EBRD loan of up to €20.5 million to help Iasi upgrade 15 buildings and bus and tram depot Project expected to result in energy savings of around 34 per cent Financing is part of EBRD Green Cities, Bank’s flagship urban sustainability programme One of Romania’s largest cities, Iasi, will improve the energy efficiency of public buildings thanks to a €20.5 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). In Iasi, the energy consumption of public and commercial buildings, and the emissions from buses, trucks and other vehicles together account for around 67 per cent of the city’s annual emissions of nitrogen oxides, which are responsible for air pollution. The project presents significant potential for energy savings. The EBRD loan will finance the energy efficiency upgrading of 15 public buildings and the reconstruction of a bus and tram depot, designed and equipped for a new urban transport fleet that currently includes 32 trams and 44 electric buses. The depot infrastructure will support low-carbon transport in the city and enable the operation and maintenance of the current and future urban transport fleets. The renovation of buildings and the integration of energy-efficiency and renewable-energy measures in the upgraded depot will lead to energy savings of approximately 34 per cent. The project is part of Iasi’s commitment to improving the environment under the EBRD’s flagship urban sustainability programme, EBRD Green Cities. The programme, which Iasi joined last summer, was created to offer cities tangible support to improve the quality of life of their residents. This is the 54th project under EBRD Green Cities and serves as Iasi’s trigger project to formally initiate the city’s participation in the programme. In tandem with the project, Iasi will develop a Green City Action Plan (GCAP) that will prioritise local environmental challenges and identify further investment and policy actions to promote the city’s sustainable development. The GCAP for Iasi will be funded by the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund. Iasi is one of three Romanian cities that are part of EBRD Green Cities, alongside Craiova and Medias. To date, the EBRD has signed €9.3 billion in more than 470 projects in Romania.
The Environmental Guard issued RON 2.46 million (some EUR 483,000) in fines in 2025 as part of an intensified campaign to reduce air pollution in Bucharest and the surrounding Ilfov county, the institution announced. The measures followed repeated exceedances of legal particulate-matter limits and ongoing delays by local authorities in adopting mandatory air-quality strategies. According […]
The opposition filed a no-confidence motion on Friday, December 5, against prime minister Ilie Bolojan’s government, accusing it of failing to manage key sectors and calling for its immediate resignation, Agerpres reported. The motion, titled “Romania Is Not for Sale – No Progressives in Government,” was...
Bucharest City Hall announced on Thursday, December 4, that it has obtained nearly RON 2 billion (some EUR 400 million) in non-refundable EU funding for much-needed investments in transport infrastructure. The funds will be used to purchase 100 modern, non-polluting trolleys, 63 new trams, modernize approximately 50 km of tram lines, and modernize the Titan […]
Romania’s Chamber of Deputies adopted an emergency ordinance on Wednesday, December 3, regulating the right to drive motor vehicles on public roads for persons who hold a driving license issued by a state that is not a member of the European Union. The normative act creates the legal premises for granting the right to drive […]
Romania’s modern retail market has surpassed 5 million square metres of leasable space for the first time, following the delivery of roughly 190,000 sqm in 2025, according to new data released by Colliers. Despite the milestone, consultants noted that Romania still trails regional peers in retail space per capita, signalling strong potential for further development. […]
Environment minister Diana Buzoianu said during an interview on Thursday, December 4, that she will not resign following the interruption of the drinking water supply in several localities in Prahova and Dâmboviţa counties, which has been affecting over 100,000 people, as well as hospitals and schools. She argued that the ministry she heads bears no […]
