Advice & Comments
Charity and volunteering in Romania – everyone can make a difference
In her new weekly series on Romania-Insider.com, Danish columnist Eleonore of Schaumburg-Lippe writes about the involvement in charity work in Romania and how to work it into busy schedules. “Charity work, yes, it is a good thing, but I just don’t have the time to get involved”. This, sadly, is the answer I often hear when [...]
Comment: Romania’s economic ship on a tight course, with dangers all around
Growth of 1.5 percent in GDP in 2012? I’m not sure, but I certainly hope so. Representatives of the recent IMF mission to Romania stuck to the 1.5 percent prediction. And they should know, right? As high priests of the world economy initiated into the mysteries of globalization, their predictions should count. But recent results [...]
Comment: Here, but not here – the case of the smart-phone twitch
I once made the mistake of continuing, bravely, with a sales presentation to the finance department of an international company in Bucharest while my audience was busy checking e-mails, spreadsheets and surfing the internet. I should, of course, have ended the meeting and walked out as soon as I saw them shuffling into the room [...]
Comment: Romania’s local election campaign, full speed ahead, but not all wheels in motion
For the first time in the last 12 years, or since I started to vote, I can actually cast my vote in the local elections in Bucharest. In Romania, this means I’ve finally added the Bucharest residence on my ID card. As I was never able to vote for the local elections in Bucharest and [...]
Comment: The bigger picture on cheating – where to draw the line?
People in Romania are rightly outraged by the allegations surrounding the USL’s choices for Education Minister in their new government. The first nominee made so many mistakes on her CV that no-one believes any of it is true and her successor is floundering in a controversy over academic plagiarism. The scandal is made worse by [...]
Comment: Romania’s problem with taxes
The news that around 30 percent of the Romanian labor force find employment on the black market and do not pay taxes to the state surely comes as no surprise to anyone. Add the knowledge that many of those who are properly registered in employment do not declare their full salaries to the state, we [...]
Comment: The quiet Spanish invasion of Bucharest
Bucharest was inundated by a sea of Spaniards for two days last week as Atletico Madrid and Atletico Bilbao fought the all-Spanish UEFA Europa League final. Most people agree that the Spaniards behaved themselves very well and caused few problems. I sat eating dinner on a terrace next to a table full of them who began singing, [...]
Comment: Goodbye and thanks, Mr Franks
I remember when Mr Franks was first seen on Romanian TV, taking up his role as IMF Chef de Mission. Bounding enthusiastically up the steps of some government building, a journalist asked him how he would solve the Romanian state’s financial problems. Immediately, he replied with a breathless smile, ‘Sell the Metro and make it [...]
Intercultural: Team work with a fusion spin
Guest writer Irina Budrina looks at how multi-cultural teams can apply fusion collaboration principles in order to get things done- and what obstacles they might find in the process. When a French company prepared to merge with a Romanian firm, American and Romanian engineers discussed the difficulties of working with each other. As the Americans [...]
Comment: European voters speak against austerity-only. What does it mean for Romania?
Guest writer Ronnie Smith comments on the recent French and Greek elections results and their potential impact on Romania. On Sunday (May 6, 2012) voters in France and Greece were finally asked their views on the governance of their countries and the austerity-only measures forced on them by the E.U. Commission, the European Central Bank [...]
Reborn in Romania: Extreme Living – Love, Grow, Matter. Dead or alive?
You came here for work, sent by your company or as an entrepreneur; or maybe following your husband or wife; or following nothing more than a hunch without much “long-term substance”? What if Romania was not just a footnote but a real milestone in your life, a springboard of opportunities well grabbed – to a [...]
Comment: Romania, a country turned upside down
Guest writer Ronnie Smith comments on Romania’s widespread corruption and gives his personal view of what’s at the heart of everything in Romania. Let’s start with a few interesting stories, or scandals. First one. On one long country stretch of road in north eastern Romania the local traffic police made an estimated EUR 250,000 in bribes during [...]
(P) Tax Flash: Amendments to the requirements provided for VAT registration
Order No. 518 / 2012, published in Official Gazette No. 264 / 23 April 2012) The Order amends the requirements of VAT registration for Romanian legal entities, except joint stock companies and partnerships limited by shares. According to the new provisions, shareholders of a taxable entity requesting VAT registration, regardless of their shareholding, are required [...]
Comment: Despite Europe’s woes, Romania is crafting a real economic recovery
This is a guest article by Tom Cleveland from ForexTraders.com Financial headlines have been replete with discussions about the travails in Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Spain, but rarely do we hear about the progress being made in bordering states, more specifically, Romania. Dubbed by the IMF as the poorest nation in the European Union, Romania [...]
