USAID, with bipartisan Congressional support, is supporting new locally-driven initiatives in Central Europe with the goal of strengthening democratic institutions, civil society, and independent media, which are all pillars of resilient democratic societies. These programs will be implemented by a coalition of partners with deep knowledge of the region, experience in providing tailored support to local communities, and a commitment to internationally-recognized best practices to support democracy. Local ownership is the key to the USAID programming in Central Europe which was recently launched. USAID will work with local and diverse organizations, putting local stakeholders in charge of the process to identify needs, design and implement solutions, and monitor results. In Central Europe, USAID is proud to support local partners in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to: Increase the capacity of civil society to strengthen democratic principles and empower citizens to protect fundamental freedoms. Strengthen the competitiveness, financial independence, and sustainability of the independent media sector. Build the watchdog skills of civil society and media to enhance rule of law observance, combat corruption, and increase access to justice. Increase civic engagement through collective action of citizens to strengthen democratic systems. The Biden-Harris Administration has made clear that bolstering democracy in the United States and around the world is essential to meeting the unprecedented challenges of our time. USAID activities in Central Europe are rooted in our shared democratic commitments to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and adherence to the rule of law enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act and Charter of Paris for a New Europe, to which the U.S., Central European, and other countries committed as participating States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. (Source: Public Diplomacy – Press Office, U.S. Embassy-Bucharest )
Cyber_Folks Romania, part of the international Cyber_Folks group, has announced the acquisition of Hosterion, one of the leading independent web hosting providers in the local market, in a transaction worth EUR 6.7 million. Cyber_Folks said the move aims to expand its operational capacity and consolidate its leadership in the local digital infrastructure, cloud, and scalable […]
Romanian students won three gold medals and one silver medal at the Balkan Physics Olympiad, which took place between June 26–30 in North Macedonia. The event, hosted by the city of Ohrid, brought together 62 students from 16 countries and is the only physics olympiad dedicated exclusively to juniors. Earlier this year, Romanian students also […]
Seven internationally acclaimed artists, including American actors Bill Murray and Kathleen Turner, were honored on Saturday, June 28, with stars on the Walk of Fame in Sibiu, Romania, as part of the International Theatre Festival (FITS), News.ro...
Romania’s star swimmer David Popovici won two gold medals and one bronze and broke a European record at the European U23 Swimming Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, which took place from June 26 to 28. Popovici won continental gold in Samorin in the 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle, and the bronze medal in the 50m freestyle. […]
The Romanian Ministry of Defense (MApN) stated that it is implementing several air defense procurement programs, including SHORAD-VSHORAD and MANPAD, which were approved by Parliament in previous years as part of efforts to modernize the country's military capabilities. The SHORAD-VSHORAD program, focused on acquiring short- and very short-range air defense systems, was approved in 2020...
The Romanian government has approved a new support mechanism for vulnerable electricity consumers aimed at helping low-income households cover their energy bills after July 1, when the electricity price cap expires. The emergency ordinance, passed on June 27 and initiated by the Ministry of Energy in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity, […]
