UPDATE 1-Heineken buys Romania brewer Bere Mures

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AMSTERDAM, Feb 29 (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken NV (HEIN.AS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Friday continued its expansion into Eastern and Central Europe with the acquisition of Romanian brewer Bere Mures, a deal that will raise Heineken earnings in 2009.

Heineken, the world's fourth largest brewer by sales, said in a statement Bere Mures will be Heineken's fifth brewer in Romania and Heineken will fund the deal from existing cash resources.

In December, Heineken agreed to buy Belarus Syabar Brewing Company, and a Heineken spokeswoman said that deal was part of Heineken's strategy to compensate for low growth rates in western Europe and the United States.

Heineken, which has agreed with Danish brewer Carlsberg (CARLb.CO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to buy and split up rival Scottish & Newcastle SCTN.L, said the acquisition of Bere Mures would raise Heineken's market share in Romania to 31 percent or 6 million hectolitres.

Heineken, which did not disclose financial details, said that Bere Mures has a production capacity of 1.6 million hectolitres. (Reporting by Gilbert Kreijger; Editing by Quentin Bryar)