The European Commission warned Romania that a fine may be applied for breaking the Community Treaty, Martin Selmayr, spokesman for Telecomm Commissioner Viviane Reding, declared for Hotnews.ro in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.

Romania risks millions of euros in fines for the lack of political independence of the Telecomm Regulation Authority (ANRCTI).

European officials sent warning a letter to the Romanian Telecomm Minister, Iuliu Winkler, but the local authorities claim it was "a natural information demand from the Commission".

The stake is to control a market that may reach some six billion euros in 2008. President Traian Basescu sent back to the Parliament the ANRCTI law because the current shape of the law would leave the institution under the control of the House of Deputies, currently dominated by the governing Liberal Party.

The electronic telecomm market reached 4.2 billion euros in 2006 and is estimated at 5 billions in 2007.

The European Commission demands the EU members to ensure the political independence of the telecomm regulation authority, mainly on markets where the state still holds shares at one or more of the operators.

The Romanian state still holds, through the IT&C Ministry, 45.99% of the stock at Romtelecom (the rest being owned by the Greek group OTE) and 100% of the public radio service, SRR.