Latest Analysis from Romania
Romania’s New Leader Battles Temptation to Spend
With an election due in autumn, the new interim premier will have a hard task delivering on his pledge to reduce the burden of austerity while retaining the confidence of Romania’s creditors.
Schengen Red Light Leaves Romania Frustrated
Despite strenuous diplomatic efforts, Bucharest again failed to secure entry into the passport-free zone, leaving Romanians wondering who is to blame – Brussels or their own leaders?
Romania Starts Counting Cost of Bitter Winter
Totting up the bill for this exceptional freeze will take months – but no one doubts that the price will be paid by ordinary people.
Romanian Govt Faces Winter of Discontent
While snowstorms batter the Balkans, Emil Boc’s government faces a political blizzard of its own, as thousands demonstrate against cuts and wage freezes.
Romania: Tough Year Expected
Disputed local and parliamentary elections, risks of capital outflows from banks, more job losses and social unrest are some of many challenges Romania faces in 2012.
Romania: Not Yet Out of the Woods
Corruption cases and the country's related failure to gain admission to the EU Schengen zone dominated the political landscape.
Eurozone Crisis Hits Romania’s Embattled Middle Class
Uncertainty about the future of the single currency makes many Romanians concerned for their financial future.
Wildlife NGOs Take Romania’s Bear Hunt to Brussels
Conservationist groups plan to send a letter of complaint to Europe, accusing Romania’s authorities of lack of transparency in deciding the bear-hunting quota.
Corruption Scandals Worsen Romanian Football’s Ill Fame
The declining reputation of the ‘beautiful game’ in Romania is being compounded by repeated cases of match-fixings, bungs and bribes.
Little to Celebrate Halfway through Europe’s ‘Roma Decade’
Despite high expectations, the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 initiative is yet to make its mark and significantly improve the lot of Roma communities, say activists and campaigners.
Anti-Royal Blast Raises Ghosts of Romanian Holocaust
Presidential tirade against 90-year-old former monarch reignites arguments about who shoulders most blame for the slaughter of Romanian Jewry in the 1940s.
Romanians Seem Doubtful That Austerity Has Paid Off
Emil Boc’s centre-right government says Romania has officially emerged from a two-year recession - but as far as most people are concerned, the crisis remains all too real.
Revamped Royal Statue Heals Wounds in Transylvania
The renovation in Cluj of the statue of the great Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus is a symbol of the growing reconciliation between once bitterly estranged ethnic Hungarians and Romanians.
French Payouts Tempt More Roma Immigrants
Paying Roma to voluntarily return to eastern European countries has backfired badly on western governments, as more impoverished Roma head to France and other EU countries in search of a better life.
Romanians Struggle To Escape Credit Trap
More and more Romanians are unable to pay back the easy loans and mortgages they took out during the real-estate boom years.
