on the partnership between the state and churches in social services, arguing that the act should state clear rules on financing for such services and not leave that to a Government decision.

Romanian Military Pensions May Not Be Lower After Recalculation – Lower House Committee

20:09, 05 Apr. 2011
The committee for defense in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday adopted an amendment to the ordinance extending the period in which military pensions will be recalculated, which says that if a pension is lower after recalculation, the pension shall retain its original value.

Romanian Lower House Committee OKs Bill On Stray Dogs

17:23, 05 Apr. 2011
The Romanian Chamber of Deputies’ public administration committee on Tuesday adopted a bill whereby stray dogs will be kept in pounds for 30 days and local authorities will decide whether to neuter or euthanize them.

Romanian Lower House Committee Rejects Bills Reducing VAT On Basic Foods, Taxes On Low Pensions

17:17, 05 Apr. 2011
The committee for budget and finances in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday rejected a bill reducing VAT on basic foods to 5%, as well as another making pensions lower than 2,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.1147) tax-exempt.

Romanian Anticorruption Dept Asks EP To Lift Immunity Of MEP Adrian Severin

16:25, 05 Apr. 2011
Romania's National Anticorruption Department (DNA) has asked the European Parliament to lift the immunity of MEP Adrian Severin.

Romanian Antidrug Agency To Be Reorganized As Body Subordinated To Interior Min – Draft

16:16, 05 Apr. 2011
The National Antidrug Agency (ANA) will be reorganized as a department subordinated to the Interior Ministry, according to a draft Government decision put forward by the ministry.

Romanian Carmaker Dacia Might Cease Production For A Week Due To Car Parts Shortage

15:01, 05 Apr. 2011
Romanian carmaker Dacia, owned by French group Renault, might cease production for a few days after Easter due to shortages of car parts from earthquake and tsunami-hit Japan.

Romanian Ctrl Bker Says Social Security Cuts Good For Economy

14:05, 05 Apr. 2011
Lowering the general social security contributions would help stimulate business competition in Romania, a central bank official said Tuesday, adding that the measure shouldn’t take too much of a toll on the government budget.

Romanian Lower Chamber Rejects Bill Renaming Roma People „Gypsies”

13:47, 05 Apr. 2011
Romania's Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday rejected the bill proposing to replace the term "Roma" with "gypsy," put forward by democrat liberal Silviu Prigoana.

Romanian Senate Committee OKs Amendments To Bill On Internet Pornography

13:38, 05 Apr. 2011
The Romanian Senate’s culture committee on Tuesday adopted a bill preventing and fighting internet pornography, after the normative act was sent back to the committee to be amended.

Over Half Of Romanian Mall Retailers Saw Higher Sales In ‘10

13:22, 05 Apr. 2011
Over half of retailers active in Romanian malls posted sales increases of up to 30% in 2010, compared to 2009, according to a survey published Tuesday by real estate consultants Colliers.

Romanian Supreme Court Rules Teachers Will Receive Unpaid Salary Rights, Decision Is Binding

12:23, 05 Apr. 2011
Romania's High Court of Justice upheld an appeal filed by the prosecutor general concerning Law 221/2008 on increasing wages in the education sector, so teachers will be paid the difference between salary rights set by the law and the real wages they received until December 31, 2009.

Some 89% Of Romanians Choose Spending Over Savings In ’11 – Poll

11:49, 05 Apr. 2011
Some 89% of Romanians intend to spend more this year, while only 14% plan to increase their savings, according to the "Observatoire Cetelem 2011" study on consumer behavior in Europe.

Romania’s February Net Salary Dn 0.7% M-M, To RON1,414

10:20, 05 Apr. 2011
Romania’s net average salary in February was at 1,414 lei (EUR1=RON4.1333), down 0.7% compared with the previous month, Romania’s statistics institute said Tuesday.

Romania To Draw IMF Funds Under Follow-Up Deal If Recession Lingers

19:58, 04 Apr. 2011
Romania is not expected to use the EUR5 billion placed at its disposal under a precautionary loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, unless the economy underperforms, according to an IMF report.