The European Commission decided on Thursday to send Romania an additional official letter of delay because it did not correctly implement the Directive establishing a framework for Community water policy (Directive 2000/60/EC) and the Council Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and species of wild fauna and flora (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) on the authorization and construction of small hydropower plants, reads a press release from the European Commission.Both directives focus on ensuring the quality and quantity of water bodies, preventing and combating pollution and protecting fauna and flora.In 2015, the European Commission sent Romania an official letter of delay regarding the authorization and construction of small hydropower projects in alpine watercourses, affecting three Natura 2000 sites and the water bodies involved. Following several meetings with the Commission, the Romanian authorities assumed several commitments, such as: monitoring the projects that are subject to the infringement procedure, reassessing the damage following the authorization and construction of small hydropower projects, adopting a legal framework regarding the ecological flow and areas prohibited, the modification of authorizations, the transposition of the revised Directive on environmental impact assessment, with a coordinated project evaluation procedure based on the Water Framework Directive, and the adoption of a strategic planning (Energy Strategy).The Romanian authorities partially fulfilled their commitments, but failed to modify the authorizations and implement the measures identified to solve the deterioration of one of the previously identified water bodies. Meanwhile, the third management plan of the hydrographic basin, recently adopted, shows the deterioration of the water body in question (Arges spring, Vidraru accumulation and tributaries). In addition, the evidence available from the studies and monitoring carried out confirms that some micro-hydropower plants have been authorized without the appropriate assessment required by the Habitats Directive. Taking into account the deterioration, it is necessary to remedy the situation as soon as possible, the European Commission considers.
A Romanian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft evacuated 10 Palestinian patients from Gaza on Wednesday, September 17, in a humanitarian mission coordinated with European and international partners, Romania’s Department for Emergency Situations (DSU) said. The patients, accompanied by 28 relatives, were flown from Israel’s Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport to Bucharest’s 90th Airlift Base […]
Romanian developer One United Properties (BVB: ONE) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with lifestyle hospitality company Ennismore to open a hotel under the brand The Hoxton in Bucharest. The Hoxton Bucharest will be located on Academiei Street, close to the University of Architecture. The hotel will rise on the site of three historic […]
Fewer than three out of four Romanians have a good opinion about the introduction of voluntary military service, a ratio slightly lower compared to a decade ago in 2015, the percentage being now lower among the AUR and PSD electorate, according to an ISCOP Research survey published on September 17 in the context of Russia […]
Romanian president Nicusor Dan informed the Parliament that he approved a request by the United States to bring additional forces to Mihail Kogalnicanu base at the Black Sea, in light of the rising tensions in the Middle East, according to
In a couple of meetings expected to generate a breakthrough on four key topics on September 17, Romania's ruling coalition deferred a final decision on the local administration staff cutting and the prolongation of the food price capping mechanism, according to Observatornews.ro....
Hungary's state company MVM responded to rumours, saying it has not abandoned plans to take over E.ON's Romanian subsidiary – but it only "temporarily withdrew from the FSR mechanism" because the approval of the investment by the Romanian authorities takes more than expected and the company needs to "balance its costs and resources," according to
