Presidential candidate George Simion addresses supporters via video link after polls closed for the first round of the country’s presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan speaks to media after polls closed in the first round of the country’s presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate George Simion exits a voting cabin before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Mogosoaia Supporters of Presidential candidate George Simion react to the exit poll results during the first round of the country’s presidential election redo in Bucharest winner of the first round of last year’s annulled election stands next to Presidential candidate George Simion as they cast their votes in the first round of the presidential election redo in Mogosoaia holds a religious icon as he walks with Calin Georgescu after casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Mogosoaia A woman holds a baby as she casts her vote inside a voting booth in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest A woman hands a little girl a voting stamp after exiting a voting booth before casting her vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest A man exits a voting cabin before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Mogosoaia Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan gestures as he addresses supporters after polls closed for the first round of the country’s presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan speaks to media after polls closed in the first round of the country’s presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Crin Antonescu attends a meeting with supporters after polls closed for the first round of the country’s presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan exits a voting booth before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest A man exits a voting booth before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan reacts after casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest A woman carries a baby as she walks ahead of a media scrum around Calin Georgescu and Presidential candidate George Simion during in the first round of the presidential election redo in Mogosoaia An election official holds a voting stamp while waiting for people to vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Mogosoaia A woman holds a baby as she casts her vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest the 38-year-old leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians far outpaced all other candidates in the polls with 40.96% of the vote after all votes were counted from Sunday’s election In second place was reformist Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan with 20.99% The runoff will be held on May 18 between the two staunchly anti-establishment candidates but ideological opposites who have made their political careers railing against Romania’s old political class a 55-year-old mathematician and former anti-corruption activist who founded the Save Romania Union party (USR) in 2016 told the media early Monday that “a difficult second round lies ahead “This was a democratic process that Romania needed … this won’t be a debate between individuals it will be a debate between a pro-Western direction for Romania and an anti-Western one,” he said “I call on all Romanians to be part of this battle In third place was the governing coalition’s joint candidate who came second in last year’s first round ballot Final turnout stood at 9.57 million people — or 53.2% of eligible voters according to data from the electoral authorities The election redo took place months after an annulled vote plunged the country into its worst political crisis in decades who came fourth in last year’s race and later backed Georgescu said in a prerecorded speech aired after polls closed Sunday that “I am here to restore constitutional order and I have a single objective: to give back to the Romanian people what was taken from them and to place at the center of decision-making the ordinary Lasconi announced her resignation on Monday as leader of the USR party “I fought with all my strength against a rotten corrupt system that has kept us captive for 35 years.” “Our efforts must be directed toward supporting a pro-European path and accelerating the transformation of a system that has proven dysfunctional and not in the citizens’ interest,” she said The presidential role carries a five-year term and significant decision-making powers in national security and foreign policy said that Sunday’s outcome will likely trigger a “crisis” within the mainstream parties and the runoff will pit pro-Western ideas against “more conservative “We’ll have two anti-establishment candidates one that is anti-establishment with a more conservative view of how Romania should advance and a pro-Western anti-establishment,” he told The Associated Press “This is the most important thing to say: that it will be like a total anti-establishment movement on both sides of the road.” distanced himself and didn’t endorse either candidate in the runoff I urge them to decide for themselves which of the remaining candidates best aligns with the ideas I put forward,” he said “I encourage everyone who voted for me today to show up and vote.” Distrust in the authorities remains widespread especially for those who voted for Georgescu a sizable electorate that Simion has sought to tap into “The antiestablishment sentiment is not like an anarchic movement but is against the people who destroyed this country,” Simion told the AP days before the rerun We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at editor@morning-times.com or call us at 570-888-9643 BUCHAREST — George Simion, the hard-right leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, is projected to win the first round of Romania’s presidential election with just under 41 percent of the vote, according to partial results from the country’s election authority Simion badges himself as a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement wants to stop military aid to Ukraine and will leave the EU quaking as another key country threatens to turn its back on mainstream European policies “I promise I will always heed the will of the people not the other way around,” Simion said in a statement early Monday He will face centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan who edged out establishment figurehead Crin Antonescu to make it into a runoff on May 18 Dan won 20.99 percent of the ballots of Romanians voting at home But Dan won 25.45 percent of the votes of Romanians voting abroad Antonescu only received 6.74 percent of the votes abroad Dan cast the runoff as a battle between a pro-Western direction for Romania in his first reaction since securing a spot in the second round of the presidential election “It’s our task to convince Romanians that Romania needs the pro-Western direction and our campaign will be focused on that in the next two weeks,” he said early Monday The election