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12. 03. 10. - 17:00

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12. 03. 10. - 17:00

Protesters throw snowballs at prime minister

Romanian Times

Unionists booed and threw snow balls at Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc today (Fri) in protest against the unitary pay law and the future pension law.

Protesters also demanded his resignation.

Hundreds of protesters from the Cartel Alfa union have complained about lower salaries received in January under the new unitary wage law.

Boc told the protesters: "We pay according to how much work is done, but we don't want to end up unable to pay wages and pensions. Let’s not take the same path as Greece," according to Mediafax.

In order to reach its 2010 budget deficit target of 5.9 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), Romania will try to reduce costs by an amount equivalent to 2.5 per cent of GDP through wage and pension freezes and lay-offs in the public sector.

The government has passed a unitary wage law at the request of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following a two-year stand-by agreement for 12.95 billion Euros with it.

A new pension law is being drafted that will limit the scope for discretionary pension increases and gradually raise the retirement age, particularly for women.

Almost half of Romanians live in poverty
Almost half of the Romanians (8.89 millions) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to Eurostat data published today (Weds).

Police carry man off the snow and save his life
A man who had collapsed in freezing weather near a river, in Stoina, Gorj, southern Romania, was saved after policemen carried him for several kilometres.

New government with same eight former ministers proposed
The Romanian parliament will vote on the new government team, proposed by designated Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, tomorrow (Thurs).

Forty-one dead in freezing weather
Another three persons have died due to low temperatures in the last 24 hours, the Romanian Health Ministry said today (Weds).

EC report on Justice is positive, minister says
Romanian Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu currently acting prime minister until the new government is voted in by the parliament, said today (Weds) that the European Commission's interim report on progress in justice is, overall, "positive".

Pink Martini concerts in Bucharest
American orchestra Pink Martini will give a concert in Bucharest on 26 May at the Palace Hall, part of the promotional tour for their latest album "A Retrospective", local organisers Events said today (Weds).

Romania's industrial output up
Romania's industrial output increased by 15.6 per cent in 2011, the National Statistics Institute (INS) said today (Weds).

Father tried for abusing four-year-old girl
A Romanian father was sent to trial for abusing his stepdaughter, aged only 4, prosecutors said today (Weds).

Pitch in best condition for Steaua-Twente match, authorities say
The pitch for the Europa League match Steaua Bucuresti - Twente Enschede will be in optimal condition, the Bucharest town hall promises, after criticism of the National Arena turf.

More Romanian tourists travel to Austria
The number of Romanian tourists to Austria rose last year, after two years of a decline, Austria's National Tourism Office in Romania announced today (Weds).