Decade of Rroma Inclusion was officially launched in Romania by State Secretary Bela Marko, during an event held at JW Marriott. The event was held in the company of representatives of Rroma organizations, Owaise Saadat, World Bank country manager, Jonathan Scheele, the chief of the European Commission in Bucharest and other senior members of the diplomatic community.

Romanian Minister of National Defense Teodor Atanasiu, took part in an informal meeting of NATO member states in Nice. The minister discussed with his German, Polish and American counterparts, Peter Struck, Jerzy Szmajdzinski and Donald Rumsfeld on issues regarding Romania's role in NATO missions.

Former dissident Andrei Plesu, Traian Basescu's counsellor for external politics, was decorated with the Federal Merit Cross Order of Germany. Granted by the nation's president Horst Köhler, for long-term commitment to Germany, it was awarded to Mr Plesu by the German Ambassador in Bucharest, Mr Wilfried Gruber, where cultural critics Horia Patepievici and Mircea Dinescu were also in attendance.

“Brief but meaningful,” was how Jack Dyer Crouch II described his eight-month period as Ambassador for the USA in Romania. He added that he leaves what he called an “important ally of the USA” with “a strong and positive impression of Romania”, as he moves to Washington to take on the role of assistant to the president Bush and deputy national security adviser.

Banca Transilvania and Credisson, the consumer credit company, launched the Credisson BT co-branded card, addressed to people with incomes exceeding 100 Euro per month. The cards are available in Visa or MasterCard.

February saw the 2.5 millionth Dacia rolling off the assembly line, since the plant was established in 1968. The jubilee Dacia was a 1.4 Preference grey Logan and its keys were handed to the lucky owner by the General Director of Dacia-Renault, Francois Fourmont.