Romania's black cigarette market stood at 8.3 percent of the total consumption this September, in line with the previous months, but higher compared to the 2022 average of 7.1 percent, shows a survey by Novel Research."In September 2023, the black market remains steady in almost all the regions of the country. Among the new elements worth mentioning for September's survey is the inclusion of Bulgaria among the main sources of smuggled tobacco products. With a share of 16.8 percent and an upward trend in the last year, Bulgaria is third in place as regards smuggled tobacco products, after duty-free outlets and cheap whites. Also, the survey carried out in the last months no longer identified cigarettes smuggled from Ukraine. There is a downward trend in the share of products from Moldova (7.6 percent), while Serbia is constant," said Novel Research managing partner Marian Marcu in a press release on Wednesday.Citing data on the platform StopContrabanda.ro, BAT Legal and External Affairs Director for South-East Europe Ileana Dumitru said that year-to-date, the Romanian authorities have captured about 105 million contraband cigarettes, more than double the amount in the same period last year.Head of the Romanian Customs Authority Ion Cupa said that 10 million illegal cigarettes were discovered in a recent raid carried out in the counties of Suceava and Teleorman, during which customs inspectors provided specialist assistance alongside representatives of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism, the Organized Crime Directorate, the Directorate for the Investigation of Economic Crimes, and the Border Police General Inspectorate.In 2022, tobacco companies funnelled about 20 billion RON to the state budget in excise duties, VAT and other taxes and contributions.
Bucharest City Hall announced on Monday, May 18, plans to build eight underground parking facilities and one above-ground parking structure through public-private partnerships. The project is part of the city’s broader effort to reduce the number of cars parked on sidewalks and streets. According to the city administration, the locations were selected by Bucharest mayor […]
Romanian president Nicușor Dan said on Monday, May 18, that consultations with parliamentary parties on appointing a new prime minister will continue until a “solid pro-Western majority” capable of supporting a government is formed. The statement came after a full day of talks at the Cotroceni Palace, where Romania’s main political parties outlined conflicting positions […]
More than 100 CEOs and executives from some of Romania’s leading companies in retail, energy, banking, technology, transport, and numerous other sectors gathered in Berceni, Prahova County, on Friday, May 15, as part of Habitat for Humanity’s CEO Build 2026 event to construct homes for vulnerable families. Following the CEO Build rules, top executives of […]
The Romanian Social Democratic Party, or PSD, was surpassed in terms of voting intentions by the National Liberal Party, or PNL, for the first time in six years, after it voted for the dismissal of the Ilie Bolojan government together with the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, according to a recent […]
Romania’s electric vehicle market more than doubled in April 2026, with 1,308 EVs registered during the month, according to an analysis published by LEKTRI.CO. The figure marks a 113% increase compared to April 2025, signaling a renewed acceleration in the country’s transition toward electric mobility. According to the report, electric vehicles accounted for 3.08% of […]
Apartments and houses in Bucharest are unaffordable for more and more people, as housing prices have continued to rise over the past year despite a lower number of transactions, according to the Imobiliare.ro Index, which has monitored the evolution of the residential market in the main urban centers for over 15 years. Residents of Bucharest […]
