About: Romania
MEP Romeo Franz names ‘racist’ colleagues
In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV Bulgaria, German MEP Romeo Franz discusses the problems of Europe’s largest minority – the Roma, and names some colleagues he considers “racist”.
Protecting the seasonal workers in Europe
If we have fresh strawberries on our table these days, if we can enjoy delicious asparagus from our fields, it is thanks to the people who work outside. Quite often, they are seasonal workers, and we have to protect them, write Dan Nica and Jens Geier.
Germany relaxes restrictions on seasonal workers
The German government on Wednesday (11 June) eased entry restrictions for seasonal farm workers that were first introduced to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Illegal logging in Romania overwhelms authorities
Thousands of hectares have once again been cleared in one of Europe's last large primeval forests in Romania in recent months. The country's authorities are overwhelmed. EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.
Romania’s Orban breaches own coronavirus rules, pays fine
Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban paid a 3,000 lei fine (€617) on Saturday (30 May) for breaking his own coronavirus restrictions by not wearing a face mask and smoking indoors, state news agency Agerpres said.
Central Europe and Baltic states GDP will fall by 4.3% in 2020, ERBD report says
The economies of Central Europe and the Baltic states are seen contracting by 4.3% on average in 2020, according to a report by the European Bank for Reconstructing and Development (ERBD) published on Wednesday (13 May). The report also showed that EU members in south-eastern Europe are expected to face a 4.8% GDP decline in 2020.
France kicks out Bulgarian seasonal workers despite Commission ‘guidelines’
Two groups of seasonal workers arriving in France by plane from Bulgaria have been sent back home by the French airport authorities, despite the European Commission's calls to ensure the freedom of movement of such “critical” personnel.
Chief European Prosecutor: We’re ready to start at full speed, safeguard our independence
For the newly established European Public Prosecutor's Office to be a real game-changer, it must have sufficient financial resources and enough full-time European delegated prosecutors to conduct independent investigations in the member states, chief prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi said in her first exclusive interview in the new position.
Britain turns to Eastern Europe, and charter flights, to save its crops
To save fields of asparagus and strawberries threatened with rotting, Britain is mobilising a workforce of students, the unemployed -- and workers from Europe.
Activists concerned over increase in waste smuggling in Romania
Peacocks may not be the first thing visitors expect to see at a cement plant. But a factory in the Romanian town of Fieni has built a spacious aviary for the birds in a bid to convince the public of its environmental credentials.
Spain wants jobless, immigrants to cover farm shortfall
Spain moved on Tuesday (7 April) to tackle a shortfall of farm workers due to the coronavirus crisis by authorising the temporary hiring of tens of thousands of immigrants or jobless people.
Eastern European sex workers stranded in Germany as coronavirus shuts brothels
Thousands of foreign prostitutes working in Germany have been made homeless after brothels closed due to the coronavirus outbreak and borders snapped shut, making it difficult for them to return home.
‘No gloves, no masks’: Romania medical workers fear for lives in virus fight
"We don't have gloves, masks, anything," says one of the medical team at southeastern Romania's Râmnicu Sărat hospital, one of those designated to treat COVID-19 patients.
Austria imports workers from Bulgaria, Romania to plug gaps in COVID-19 care
Chartered flights brought more than 200 health workers to Austria on Monday (30 March) to ensure that care was not disrupted by COVID-19 travel restrictions, a regional official said.
Eastern Europeans want more EU funds for military mobility
The EU should provide more funds to enable faster movement of military forces across Europe, defence ministers from four eastern European member states said on Tuesday (10 March), two weeks before the bloc starts a new round of divisive talks over the next seven-year budget.
Romania must not squander EU Green Deal opportunity
Positioning the country against the EU Green Deal, Romanian politicians appear to be on the wrong side of history and disconnected from the economic reality of energy markets, writes Suzana Carp.
Romania is slow at integrating people with disabilities
Romania's adult centres offering deplorable reception conditions for people with disabilities, and the country's school system struggling to ensure the inclusion of children with disabilities, are a source of concern. EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.
Basescu: European Green Deal risks pushing ‘two or three countries’ towards EU exit
The European Green Deal “will definitely create tensions” inside the EU, and risks pushing “two or three countries” to leave the Union altogether, warns former Romanian President Traian Basescu, saying the real priority in Romania is to build new infrastructure like motorways and exploit natural gas resources from the Black Sea.
Romanian lawmakers topple centrist cabinet, weeks of political jostling ahead
Romanian lawmakers toppled the three-month-old centrist minority government of Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Wednesday (5 February), raising the prospect of an early parliamentary election which Orban's party says it is confident of winning.
Ombudsman slams EU Council for tolerating presidencies’ private sponsorship
With Coca Cola and BMW sponsoring Romania and Finland during their respective EU Council presidencies last year, it would appear that member states have no qualms with private sector funding. But the European Ombudsman finds that this tarnishes the EU's reputation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Croatia highlights its Schengen and Eurozone ambitions
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković made it clear that Croatia, the latest EU newcomer, wants to join as soon as possible the Union’s inner circles – the borderless Schengen space and the Eurozone.
Pro-European Iohannis re-elected as Romanian president
Incumbent Klaus Iohannis won re-election as Romanian president on Sunday (24 November), confirming the pro-European trajectory of the eastern EU member state.
Human trafficking in Romania: an integrated approach needed in the era of open borders
Trafficking of human beings is by definition a transnational crime and can only be tackled through more integrated and supranational structuresр write Elena Petrescu and Yannis Karamitsios.