In a year with four rounds of elections, the press in Romania faces a series of issues affecting journalists’ independence, mentions an international report analyzing press freedom in Romania. The report was conducted by the International Press Institute (IPI) and Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), following meetings held in January with journalists, members of regulatory institutions, civil society and lawyers. The document also make recommendations for authorities to implement. Among the main issues facing the press in Romania, the report mentions: The toxic influence exerted by political parties through the use of public funds to purchase advertising space on websites. An alarming trend of using SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) lawsuits against the press. A growing wave of online harassment against journalists and their sources. The authors of the report mention that “Romania has one of the most dynamic media sectors in south-eastern Europe, boasting a diverse and rapidly evolving landscape. A handful of powerful companies dominate the mainstream media and, while they are independent, their political coverage has been criticised for being corrupted by a large influx of political money that creates a pliable and clientelist media culture.” The report underlines that local journalism, though, faces the biggest crisis where most of the media are effectively captured by politicians as a result of their dependence on government advertising funds. “Some 90% of media, working on shoestring budgets for an ever-shrinking audience, have become public relations vehicles for the town mayors.” Also, another existing danger mentioned is the growing involvement of Romania’s powerful betting industry is causing disquietin media and political circles. The report mentions here the situation of the publications owned by Ringier in Romania, Libertatea and GSP, which faced commercial interference in the editorial process. The Ringier scandal also illustrates the influence of the betting industry, with GSP journalists showing how Ringier Sports Management Group tried to pressure the newsroom on how it reports on the gambling industry and demanded that they submit articles before publication. The report also mentions that the gambling industry has allocated more than €2.4 billion on media advertising in 2022. Yet, the large media trusts “are being challenged by a young and vibrant sector of high-quality innovative media that refuses political money, demands the highest levels of integrity, and focuses on exposing corruption while reaching larger and larger audiences.” But that comes with a cost, as journalists suffer increasing online hostility and trolling, and the report exemplifies with the case of Emilia ?ercan, targeted by an ugly political smear campaign after revealing that several powerful politicians had plagiarised their academic theses. (Source:https://ipi.media/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/romania-report-1.pdf)
Romanian deep-tech startup .lumen, the developer of what it says are the world’s first AI-powered glasses for the blind, has secured a new investment from EIT Urban Mobility, the European innovation community focused on advancing sustainable and inclusive urban mobility solutions. The value of the new funding round was not disclosed. The investment aligns with […]
The health spending per capita in Romania was the lowest in the EU, with spending less than half the EU average in 2023, the recently released report, State of Health in the EU - Romania Country Health Profile 2025, shows. At the same time, life expectancy in Romania is 5.1 years below the EU average, […]
Romania’s annual inflation rate stood at roughly 9.8% in November 2025, similar to October, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Food prices increased by 7.6% last month, while services rose roughly 11% and non-food goods climbed 10.7%. The consumer price index rose by 0.42% in November compared with October, while […]
Three French soldiers deployed in Romania as part of NATO’s Multinational Battle Group at Cincu intervened to save a truck driver following a serious traffic accident on the A3 Bucharest–Ploiești motorway, the Romanian Ministry of Defense said. The incident occurred earlier this week as the soldiers were traveling toward Ploiești and witnessed the truck crash...
Eight contemporary art galleries will present the works of the artists they represent at the third edition of the Smallest Art Fair in Town, an event dedicated to works on paper. This edition showcases works “investigating the state of wandering, disorientation, and rediscovery in the face of uncertainty.” Under the title In Dark Woods, A […]
Parents everywhere are asking an important question: What skills will truly prepare a child for a world defined by rapid change, global uncertainty, and the rise of artificial intelligence? For decades, schools focused entirely on academics. Today, research from neuroscience, performance psychology, and leading universities shows a different reality: The students who thrive long-term are […]
