The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, ordered the summoning of the ambassador of the Republic of Austria in Bucharest, on Thursday evening, to the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), in order to inform her of Romania's position regarding the accession to the Schengen area and the protest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs towards the unjustified and unfriendly attitude of Austria, "which will produce inevitable consequences on bilateral relations"."The Austrian ambassador was told that Vienna's negative vote is all the more surprising in the context of the existence of long diplomatic relations, with a tradition of over 100 years, between our countries, as well as substantial bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic field - Austria being one of the most important economic partners of Romania and the second foreign investor on the Romanian market. Equally, the Romanian-Austrian collaboration at the regional and European level, as well as the close coordination in files of common interest at the international level should have weighed considerably in Austria's voting decision", the MAE announced in a release sent on Thursday evening.Also, the ambassador was sent the firm protest against the accusations expressed by the Austrian authorities regarding the so-called pressure on Austrian companies, statements that are inadmissible, not being in accordance with reality."Furthermore, the MAE will remain fully engaged, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the other Romanian institutions involved, to achieve the objective of Romania's accession to the Schengen area, as an essential part of strengthening the internal security of the European Union as a whole. The MAE recalls the fact that in all during this period, the Romanian side acted firmly, through concrete and complex steps, successfully managing to remove the objections of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Sweden. In this context, it must be emphasized that the vote of the Netherlands in the JHA Council on December 8 was not given against Romania, as was clearly mentioned by the Dutch side during the meeting", the release added.At the same time, the MAE expresses its special appreciation for the support Romania received from the Czech Presidency of the EU Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament, all European partners, as well as cooperation partners from our country who supported Romania's approach.
The fund Cultura Face Bine, a national funding mechanism for cultural projects backed by private-sector financing, will begin supporting local cultural organizations in 2026. The fund aims to support grassroots cultural initiatives with a proven impact in their communities and which need resources to continue, develop, or transform their activities. The funding mechanism has been […]
The European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday, December 11, that it is referring Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to meet obligations under Ambient Air Quality Directives. According to the Commission, Romania has not ensured that its national air quality monitoring network complies with legally required standards on […]
The Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) held an unprecedented press conference on Thursday, December 11, in response to allegations raised in a recent media investigation published by Recorder, with court president Liana Arsenie firmly rejecting the claims. However, at the start of the press event, a judge from within the institution publicly stated that the […]
Romania’s Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issued its first response to the Recorder documentary alleging systemic manipulation within the justice system, calling the investigation an amplification of a “campaign to destabilize judicial authority.” The council said on Thursday, December 11, that it will evaluate what measures need to be taken following the report. In a […]
MedLife, Romania’s largest private medical services network, announced on Wednesday, December 10, that it reached a market capitalization of EUR 1 billion on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The milestone secures its position as “the most valuable healthcare company” in the country. The achievement came nine years after MedLife’s listing on BVB in December 2016, […]
The Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark in Romania has become a “living laboratory” this week as a team of American researchers arrived to study microorganisms capable of surviving in extreme environments. The scientists, part of the interdisciplinary research organisation The Two Frontiers Project, are examining methane seeps, sulfur and petroleum springs, saline sources, and other […]
