POLITICS

The discussions run by Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos and the major parties’ representatives regarding the organization of this year’s local mayoral elections started in early February, with the liberals insi...

ECONOMICS

One of the weakness of the 2007-2013 programming period that hindered the proper absorption of EU funds was the limited administrative capacity of the beneficiaries. Thus the Ministry of European Funds (MFE) is...

ENERGY

In late January, the European Union (EU) allocated 179.3 million Euro for the development of the Romanian section of a gas pipeline between Bulgaria and Austria, which will transit Romania and Hungary

REAL ESTATE

Hercesa, with real estate operations in Romania since 2004, announced the start of construction to the first block of the third development stage of their Vivenda Residencias compound

INFRASTRUCTURE

The National Company for Motorways and National Roads (CNADNR) rejected in mid-January seven tenders competing within an auction referring to the resuming of a feasibility study for lots Four and Five of the Co...

APPOINTMENTS

Craiova-based Ford factory has a new general manager, John Oldham, with a 35-year experience at Ford Great Britain and Ford Europe and who has been assistant production manager at Ford Romania since 2015. Oldha...

INVESTMENTS

One of the biggest chains of restaurants in the world, Subway, expanded its business in Romania in late January by opening a new restaurant near Militari Shopping Centre and Business Centre Militari, according ...

AGRIBUSINESS

Total cereal production in the European Union will decline in the 2015-2016 agricultural year by 6.9 per cent over the previous year, to 306.5 million tonnes, due to a lower crop area, but also due to the probl...

GREEN

Can-Pack Romania, the only producer of aluminium cans in Romania, plans to invest 200,000 Euro in order to install during this year 21 intelligent collection devices of aluminium can waste

REPORTS

Romania felt the pinch of EU funds during the 2007-2013 financial framework, ranking among the last places within the EU on absorption ratio. This was mainly due to legal instability, poor administrative capacity and lack of knowledge in terms of project management, according to experts.

SECTOR ANALYSIS

In the past few years, it seemed that recycling had started slowly, but would surely become more popular in Romania. However, by 2015 the enthusiasm stagnated and the country wasted precious time. For this year, however, expectations are high as the new technocrat Minister of Environment announced that the National Waste Management Plan will be top priority. Alexandra Cioboata (Lopotaru) talks to authorities and green players

EXPERTS PLATFORM

Authors: Sebastian Gutiu, Managing Partner (Bucharest) Schoenherr & Sofia Cozac, Attorney at Law

SECTOR ANALYSIS

For several years now, green certifications in Romanian real estate project development moved from the blurry area of "nice-to-have" to the clearer area of "must-have". This is mostly because having a green-certified building on the market makes a strong differentiator in terms of landing business. By Magda Purice

SECTOR ANALYSIS

Nobody invests in wind or solar renewables anymore in Romania. As investors representing the eight billion Euro in projects built so far meet the new government's Energy ministry led by Vlad Grigorescu to drive the subsidies back up, they tell The Diplomat - Bucharest that a new incentive system, combined with a series of legal and taxation changes, might represent their salvation. By Bogdan Tudorache

COUNTRY FOCUS

Romania is seen by foreign investors as the most attractive and stable market within South Eastern Europe in which to invest nowadays, with major advantages in terms of labour cost and skilled professionals. But how do the local entrepreneurs and Romanian-based companies perceive the country? A special report by Alexandra Cioboata (Lopotaru), Bogdan Tudorache and Magda Purice.

BUSINESS LEADERS

The Diplomat - Bucharest's talks with Jean-Francois Fallacher, CEO Orange Romania, to reveal how Orange is planning to connect everyone to what really matters to them

SECTOR ANALYSIS

Romanian and international business services leaders say automation is only here to help, to upscale human work and to ensure progress. As most of the industry repetitive processes will be replaced by top-shelf software programs, called either robots or cobots, the face of the industry as we know it will change, Bogdan Tudorache writes for Outsourcing Today.

COUNTRY FOCUS

Romania's picture will keep heading towards a positive direction, as turning back is quite difficult, echoed the Czech community present at the first edition of the "Czech Investments in Romania Roundtable" organised in mid-November by The Diplomat - Bucharest. But where are the investors heading? By Alexandra Cioboata (Lopotaru)

BUSINESS LEADERS

When it comes to nuclear energy, Romania is top of the performance chain. Set up in 1998, Nuclearelectrica is today one of the most important producers in the country, covering approximately 20% of Romania's consumption needs

SECTOR ANALYSIS

After an estimated six years of constant and relevant growth of the wine business in Romania, the taste for good wines emerged together with exigencies. The Diplomat - Bucharest asked the main wine producers on the local market about the fragrant opportunities and maybe not-so-sweet challenges of this full-bodied industry

SECTOR ANALYSIS

Romania's hospitality industry is putting the pedal to the metal in terms of volumes this year, especially in the leisure segment, but the rates are still lagging behind other countries in the region