Led by Laura Codru?a Kovesi, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced on Thursday that 38 searches have been conducted in Romania as part of two investigations into an alleged €15 million fraud. The investigations also span Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Malta, Monaco, and the United States. The cases revolve around six EU-funded IT projects for the development of innovative software solutions, with the offenses being fraud and money laundering. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has opened supplementary investigations related to the same acts. The searches in Romania were conducted on Tuesday in various areas, including Bucharest, Ploiesti, Cluj, and Ialomi?a, as stated in a press release issued by EPPO on Thursday. Additionally, judicial proceedings took place in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Malta, Monaco, and the United States through international cooperation. Six EU-funded IT projects aimed at developing innovative software solutions are the focus of these investigations. EPPO reports that between 2019 and 2022, project beneficiaries submitted false or inaccurate documents related to services, including overpriced services that were never provided, as well as fraudulent invoices for the acquisition of goods. As a result, they obtained unjustified funds from the EU budget amounting to at least €15 million. The beneficiaries are suspected of subsequently creating fraudulent domestic and international financial circuits to divert the funds for their own benefit, according to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Some of the individuals targeted by the investigation were brought to EPPO’s office in Bucharest to be informed of their suspect status, while others will be brought in the following days. The offenses under investigation could constitute crimes of fraud and money laundering. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has initiated complementary investigations into the same offenses, as indicated by EPPO.
Călin Georgescu, the far-right, Russia-friendly politician who surprisingly emerged as the first-round winner of last year’s annulled presidential elections, officially submitted his candidacy for the repeat presidential election on Friday, March 7. Outside the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) headquarters in Bucharest, supporters gathered to chant...
Romania’s anti-fraud agency ANAF will look into roughly 23,000 individuals who have earned income from renting properties for tourism purposes through online platforms such as Booking.com and Airbnb, according to finance minister Tanczos Barna. Individuals identified in this situation will receive compliance notifications, and anti-fraud inspectors will initiate audits where necessary. While obtaining such information […]
The Circular Catalysts program, an initiative of the British Council in partnership with the Romanian Cultural Institute, is making a return to Romania with the reopening of its documentary exhibition at the Museum of History and Ethnography in Târgu-Neamț. Running from March 7 to May 11, the exhibition showcases collaborations between Romanian and British designers, […]
Bucharest general mayor Nicușor Dan submitted his candidacy for the 2025 presidential elections on Friday, March 7, the first to do so among the announced candidates. He is running as an independent, and was assisted by volunteers to gather the necessary signatures. The 2025 presidential elections will take place on May 4 (first round) and […]
Brașov city officials are considering a proposal from a German company that aims to set up a Treetop Walk in the up-and-coming mountain city. It would be the first of its kind in Romania. The company's representatives made a first presentation of the concept on Thursday, March 6. The initiative aims to develop sustainable tourism […]
Romania is making progress year by year in reducing gender inequalities in the labor market. However, the wage gap remains over 20% in 2024, according to the "Gender Pay Gap" analysis conducted by PwC Romania based on data collected from the Paywell 2024 survey. The gap is calculated as the ratio between the average salary […]
