Bucharest - Romania's new Prime Minister Emil Boc, on the first day of his term Tuesday, announced the salaries of senior government officials would be reduced to a little less than one fifth.

In the current time of crisis, officials had to be the first to tighten their belts, Boc said.

The heads of administrations such as customs, aviation and state- owned enterprises such as power plants were among those affected. They would no longer earn up to
28,000 lei (10,040 dollars) per month, but up to a maximum of 4,800 lei.

Bucharest  - Romania's parliament gave its approval Monday night to the creation of a grand coalition government between the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party
(PD-L) and the socialist PSD party.

Emil Boc, leader of the PD-L, will serve as prime minister. The new government was approved by a 324-115 vote.

Bucharest - Romanian border police intercepted a lorry seeking to smuggle 21 Afgha

Bucharest- The Romanian centre-right Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L) is to take the key economic portfolios in the country's new cabinet, while coalition partner - the socialist PSD party - is to receive social portfolios, including the ministry for work, families and social security, party sources said Wednesday.

Bucharest - Citing a need for younger leaders, the man who had been chosen to rule Romania's new coalition government announced Monday that he would not take the job.

"The heads of the parties, who have formed this coalition for Romania, should take charge of finding a new prime minister," said Theodor Stolojan, shocking party leaders as he declined the position which he had only been offered on December 10.

Bucharest  - Romania's top two political parties were on the verge of forming a coalition Sunday, after the Socialists and the Democratic Liberals finished in a near draw with neither near a majority in last month's parliamentary election.

The centre-left Social Democrats (PSD) had 33.1 per cent in Romania's lower House elections on November 30, while the centre- right Democratic Liberals (PDL) had more than 32.3 per cent. Results in the upper Senate were very similar.

The two groups hope to ink an agreement as early as Sunday to form a "Partnership for Romania" coalition, PDL chief Emil Boc said, voicing hopes for the new government to take office on December 22.

The PDL's Theodor Stolojan would become prime minister.