Last week, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bucharest (Romania) charged three individuals with fraud, following an investigation into projects for the modernisation of irrigation systems, supported by the EU, https://www.eppo.europa.eu/ informs. The suspects, who are accused of unduly receiving an advance of €1.2 million, were informed of the charges and of their rights and obligations. At issue are three organisations, which obtained support from Romania’s Agency for Financing Rural Investments (AFIR) for four projects to modernise existing irrigation systems in the municipalities of Buc?ani, Galicea and Olanu, in Vâlcea County. The total amount of the grants for the four projects was approximately €4 million euros (RON 18 575 634,53), in non-reimbursable funds. An advance payment of €300 000 euro (RON 1 399 050.50) was made for each of the four projects. Our investigation showed that false or inaccurate documents were used for the four projects, both when they were submitted to obtain funding and during their execution. Moreover, based on the evidence, the beneficiaries of the funds used the majority of the advance payment for their own benefit, and not for the purpose for which they had been granted. The investigation is ongoing, in order to ascertain the extent of the suspected criminal activities. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It?is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.?
Romanian border police announced on August 13 that they had seized 473 mobile phones suspected of being counterfeit, with an estimated value exceeding RON 3 million. The discovery was made the day before, on August 12, during a routine patrol near the Nădlac border area. ...
In a landmark moment for Romanian ornithology, experts have confirmed the nesting of the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) in the country for the first time in over a century. This rare and significant event, backed by photographic evidence, marks a pivotal step in understanding and conserving this globally threatened species in the region, the Romanian […]
David Popovici, Romania's Olympic, World, and European swimming champion, has been named the first "Friend of the Brand" by Porsche in the country. The partnership marks a significant recognition for the 20-year-old athlete, whose extraordinary achievements have made waves on the global swimming stage. Popovici is the only...
Romania’s men’s national basketball team qualified for the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers after defeating North Macedonia 79-66 (26-19, 19-15, 14-15, 20-17) on Wednesday, August 13, in Oradea. Romania faced North Macedonia as part of Group E of the second phase of the competition’s pre-qualifiers. The top two teams qualify for the 2027 World Cup […]
The National Federation of Public Administration Trade Unions (FNSA) has voiced strong opposition to a government proposal to reduce staffing levels in local public administration by 20%, warning that the move could paralyse essential services. The reform plan, published this week for public consultation by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration, envisages the […]
Romania’s economy grew by only 0.3% gross in the first half of 2025, and by 1.4% in seasonally adjusted series, according to data published Thursday, August 14, by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). In the second quarter of 2025, compared to the previous quarter, the Gross Domestic Product increased by 1.2%. Compared to the […]
