IMF board approved on Friday the sixth evaluation of the agreement with Romania and its supplementary letter so that the institution will release the seventh installment worth about 900 million euro that will be delivered most probably on Monday in the account of the Romanian National Bank, Romanian news agency Mediafax reads. read more...

British daily Daily Mail reopens the theme related to fears of a wave of Romanian immigrants to Great Britain as Bucharest announced its plans to freeze 271 million euro spending to secure borders, as a protest against France and Germany’s decision to block Romania and Bulgaria’s adhesion to Schengen. read more...

Romania knew about the diplomatic endeavors of France and of its intention to boycott Romania’s adhesion to Schengen and attempted to warn its European partners through the statements made by President Basescu at the European Council, diplomatic sources declared on Friday. read more...

The International Monetary Fund Board approved Friday the release of the seventh disbursement of a stand-by loan to Romania, worth EUR900 million, and the money is to enter the Romanian central bank’s accounts most likely on Monday. read more...

Romania’s Health Minister Cseke Attila said the ministry will draft a bill regulating the clinical studies doctors in public hospitals perform on patients to test drugs. read more...

Romanians who benefit from social aid can get their aid increased 15% if they get a job, according to application norms of a law on guaranteed minimum income, under public debate until January 16. read more...

Romania and Bulgaria will not join Schengen at the end of March, as their leaders were hoping because the Bulgarian evaluation report on the security of Bulgarian borders is negative, several European diplomats declared on Friday at Brussels. read more...

The technical reality is Romania’s best ally in the Schengen accession issue but the political reality isn’t, EU Commissioner Dacian Ciolos told Mediafax Friday, adding Romania is fighting for its position with dignity. read more...

Romanian judge Horatius Dumbrava on Friday was elected High Council of Magistrates (CSM) president with 15 votes in favor and three votes against. read more...

Hungary is firmly committed to accepting Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen area, European Voice quotes Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban as saying on Thursday morning in Budapest. read more...

Senate Vice-President Teodor Melescanu, of the opposition National Liberal Party, told on Thursday that the Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter’s statements should be seen as his point of view and not as a decision on the postponement of Romania’s accessing the Schengen area. read more...

Minister of Health Attila Cseke voiced his opinion that 2010 was a hard year for the Romanian health care system. At the stocktaking review of the past year’s activity of the Ministry of Health presented on Thursday to a press conference, the incumbent minister mentioned that despite that, 2010 had been a gain in terms of the reforms initiated in this sector. read more...

Titus Corlatean, chairman of the commission on foreign affairs in the Senate, said on Thursday that the Hungarian officials’ statements reveal a nuance which might raise the awareness of the authorities in Bucharest, namely, that Romania’s joining the Schengen area is no longer a priority for the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union, they preferring to work upon a “roadmap meeting some deadlines.” read more...

The final decision on the expansion of the Schengen Area belongs to the member states and the European Commission (EC) has only a role of observer in this process, a spokesman for the European Union’s executive body declared on Thursday. read more...

IMF board discusses on Friday, the sixth report on Romania’s compliance with the requirements set by the Stand-By Agreement. read more...

Romanian President Traian Basescu said that, in 2011, he will have to promote the propositions revising the Constitution, and added the relation between state institutions must be clarified in order to prevent the abuse of power. read more...

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Thursday evening on public television that the problem is not the postponement of Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area, but the fact that some states abuse their veto rights to block their accession. read more...

The six businesspeople attending yesterday's ZF Expert open editorial meeting, who operate in air travel, constructions, pharmaceutical sector, pension funds, fiscal consulting and real estate, believe 2011 will be the year of economic recovery. read more...

Romania could record a 2% economic growth in 2011 after two years of recession, and cut its budget deficit to 4.4% of GDP, but political risks remain high, Fitch rating agency believes. read more...

Over 5% of the capital of Fondul Proprietatea (Property Fund) has changed hands in December, the last month ahead of the Stock Exchange flotation, when the state surrendered around 2.6% of its own stake to former owners, while private shareholders traded another 2.6% of the capital, taking advantage of the last few days of grey market. read more...