Author: Alexandru Popescu

The authorities issued 7.8% fewer building permits for residential buildings in January 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (NIS). Thus, in January 2026, 1,768 building permits for residential buildings were issued (-7.8% compared to January 2025), with a total usable area of 532,378 sq.m (+13.5%). Of the total building permits for residential buildings 73.7% are for rural areas. The month of January 2026 shows a decrease in the number of building permits issued for residential buildings compared to the previous month (-150 permits). In territorial profile, this decrease...

The Ministry of Finance is implementing a system based on blockchain technology for managing, storing and verifying tax receipts issued by electronic tax cash machines. „The project Development of tax receipt services through blockchain technology (BF-CHAIN) responds to a real need for transparency, security and simplification of the relationship between citizens, business and tax administration. The use of blockchain technology allows the creation of a secure and unchangeable digital register, in which tax receipts are automatically recorded, without the possibility of subsequent modification,” reads a statement from the institution. This ensures the correctness of tax data and significantly reduces the risk of errors, losses or fraud, the source said. The...

KMG International (Rompetrol) announces that it has taken note of the intention of the local authorities of Constanța, whereby three Rompetrol service stations in Constanța would stop their commercial activity in the coming period, following the refusal of the City Hall of Constanța to extend the association contracts under which the stations were built and operated. Added to this is the situation of the Rompetrol Soveja gas station, which is the subject of a dispute before the courts. ”Rompetrol has repeatedly expressed its intention to continue operating the four stations (located in the Far, Dobrogea, Tomis Blvd. and Primăverii St. areas),...

MET International AG, the trading and wholesale division of MET Group, headquartered in Switzerland, and Shell Global LNG Limited have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand their long-term cooperation in the field of LNG (liquefied natural gas) and natural gas trading. The MOU sets the framework under which MET could purchase LNG, mainly from Shell's US LNG portfolio, for delivery to various European regasification points. The collaboration with Shell aims to enhance the security of gas supply in Europe. MET operates a unique energy model in Europe, focused...

Private labels account for 53% of the sales volume in retail stores in Romania, but only 43% is owned by Romanian producers, said Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Florin Barbu on Wednesday. In this context, the MADR official proposed on Tuesday at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council - AgriFish in Brussels to limit the share of retailers„ own brands to a maximum of 20% of the commercialized volume and to establish an identical commercial addition for the same range of products, regardless of whether they are own brands or national brands, according to Agerpres. "In Romania, private labels account for some 53% of the sales volume in retail stores, of which...

Lukoil's withdrawal from the Trident offshore project in the Black Sea is more than a corporate decision, it is an x-ray of the strategic vulnerabilities and delays accumulated in the Romanian energy sector, says the president of the Intelligent Energy Association (AEI), Dumitru Chisăliță, according to Agrepres. According to him, the invocation of force majeure in the context of Western sanctions highlights the difficulty of building energy security on foundations exposed to geopolitical risks and emphasizes the need for a quick decision on the future of the perimeter. „Lukoil's withdrawal from the Trident project is not just a corporate move in an offshore perimeter. It is an x-ray of our energy vulnerabilities and the strategic delays that have accumulated over the last decade. When an investor...

Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan has discussed with US officials in Washington about strengthening Romania's energy security and told them that ”Romania urgently needs more banded energy”. „I am in Washington, D.C., where I have been received and treated as a decision-making partner. In meetings with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, we discussed as equals how to build real energy power: stable capacities, big projects, clear deadlines and execution without excuses. Romania is seen as a strategic player in the region, and I put...

The four years since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine have meant for Romania an economic seism marked by high inflation, budgetary pressures and major energy costs, but also a strategic repositioning, which has turned the country into a logistical and energy hub in Eastern Europe, said economic consultant Adrian Negrescu. „For Romania, the four years since the fateful moment of February 2022 have meant a real protracted economic earthquake, amplified by its dependence on energy sources, similar to what happened in other European countries, perhaps the best example being Germany. Looking back, these years have been...

International investor Hagag Development Europe strengthens its energy operations and local management structure and announces the official appointment of Răzvan Pârvulescu as Development Director of the Natural Gas Division of Hagag Energy. Involved with the Hagag Energy team since the formation of the division, Răzvan Pârvulescu officially takes over the leadership of the Development and Expansion department at a time when the company is rapidly expanding its footprint in the natural gas distribution segment. In this role, Răzvan will continue to coordinate the work of the Development and Expansion department, focusing on expanding the portfolio of concessions, defining and implementing the development strategy of...

We had a period of regulated prices, I think the third or fourth in the last ten years, but we hope it will be the last, because every time we returned to the free market there were some earthquakes and market readjustments, said on Monday the chairman of the Board of Directors of Hidroelectrica, Bogdan Badea. ”Hidroelectrica, as a business strategy over the years, has been based on adapting to the market. I believe that agility when certain market conjunctures or certain legislative changes occur is the company's trump card all along. That's what we've been trying to do over the last five months...