* Romanian coalition survives far-right no-confidence vote, but internal cracks deepen over VAT hikes and fears of repeating past austerity failures, https://www.euractiv.com/ reads. Romania’s government survived its first no-confidence motion on Monday after Parliament rejected a challenge from far-right parties, but the vote exposed growing tensions within the pro-EU ruling coalition. The failed motion was brought to Parliament by far-right parties AUR, POT, and SOS in response to growing public backlash over the government’s fiscal consolidation measures unveiled last week. Among other things, the Romanian government plans to raise the standard VAT rate from 19% to 21%, and replace the reduced rates of 5% and 9% with a single rate of 11%, which will affect essential items such as food and medicine. Romania's ruling pro-EU coalition includes the centre-left PSD, centre-right PNL, reformist USR, and the Hungarian minority party UDMR, led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. However, acting PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu sharply criticised the government’s approach, warning it risked repeating the 2010–2011 austerity-driven collapse. “We didn’t sign up to turn a budget crisis into a deep economic crisis,” he said in a bid to distance his party from the austerity measures implemented by the government. Grindeanu accused the government of placing the burden on low-income citizens and reiterated the PSD’s call for a progressive tax system as a fairer alternative to widespread tax hikes. He argued that a well-designed progressive model would have avoided the need to raise the VAT. Centrist president Nicusor Dan also took aim at the VAT hike, stressing in a press conference that he had promised to keep it at 19% during coalition negotiations. “I still believe it was the right path,” he said, noting that other budgetary solutions had been available. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan defended the government's fiscal stance, pointing to “early positive signs” from international markets. He also announced a second package of expenditure cuts to be unveiled by the end of July.
Céline Gauer, the director general of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force (or RECOVER) at the European Commission, arrived in Romania on Tuesday, July 15, to meet with officials regarding the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, or PNRR. As the coordinator of the PNRR, which offers funding in the form of advantageous […]
Aluminium producer ALRO, a subsidiary of Vimetco PLC from Cyprus, celebrated 28 years on the Romanian stock exchange (BVB) and 60 years of uninterrupted industrial activity. Its market capitalization has increased nearly 21 times since its listing and now exceeds RON 1 billion. The company’s history began with the first batch of Romanian aluminium, on June […]
Something is quietly shifting in Romania. In places where paperwork, patchy Wi-Fi, and long queues once ruled, change is starting to show. Towns are more connected, cities are getting smarter, and essential services are beginning to live online, not in line. A tidal wave of digitisation is common to other areas of the globe, that’s […]
Several segments in Romania's A7 and A8 highway projects have lost funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) due to project delays, the minister of investments and European projects, Dragoș Pîslaru, announced on Tuesday, July 15, as reported by Biziday.ro. He did not specify which segments of these highways were affected. The statement […]
Real estate developer Redport and businessman Dan Șucu officially inaugurated the showroom for their latest residential project, Vitality Est, and announced the start of construction work on the site near Pantelimon Park and Lake in eastern Bucharest. The project, estimated at EUR 50 million, will include 500 apartments and 400 square meters of commercial space. […]
According to an analysis from real estate consultant Colliers based on National Bank of Romania data, Romanians spent more than EUR 3 billion on international travel in the first four months of 2025, 15% more than in the same period of 2024. If the current pace continues, Romanians’ spending on foreign holidays and business travel […]