A Cold War within the Cold War – Romanian exceptionalism
Guest writer Paul Wood comments on the book ‘With Friends Like These’, by Larry Watts, highlighting Romania’s communist past and its impact on both Eastern and Western European countries. The book tells a story, often overlooked by Westerners, of complex relationships between formerly Communist states and of National and ethnic interests contested therein. The recent [...]
(P) Tens of trademarks are “stolen” every day under the protection of law
When Vodafone wanted to launch its trademark in Romania, it had to face a bad surprise: the company’s trademark had been registered by their rival, Telemobil (the owner of Zapp trademark) since 1995. Most likely, the guys from the band La Familia had the same surprise when they found out that somebody from B.U.G. Mafia [...]
Reborn in Romania: Extreme Living – Love, Grow, Matter
You came here for work, sent by your company or as an entrepreneur; or maybe following your husband or wife; or following nothing more than a hunch without much “long-term substance”? What if Romania was not just a footnote but a real milestone in your life, a springboard of opportunities well grabbed – to a [...]
Happy two years to Romania-Insider.com from the journalist-turned-entrepreneur
By the time you’re reading this, I should be on a (very) short Easter break. One of the very few I’ve had in the last two years since we started Romania-Insider.com. Around this time of April, we’re celebrating our anniversary. It’s a quiet celebration, for the time being: we’re happy to have got this far, [...]
(P) Tax Flash: Threshold for VAT exemptions in Romania
Council Decision authorising Romania to increase the threshold for the special VAT exemption regime for small enterprises to EUR 65,000 Based on this Council Decision (“the Decision”), Romania is authorised to increase the threshold for applying the special VAT exemption regime for small businesses at EUR 65,000. The equivalent in national currency will be computed [...]
Romania Insider stories: An outpost of civilisation
Paul Wood, our guest writer this week, travels on the banks of the Danube, taking a stroll through the area’s history, and giving his own view on a few gems from Romania’s treasure trove of undiscovered beauties. For Romanians, Bulgaria used to be no more than a place to pass through on the way to [...]
(P) Banking Market Overview in CEE and Romania
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) banking market overview By Ensight Management Consulting Similar to 2009, in 2010 as well, the total CEE banking assets had a general positive trend and slightly increased in value by ~2%. Romania was the 4th biggest banking market in CEE, with total banking assets below the CEE average. The overall [...]
Romania Insider stories: Of football and beer…logistics
Finally, a new National Football Stadium in Bucharest. Really a ‘wow’ building, I said to myself. I’m German and I’ve worked and lived in Bucharest for two years. I got myself a ticket for the opening event, Romania versus France. “Lucky man”, I thought to myself. I went there with another German friend who has [...]
Cultural differences in advertising: Romania and Brazil
Since effective communication depends largely on the understanding of different cultures in a world economy, the role of culture in advertising is undoubtedly essential. In this story we’re looking at the Romanian and Brazilian advertising markets. A Romanian agency brought some creative Brazilians to the Romanian market. This triggered some comparison between the Romanian and [...]
(P) Tax Flash: Potential 50% limitation of VAT deduction for hire or leasing of motorized road vehicles
Potential 50% limitation of the VAT deduction right related to the hire or leasing of motorized road vehicles Based on this proposal for a Council Decision (“the Proposal”), Romania would be allowed to limit at 50% the right to deduct the VAT on the domestic and intra-Community acquisitions, importation, hire or leasing of qualifying motorised [...]
(P) Tax Flash: Amendments to the Fiscal Procedure Code in Romania
Ordinance no. 2 / 2012 published in the Official Gazette no. 71 / 30 January 2012 The Ordinance brings a series of amendments and completions to Government Ordinance No. 92/2003 regarding the Fiscal Procedure Code, as subsequently amended and completed. One of the most important information in the Ordinance, which, however, does not change the [...]
Romania strikes gold, silver and bronze at European Gymnastics Championship, wins title after four years 
‘Magic mentalist’ wins ‘Romania’s got talent’ competition after flat-lining during live show 
Three trams collide, derail in Bucharest accident, at least 86 injured 
‘The Avengers’ epic movie almost covers production costs with first week-end box office revenues 
Athletic Bilbao files official complaint over Bucharest airport delays after Europa League final 
Wajiha Haris, Scheherazade Foundation president: “No” is never an option 
Romania’s Education Minister accused of having plagiarized three international research papers 
German STEAG buys wind farm from Romanian Monsson, plans EUR 200 mln investments 
Romanian actor Serban Ionescu left bed bound after catching Lyme’s disease from tick bite 
S Immo to put EUR 66 mln into The Mark – Bucharest office building with intelligent facade
