The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Bucharest announces having filed charges against four suspects believed to be part of a criminal ring with ties to Italian mafia groups, in a case of an EUR 4.3 million subsidy fraud involving EU and national funds.In a statement this Tuesday, EPPO said that allegations are that the defendants formed a criminal group with other suspects to provide false letters of guarantee to awardees of EU-funded projects, which claimed to insure the projects against potential damages. In exchange for issuing the letters, the suspects are understood to have collected large amounts of money. According to the prosecutors, the suspects are believed to have carried out this fraudulent scheme in the name of companies registered in Czechia and Latvia, which did not have the right to issue letters of guarantee, nor the financial resources to cover the insured damages.The use of these documents resulted in an illicit gain of approximately EUR 4.3 million, most of the amount coming from the European Regional Development Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Regional Operational Programme.The move of EPPO Bucharest is the result of several investigations into criminal schemes using the same modus operandi, following house searches conducted in Romania and France in May 2023. Earlier, in 2023, other suspects were charged and are currently awaiting trial. Also, EUR 450,000 worth of assets were seized.If found guilty, the defendants face between four and 15 years of imprisonment.Based on the principle of loyal cooperation, the EPPO has alerted the Romanian Ministry of Investment and European projects about the existence of possible vulnerabilities in the management of European funds, which result in a significantly low level of protection of EU's financial interests in Romania.According to the operation methods identified in several cases, the elements that generated a high risk of fraud in EU-funded contracts consisted in the use of letters of guarantee issued by fictitious entities, or that didn't have the right to issue such documents. The bogus documents helped the fraudsters win several public award procedures, and consequently EPPO opened several investigations therein.
President Nicușor Dan, currently on holiday with his family in the Romanian mountains, appealed to Romanians to spend their holidays in the country. In a video posted on social media, he said that the most beautiful places he visited are those in Romania. “The most beautiful places I have visited with my family are those here, […]
Romania saw an increase in newly established companies that far exceeded the EU average in the second quarter of 2025, according to data published on Monday, August 18, by Eurostat. According to these data, from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2025, the largest increases in the establishment of new companies...
A new interactive map is bringing Romania’s street art scene into focus, documenting murals and urban art interventions across major cities and smaller towns. The Romanian Street Art Map highlights works from Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Timișoara, Sibiu, Constanța, Brașov, Craiova, Ploiești, Bacău, Reșița, and even seaside destinations such as Vama Veche, offering both locals and […]
Bucharest will see extensive traffic restrictions on August 31 as the capital hosts the fourth edition of L’Étape Romania by Tour de France. Several major boulevards and central streets will be closed between 07:00 and 14:00 to allow more than 2,500 cyclists to take part in the event, the organizers said. The closures will affect […]
BT Arena, in Romania’s Cluj-Napoca, is set to host a disco and eurodance blast from the past with internationally famous bands during the DISCOTECA ‘80-’90 event in September. Vengaboys, Blue, Mr. President, 2 Unlimited, Bonnie Tyler, Boney M with Liz Mitchell & Band, Samantha Fox, Sabrina, and others will take the stage during the third […]
Districts 2, 3, and 4 in Bucharest are without hot water as of the time of writing due to a major breakdown that occurred on Sunday, August 17, on a main pipeline of the city's public heating system. The pipeline is located in central Bucharest, at the intersection of Mihai Bravu Road with Splaiul Unirii, under […]
