Romania

To Dutch Harry van der Bruk Romania has become his home, after settling in a village of the southern county of Giurgiu and opening a cattle farm, carrying on his family's tradition.

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Victor Ponta will open a new chapter in Romania's democracy, says President of the Party of the European Socialists (PES) Sergei Stanishev.

When Russia imposed a one-year embargo on food products from the EU in August, the news caused little stir among Romanian dairy producers as the total value of their exports to Russia was only around 1 million euro per year.

Two months later, they are feeling hard hit by the embargo, as many cheaper EU products have since flooded the Romanian market.

Romanian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Daniel Constantin and Chinese counterpart Han Changfu paid a working visit to the Black Sea port of Constanta (southeastern Romania) on Thursday alongside a delegation of Chinese business executives.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta visited the ArcelorMittal ironworks in Hunedoara (northwest of Bucharest) on Thursday. He declared the management told him the company will close this year on a profit.

Independent candidate for Romania's president supported by the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) Calin Popescu Tariceanu in Alba Iulia on Wednesday said that the prime minister office did not represent his life goal, having underscored that he was currently interested in Romania's presidency.

Romania's President Traian Basescu on Wednesday said that in his heart, he would very much like Romania and Moldova to unite, but that can only happen if the Romanians in both countries want to.

Romania and Poland will present a joint view at the Council of the European Union in support of new aid measures for the agrifood producers hit by Russia's embargo, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Daniel Constantin declared on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced on Wednesday that the Romanian Post has already given out 2.6 million vouchers by which the deprived persons will get foodstuffs aid under an European programme.

Romania has advanced to the 48th position among 189 countries ranked by the World Bank on the easiness of doing business, prime minister's counsellor Cristian Socol told AGERPRES on Wednesday. He mentioned a methodology change giving a higher weight to the quality of regulations and thus showing it was easier to do business in Romania than in Slovenia, Hungary, Turkey or Italy.