A United Nations development official praised Romania's growing economy and fight against corruption on Friday, but said that taxes were still too high and retirees placed a heavy burden on taxpayers. "It is commendable that the president is so adamant (about corruption) but what we also need is ... to create a legal framework so that public officials cannot abuse office and have salaries which allow them to live" decently, Kalman Mizsei, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General told the Associated Press. Mizsei, who is also the regional director for the U.N. Development Program for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, met President Traian Basescu on Thursday and the two discussed ways to crack down on endemic corruption. He is due to meet Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu later to discuss Romania's economic reforms. --more 1325 Local Time 1025 GMT
