Stories from Bucharest · Romania

The Romanian Football Federation announced the list of Superliga teams that have received licenses for European competitions for the upcoming season. The nine teams include Universitatea Craiova, Universitatea Cluj, CFR Cluj, Rapid, Farul, and others. The announcement was made by the federation on Thursday. Nine teams are eligible to play in European cups. Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu stated that over 2,200 medium-value projects funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) will be completed this year or by next year at the latest. These projects represent a total value of 10 billion lei. The announcement was made during a news broadcast on Radio Romania Intl. Several hundred projects that previously lost PNRR funding have been salvaged through transfer to the environmental fund administration.

Private funds have been proposed for the acquisition of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment, according to a Reuters report. The project has met with reservations from the United Kingdom and Germany.

A proposal has been made to establish a defense, security, and resilience bank to support states facing high geopolitical risks. The project involves drafting a founding charter for the institution.

Romania's mining processing industry is experiencing a deep crisis, with recent data from the National Institute of Statistics showing a decline of nearly 30%. Reporter Iulian Olescu reported on the situation.

Military prosecutors are rebuilding an investigation into alleged repressive policies against the civilian population in Bucharest. Prosecutors claim the actions resulted in four deaths, two rapes, over 1,300 injuries, and the illegal detention of more than 1,200 people.

The overpass was inaugurated in 2011 following an investment of nearly 290 million euros. General Mayor Ciprian Ciocu announced that repair works on the bridge will now begin.

Russian media reported that an F-16 fighter jet flew from Romania toward the Black Sea approximately one week ago. The report claims the aircraft attempted to enter Russian airspace.

The Romanian government adopted a ban on coupling special pensions with salaries in public administration. The bill has been sent to parliament for an emergency vote. The measure follows recent fluctuations in the national currency against the British Pound and Swiss Franc. Interim Labor Minister Dragos Păzlarul stated that a new legislative project applies only to the public sector and not the private sector. Teaching staff and local officials are excluded from certain provisions of the law. The project specifically targets the integration of special and military service pensions. The Romanian executive adopted a measure allowing special and military pension holders to remain active if they accept a 5% reduction in their non-contributory pension. The National Liberal Party government has adopted a draft law to prohibit the combination of special pensions with state salaries.

A court has ordered the criminal prosecution in the Mineriad case to be redone or supplemented. The decision involves the remittal of the case file, which can be contested within three days of communication. The case concerns former President Ion Iliescu, who was accused of the violent repression of protesters during university demonstrations. The file is currently in the preliminary chamber procedure at a higher court. The court found irregularities in the description of facts and the analysis of evidence in the investigation. The case involves charges of crimes against humanity related to the 1990 repression of civilians in Bucharest. Prosecutors allege the repression used miners to target the population, resulting in four deaths, 1,300 injuries, and 1,200 others affected.

Romania's interim Minister of Labor called for clearer regulations regarding the secondment of deputies to the public sector. Judges identified irregularities in the facts and the analysis of evidence, deciding to exclude certain defendant reports from the evidentiary material. A spokesperson for the central bank noted that political instability is exerting pressure on the exchange rate during periods of uncertainty. Political tensions in Romania are expected to remain high for several days, which may continue to pressure the currency. Following a resignation from the PSD, Victoria Stoiciu stated that many Social Democrats are in a state of disillusionment. The Romanian government adopted a draft law today that prohibits the accumulation of pensions with state salaries. The document introduces restrictions on the secondment or transfer of budget employees between institutions.