Romania’s interim president has signed into law a rule that requires a majority of registered voters to take part in a referendum for it to be valid ahead of an impeachment vote on the country’s suspended leader.

Romania’s constitutional court has ruled that the impeachment of the president on grounds that he overstepped his authority is legal, allowing for a referendum to go ahead.

Romanian lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly to impeach president Traian Basescu on grounds that he overstepped his authority by meddling in government business and legal affairs.

Romania’s government fell yesterday in a no-confidence vote, as opposition parties seized on widespread public anger over biting austerity measures and corruption.

Romania’s government fell today in a no-confidence vote, as opposition parties seized on widespread public anger over biting austerity measures, cronyism and corruption.

Romanian police fired tear gas and clashed with protesters during an anti-government rally, the third consecutive day of demonstrations against austerity cuts and falling living standards.

IT’S only a dress, but it is the talk of Romania.

EVERYONE curses the taxman, but Romanian witches angry about having to pay up for the first time yesterday were using cat excrement and dead dogs to cast spells on the president and government.

Romanian witches are planning to curse the country’s rulers for taxing them.

Everyone curses the taxman, but Romanian witches angry about having to pay up for the first time are planning to use cat excrement and dead dogs to cast spells on the president and government today.

A man flung himself from the balcony of the Romanian parliament chamber today, apparently in protest over government austerity measures.

Proposed changes in retirement ages triggered protests by thousands of workers in Bulgaria and Macedonia today, and a political stand-off in Romania about whether men and women should retire at the same age.

THE Romanian government was in an uproar yesterday over austerity protests – the interior minister resigned, the opposition demanded the prime minister go as well and top police officials held emergency talks with the president.

The Romanian government was thrown into turmoil today over public strikes against cuts, with the interior minister resigning, the opposition demanding the prime minister go too and top police officials holding emergency talks with the president.

FRANCE defied mounting international criticism of its crackdown on Roma and Gypsy minorities yesterday, sending another planeload back to eastern Europe.

FRANCE expelled scores of Roma, packing them on planes and flying them back to Romania yesterday at the start of a crackdown ordered by President Nicolas Sarkozy which has drawn strong criticism.

Romania President Traian Basescu said the country’s top defence body has approved a US proposal to place anti-ballistic interceptors in Romania as part of a revamped US missile shield.

Romania’s Constitutional Court today ordered a re-examination of ballots declared void in Sunday’s presidential election amid allegations of “massive fraud”.

ROMANIAN President Traian Basescu narrowly won re-election, final results showed, but the leftist opposition said it had proof of fraud and would contest the tally.

A Romanian opposition party today challenged the results of presidential elections, saying they were fraudulent.

Romania’s Prime Minister-designate Theodor Stolojan said today he would renounce the premiership in favour of a younger candidate.

A European media watchdog today asked Romania’s president to veto legislation that would require radio and TV stations to ensure half of their coverage dealt with good news.

Romania has launched a crackdown on stray dogs and wild foxes amid fears they may bite guests at its Nato summit which began today.

Romanian President Traian Basescu, suspended by parliament for alleged abuse of power, survived a referendum on his impeachment today with at least 75% of voters rejecting his dismissal, exit polls showed.

Romania’s lower house of parliament has passed a bill which makes it easier to impeach the country’s president if he is found to have violated the constitution.

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates inaugurated a technical support centre in Bucharest today, saying he was confident that Romania’s recent accession to the European Union would boost foreign investment and the country’s IT industry.

Romanian president Traian Basescu was to visit a warehouse today where millions of files of the former Communist secret police, the Securitate, were being held following their handover to a national archive.

France will gradually open its labour market to Romanian and Bulgarian workers, who will be able to take jobs in sectors such as construction, agriculture and hotels, European affairs minister Catherine Colonna said today.

An explosion at a mine in southwest Romania killed at least five miners and injured five others today, authorities said. Two miners were missing.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice makes a stop in Romania today amid allegations that the CIA operated a secret prison where top al-Qaida captives were interrogated in the country.

European Union authorities agreed on new measures aimed at preventing a lethal strain of bird flu from entering the bloc and moved to calm people’s fears about contracting the disease, one day after it was confirmed on the continent’s doorstep in Turkey.

Romania’s Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said today his cabinet would resign and early elections would be called after a court blocked essential justice reforms required by the European Union.

Three journalists who returned to Romania after nearly two months in captivity in Iraq will be allowed home today after spending three days in quarantine, the president’s office said.

Three Romanian journalists kidnapped in Iraq are expected to return home later today, a day after their release.

Three Romanian journalists have gone missing in Iraq and authorities believe they may have been kidnapped, officials said today.

ROMANIAN Prime Minister Adrian Nastase yesterday said he had conceded defeat in Romania’s presidential run-off in a telephone call to opponent Traian Basescu, whom he called “the future president of Romania.”

Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu claimed victory today in Romania’s presidential run-off, pledging to fight corruption and prepare Romania to join the European Union by 2007.

Prime Minister Adrian Nastase today said he had conceded defeat in Romania’s presidential run-off in a telephone call to opponent Traian Basescu, whom he called “the future president of Romania”.

Mayor Traian Basescu was ahead in the Romanian presidential run-off, according to official partial results released today.

Romania’s Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu both claimed victory in the presidential election after exit polls showed them in a dead heat.

Romania looks headed for a period of political uncertainty after final election results today showed the ruling Social Democratic Party leading, but unable to form a majority government, even if it forms a power-sharing coalition with ethnic Hungarians.

Romania’s opposition leader called for the results of the weekend parliamentary and presidential elections to be annulled today and for a rerun to be held, claiming fraud.

Exit polls show Romania’s ruling party leading in parliamentary elections, but forced into a runoff in the race for president.

Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and his left-wing party face a tough challenge from the centrist opposition in today’s presidential and parliamentary elections.