To defend the coastline threatened by the advancing Black Sea, the governments in Bucharest and Brussels had promised solutions based on an approach that focused on protecting natural environments. In the end, unfortunately, the "concrete cure" prevailed
The mouth of Europe's great river is constantly changing and experiencing multiple environmental crises and social fragilities. European funds and new projects seek to combine environmental protection and local development
Ambitious European projects support the protection of the sturgeon. However, without the support of the local community and compensation for fishermen, the goal of saving the the Danube's iconic fish remains elusive
From the wild shores of the Danube delta to the gentle, urbanized beaches of the south, the Black Sea coastline is retreating under the pressure of climate change and man-made structures that trap sediment. New interventions aimed at protecting it risk repeating the mistakes of the past
Deforestation, urbanization, and the climate crisis are fragmenting the habitats of large carnivores in Romania and Southeastern Europe. A network of European initiatives is working to protect them, promoting peaceful coexistence as well as biodiversity
Romania has the lowest number of cinemas per capita in Europe. Of the more than 400 cinemas that existed after communism, most have been closed or converted. Modern multiplexes in shopping malls do not compensate for the loss of neighborhood cinemas, places of culture and identity
In Romania, the national brown bear conservation plan, financed with EU funds, is proceeding amid delays, controversy and a contested census. Meanwhile, the European country with the largest population of plantigrades is struggling to balance conservation and safety
A city that does not advertise itself, but is worth discovering: Craiova, the historic capital of Oltenia. Little-known even in Romania, it offers a rich cultural life, a unique atmosphere, and the jewel of Romanescu City Park
Bogdan Crețu's novel "Less Than Love" (Mai puțin decât dragostea), published in 2023, has been shortlisted for this year's European Prize for Literature (EUP). A review of the novel, still unpublished in Italy
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also seriously endangered the natural heritage of the attacked country: among the areas most at risk is the Danube Delta on the border with Romania, today subjected to unprecedented ecological pressure. A report
After decades of severe decline, the historical spa town of Băile Herculane is gradually flourishing again. The credit goes to the efforts by a group of young people who mobilised to save the heritage and reclaim the spaces, and to EU funds
The traditional passage of shepherds and sheep tramples the ground but does not destroy biodiversity – rather, it creates spaces and opportunities to make animals, plants and even people more resilient. A researcher studied it in the lab and in the Romanian mountains where she grew up
With her collective, Alina Tofan organizes performances in rural areas of Romania to raise environmental awareness and rediscover a sense of community. She invites colleagues from around the world to demonstrate that the green transition can be a just one, even in their own country
The 2024 Romanian Poetry Award for Best Book was given to Rita Chirian for her book "Medusa." The work blends philosophical depth, mythology, and contemporary sensibility. An invitation to look beyond the surface, where the meaning of things is born and hidden.
The way it is represented in formal education tells a lot about the condition of a people. Even when it is present in textbooks in South Eastern Europe, the history of the Roma is often ignored or represented in a way that perpetuates stereotypes and misconceptions
Anthropologist Anca Danilă is the creator of the project Caiete de rețete (Recipe Notebooks), launched in Bucharest two years ago, which aims to collect family recipe books, archive them in a digital database and thus protect a precious heritage
One in six Romanians is not connected to the water or sewage network. In Bulgaria and the Baltic states the figures are also worrying – but the situation is finally improving, also thanks to European funds
In many European countries people increasingly use trains for their travel, preferring them to cars. This is not happening in Romania and Bulgaria, because of the poor state of rail service. Something is starting to change however
The Facebook group "RoOmenia" connects tens of thousands of Romanian citizens scattered across Europe, providing concrete help – from housing to medication – and contrasting the loneliness of many expats. An initiative launched by a group of lorry drivers
Betting and gambling companies have gained enormous influence in Bulgaria and Romania. Not only on the people who slip into gambling addiction, but also on the media, which suffer from their economic power. New laws seek to contain this influence, but their impact is unclear
Coal Mining Expansion Leads to Deforestation: Over 470 Hectares of Forest Cut Down in Gorj, Romania. At the same time, Romania has committed itself, through the NRP, to phasing out lignite and hard coal energy production and to the phased closure of mines by December 2032
Installing photovoltaic panels in condominiums in Romania can be a real challenge, given the difficulty of obtaining permits and authorizations. But to increase the impact of solar we must also promote a community attitude on energy and ecological issues
Romania produces more and more photovoltaic energy also thanks to the rapid increase in prosumers - consumers who resell excess energy from their panels to the grid. A virtuous process, but limited by long delays in payments and an unclear legal framework
In addition to EU structural and investment funds, from 2021 Romania also has access to money from the Just Transition Programme. What does this programme mean, how much money can Romania actually receive and what is it earmarked for?
Since 2007, the year Romania entered the EU, over 62 billion euros have flowed into the country from the EU. There could have been more, but the Romanian state failed to attract them all. Why?
A journalist and a photographer from Romania have been living in a van for ten years to be able to write their investigations on how life is in Romania and how expatriate Romanians live. They are Elena Stancu and Cosmin Bumbut: we met them
Despite some positive signs, corruption continues to weigh on the Romanian healthcare system. The main victims are citizens, forced to pay under the table to obtain the services of doctors and nurses
Austria remains one of the EU countries most sincerely interested in enlargement to the Western Balkans, but its policy towards the region suffers from populism and a lack of vision. We talked about it with Adelheid Wölfl, historical correspondent from the region for the newspaper Der Standard
