Delegations of the interior ministries of Bulgaria and Romania Monday discussed new challenges facing law enforcers following the lifting of border controls at EU internal land borders and agreed on joint measures to address these challenges, Bulgaria's Interior Ministry said on its website, cited by https://www.bta.bg/. On January 1, Bulgaria and Romania became full members of the Schengen area, lifting checks at all internal EU borders. The common goal is to ensure the smooth crossing of people and goods across the border while maintaining a high level of security and preventing organized crime groups from taking advantage of the right to free movement, the Ministry said. The meeting in Bucharest was chaired by Chief Commissioner Miroslav Rashkov, Secretary General of Bulgaria's Interior Ministry, and Police Chief-Quaestor Bogdan Despescu, Secretary of State for Public Order and Safety at Romania's Ministry of Internal Affair. The heads of the police and border police directorates and of units combating organized crime also took part. The Bucharest meeting was part of an established bilateral mechanism for regular meetings of the professional leaderships, aimed at reviewing cooperation in combating illegal migration and other forms of cross-border crime, enhancing security along the common border, facilitating the movement of legitimate travellers, and guaranteeing the safety of citizens of both countries and of the Schengen area. Rashkov and Despescu signed an updated Joint Action Plan with compensatory measures, building on a similar plan signed in June 2024. The updated plan takes into account the two countries' new status following the removal of land border controls and provides for additional activities, the Interior Ministry said. The two also signed a declaration formalizing internal regulations on cross-border pursuits on the territories of both countries, based on common principles and procedures. In December 2024, the Bulgarian government adopted a decision on the temporary introduction of checks on the border with Romania and on the suspension of the functioning of border checkpoints on the Bulgarian-Romanian and Bulgarian-Greek borders. Border checks will continue to be carried out at the internal border crossing points with Romania for a period of six months starting from January 1, 2025, after which they will be suspended.
Two Romanians were arrested during Sunday night, May 11, after robbing empty houses in the evacuated mountain village of Brienz located in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The village had been evacuated since November due to rock falls. The locality was, however, monitored by the authorities to prevent break-ins. The would-be thieves apparently tried to […]
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or EBRD, has revised its estimates regarding the evolution of the Romanian economy in 2025 downward to 1.6%. The bank expects Romania’s GDP to grow 0.2% less than the 1.8% estimate made in February, and to increase by 2.4% in 2026. Romania's GDP growth slowed to 0.8% in […]
During a meeting on Monday, May 12, the Cluj-Napoca Local Council approved a draft resolution that imposes smoking restrictions in several public spaces in the city, including public transport stations, parks, and sports facilities. The resolution was adopted with 22 votes in favor and 3 abstentions, and will come into effect 90 days from the […]
An internal survey by Romanian Business Leaders, which does not have national representativeness but was answered by 417 entrepreneurs, shows that 62% of entrepreneurs expect to have to make layoffs, while a third expect the number of employees to remain the same. The expected layoffs are directly connected to the possibility of Romania choosing a […]
Romanian Istvan Kovacs will be the main referee for the UEFA Champions League final between Paris St-Germain and Inter Milan, which will be played on May 31 in Munich. The match will be Kovacs’ third European final in the last 4 years. The 40-year-old referee has previously officiated the UEFA Europa Conference League final in […]
Over 70 museums across Romania will open their doors after hours for the 21st edition of Night of Museums, one of the country's most anticipated cultural events. Held on the night of May 17, the event offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore exhibitions, installations, and creative activities in an unconventional, late-night setting. From major […]
