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 )
American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in prison by the Constanța Court of Appeal for possession of drugs for personal use, after smoking a cannabis cigarette on stage at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinești in 2024. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, December 18, is final,
More than 2 out of 3 Romanian consumers do not return for a second purchase, according to the new Customer Loyalty Index, a comprehensive analysis based on aggregated data from campaigns and authored by White Image, the oldest email marketing company in Romania. The Index analyzes the post-purchase behavior of Romanian consumers and highlights major […]
Fashion retailer Primark announced major plans to expand its presence in Romania, confirming four new store openings for 2026. This will double its presence in the market and create over 450 new jobs. The announcement arrived at an important moment for the company, which marked three years since the opening of its first Romanian store […]
Romania’s National Road Investment Company (CNIR) awarded on Tuesday, December 16, the contract for the design and construction of the Bacău–Piatra Neamț express road to a Romanian–Bulgarian consortium. The value of the contract is RON 5.17 billion (some EUR 1 billion), excluding VAT, and its signing will take place if no appeals are filed. The […]
Romania will host its first mixed team European Judo Championship in 2027, according to the Romanian Judo Federation. The competition will take place at a key moment in the Olympic cycle, when the points earned will directly influence world rankings and qualification for the Olympic Games, according to FR Judo. The event will...
Radu Miruță, currently Romania’s economy minister, was proposed to lead the Defense Ministry. He will also hold the position of deputy prime minister. In his place, senator Irineu Darău has been proposed to take the helm of the Economy Ministry. The Defense and Economy Ministries are handled by the center-right reformist party Save Romania Union […]
