Here is your weekly roundup, featuring highlights of news and events in Romania, not over the past seven but 14 days as we have been pre-occupied with reporting the presidential elections in Moldova and the tragedy in Piatra Neamț.

Romanian Dispatch #15 (November 8 – 20, 2020)

Good morning. Here is your weekly roundup, featuring highlights of news and events in Romania over the past seven days.

Romanian Dispatch #14 (October 31 – November 6, 2020)

Good morning. Here is your weekly roundup, featuring highlights of news and events in Romania over the past seven days.

Romanian Dispatch #13 (October 24-30, 2020)

Good morning. Here is your weekly roundup, featuring highlights of news and events in Romania over the past seven days.

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Romanian Dispatch #12 (October 17-23, 2020)

Yesterday a record number of Romanians were tested positive for corona (yes, we used this very same sentence last week and the week before too). Like most of Europe, Romania is now in the second wave of rapidly spreading infections. In 17 counties, including Bucharest, the infection rate exceeds the threshold of 1.5 per 1,000 inhabitants. The pandemic is leaving its mark more and more — from remote work becoming the new normal to 100,000 workers in the cultural and mass media sectors whose jobs are at risk. All this and more in this week’s Romanian Dispatch.

Romanian Dispatch #11 (October 10-16, 2020)

The results of last month’s local elections have started reshaping Romania’s political landscape, including new alliances, mergers and acquisitions. New numbers show that direct foreign investment was up in 2019 and predicted wage increases materialised in the first half of 2020. Yesterday a record number of Romanians were tested positive for corona (yes, we used this very same sentence last week too). Consequently, cinemas, cafés and restaurants were closed in Bucharest and seven counties where the infection rate exceeds the threshold of 1.5 per 1,000 inhabitants. All this and more in this week’s Romanian Dispatch.

Romanian Dispatch #10 (October 3-9, 2020)

Allegations of vote rigging in Bucharest’s first district, outgoing PSD mayor Firea possible calling for a recount for all of Bucharest and PNL leader and PM Orban calling for a cordon sanitaire of the PSD in local and regional councils — the post-election phase is possibly even more exciting than the elections themselves. Yesterday a record number of Romanians tested positive for corona. The Head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, expects us to stay home for Christmas. All this and more in this week’s Romanian Dispatch.

Romanian Dispatch #9 (September 26-October 2, 2020)

Good evening. Here is a special issue of Romanian Dispatch.

After 12 years, the PSD has to give up Bucharest City Hall. Incumbent Gabriela Firea lost against Nicușor Dan. The PSD also lost Constanța and Iași. In this special edition on yesterday’s local elections, you will find the final results of all the races and analysis on what the implications are.

Romanian Dispatch #8 (Special Issue-September 28, 2020)

Tomorrow is Election Day. 18 million Romanians are entitled to elect the mayors and councillors who will run their towns and cities for the next four years. Bucharest City Hall is hotly contested and so are many races around the country. On Tuesday we will have a special edition dedicated to the elections, with all the results and analyses. This week the number of coronavirus infections increased again. On a high note, the Bucharest Stock Market was classified as “emerging market”. All this and more in this week’s Romanian Dispatch.

Romanian Dispatch #7 (September 19-25, 2020)

PNL and USR-PLUS candidate for Bucharest City Hall, Nicușor Dan, came under heavy fire this week over an old audio recording in which he offers to assist an alleged underworld figure abused by the authorities. The PSD continues sabotaging the government’s drive to keep debt at bay, while thousands of Romanians signed a petition to demand swift action against high-level graft. And Romania became the first country in the Black Sea region to install US Patriot missiles to deter Putin from further westwards adventures. All this and more in this week’s Romanian Dispatch.

Romanian Dispatch #6 (September 12-18, 2020)