The European Commission has adopted two decisions Tuesday, issuing a positive preliminary assessment to lift the suspension of payment of €714 million to Portugal, and €37.2 million to Romania (net of pre-financing), after acknowledging the progress made in implementing their respective recovery and resilience plans. This comes after earlier suspensions, where the Commission had found certain milestones and targets had not been satisfactorily fulfilled in Portugal ‘s third and fourth payment request, and Romania's second payment request. €37.2 million following measures promoting the green transition in Romania The Commission had found that two specific milestones in Romania's second payment request had not been satisfactorily fulfilled. This had led to a withheld amount of €53.4 million. After the initial suspension, Romania was encouraged to take action over a 6-month period. The Commission has now found that Romania has taken measures to ensure that part of the outstanding milestones have now been satisfactorily completed. Specifically, in June 2023, milestone 129, related to green hydrogen production capacities, along with milestone 133, concerning investment in less carbon-intensive heat generation facilities, were initially deemed as not satisfactorily met. The suspension mechanism allowed the country to receive a partial payment for the milestones and targets that had been satisfactorily fulfilled, while giving it additional time to meet the remaining outstanding requirements. Making use of the extended timeframe, Romania implemented a series of effective actions, which have accelerated the decarbonisation of its industry. The Commission concluded that milestone 133 is now satisfactorily fulfilled. Accordingly, it now proposes to unlock €17.8 million** corresponding to this milestone. In relation to milestone 129, the Commission notified Romania that it continued to consider the milestone as not entirely satisfactorily fulfilled, while recognising the progress made in its completion. Romania now has two months to send further observations to the Commission, after which the release of the outstanding amount related to milestone 129 may still be decided. Romania's overall recovery plan, amounting to €28.5 billion in grants and loans, encompasses a series of reforms and investments to strengthen its economy. The Commission has disbursed over €9.41 billion to Romania, which corresponds to 33% of all the funds in the Romanian plan*, with 14% of all the milestones and targets in the plan fulfilled.
Janiva Magness, the winner of seven Blues Music Awards following 26 nominations, and nominated for a Grammy for a career spanning 17 albums, is set to perform at the 14th edition of the Brașov Jazz & Blues Festival, which will take place between August 14–16, 2026. Magness is one of the most valuable and influential […]
Auction house Artmark announced a major auction for this winter featuring an engraving created by Francisco Goya, the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Romania's late communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu received this gift from King Juan Carlos I as a gesture of diplomacy. The engraving entitled “The Engagement – Capricho […]
Authorities managing Romania's Bicaz Gorges–Hășmaș National Park has built a fish ladder system on the Bicaz River, which will allow protected species to migrate and reproduce. There are several bridges and small bridge structures in the Bicaz River that have a “bottom sill,” meaning small waterfalls. Fish that do not jump like the trout cannot […]
The far-right opposition parties in the Romanian Parliament are set to file a motion of no confidence against the government headed by prime minister Ilie Bolojan. The motion, authored by senator Ninel Peia of the Peace – Romania First group, is specifically aimed at the reformist party Save Romania Union (USR), and is entitled “Romania […]
Romania's iconic rock singer Adrian Pleșca, known as “Artan,” died on Tuesday, December 2, after a fatal stroke, at the age of 64. The artist founded the well-known band “Timpuri Noi” in 1982 and “Partizan” in 2001, and was popular on the Romanian rock scene. Over the years, he left and returned to the two bands. Several […]
Elon Musk's mother, Maye Musk, re-shared a post about the Craiova Christmas Market on X on Monday, December 1. She described the event as "beautiful" and included three emojis in her caption. The original post highlighted that the Craiova Christmas Market was taking place in a safe environment. "No concrete barriers. No armed guards. No […]