results are being closely watched in Brussels and Washington as Romania has become the latest battleground between the far right and the political establishment The results are also a defeat for Romania’s governing coalition — which is made up of the Social-Democrat Party (PSD) the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Hungarian minority party UDMR — which supported Antonescu He acknowledged defeat early Monday morning saying it was up to the governing coalition to decide which candidate to support in the second round and called on his voters to come out for the runoff “They have to judge for themselves — I think it’s not too hard — who of the two candidates left in the race are compatible with the principles and values I ran for,” Antonescu said The governing coalition parties are set to hold a meeting Monday afternoon Sunday’s vote was part of the election do-over that Romania’s top court ordered in December after canceling the November ballot over allegations of illegal campaigning and potential Russian interference in favor of Călin Georgescu an ultranationalist firebrand who came out of nowhere to win the first round That was the first time a candidate backed by a mainstream political party did not make it into the second round Georgescu was set to face reformist Elena Lasconi in the second round whose center-right Union Save Romania party leadership abandoned her to support Dan only received some 2.68 percent of the vote Simion hoped to harness the election support Georgescu built last year by saying he’ll have a job for him even possibly as prime minister.   “We are approaching an exceptional result far beyond what the system’s TV channels present sprayed venom and distorted everything I said,” Simion said in a message projected at his party’s headquarters after the exit polls were released The pre-recorded video appeared to closely copy Georgescu’s style in making statements relationship and said he didn’t want to be a disrupter in the EU “Wanting to reform the EU does not mean wanting to leave it,” he said in the written statement. “We believe in a European Union that thrives as a nest for its diverse and sovereign nations—not as a rigid system enforcing one-size-fits-all policies.” Voter turnout was virtually the same as last year according to Romania’s election authority The Western establishment would be certain to cross its fingers for Dan in the second round against Simion given Romania’s position as a key NATO ally of Ukraine Dan is an independent candidate who has been the mayor of Bucharest he moved into activism and politics in the late 1990s upon his return from Paris where he had completed his doctoral studies aimed to counter the “real estate mafia” in an effort to preserve green spaces and heritage sites in Bucharest a political party that later became the Save Romania Union (USR) shifting its focus from the local to the national arena said the National Cybersecurity Directorate Romania’s foreign ministry said the decision was political Romania’s political loyalties are complex Don’t expect ganging up against Simion in the second round the candidate tipped to win the first round of the presidential election The new Popeyes restaurant in Bucharest opens this week the official inauguration taking place Wednesday in the food court area of the Mega Mall shopping center It is the first Popeyes restaurant to open in Bucharest in recent times after the brand focused last year on expanding its restaurant network outside the capital The Popeyes expansion is part of a more ambitious plan by the company to expand both in Bucharest and in several cities in Romania Popeyes has 13 restaurants in Romania, six of which are in Bucharest Popeyes is one of the most famous fast-food brands in the world so that currently the brand has 4,800 restaurants worldwide the first opening of a Popeyes restaurant took place this month in Iasi present in every major city in Romania with the famous Louisiana Chicken The Popeyes expansion in the capital is part of a more ambitious plan by the company to expand in Bucharest but also in several areas and cities in Romania “The opening of the seventh Popeyes restaurant in Bucharest is part of a broad development plan for 2025 in Romania so we are now focusing all our efforts on our new restaurant in Bucharest We are convinced that the residents of the Mega Mall area will appreciate the unique flavors of Louisiana chicken as has already happened with the other openings in Bucharest Constanta and Iasi,” said Jakub Aleksandrowicz Marketing Director for Popeyes Central and Eastern Europe The first 100 people in line will receive free sandwiches residents of the Mega Mall area will discover the juicy and crispy chicken from Popeyes so that at the opening everyone who will cross the restaurant’s threshold will be able to enjoy classic dishes Chicken products can be ordered in both spicy and non-spicy versions on the opening day participants will also have a series of contests and surprises such as a live band that will bring the vibe of New Orleans all to get into the brand’s atmosphere as well as the wheel of fortune the first 100 people in line will receive free sandwiches the first in line will receive a voucher for a free sandwich for one year the second for three months and the third for one month Popeyes chicken is marinated for 12 hours Popeyes products are distinguished by the unique way of preparing the chicken, marinated for 12 hours and passed through a Cajun spice blend, which defines the style of chicken prepared in Louisiana. Each piece of chicken is hand-tendered and fried at the perfect temperature to give it that typical texture of Popeyes chicken: crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Popeyes, over 50 years of history and culinary tradition Founded in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA in 1972, Popeyes® has over 50 years of history and culinary tradition. Popeyes® is distinguished by a Louisiana-style Cajun menu that includes spicy chicken, chicken sandwiches, chicken dishes and other regional products. A passion for its Louisiana heritage and flavorful Cajun-style dishes has allowed the Popeyes® brand to become one of the largest chicken restaurants in the world, with over 4,800 restaurants in the U.S. and around the world. We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure, personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used. 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All rights reserved The 10th Conference of the National Tour Dedicated to the Circular Economy – CIRCULARIO Bucharest 2025 – served as a catalyst for uniting the public and private sectors under a common goal: a clear and committed direction for making the circular economy in Romania truly operational As part of the collective contribution and effort needed to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, here are the main topics addressed and discussed: Starting from Data and Valuable Insights from Experts– Representatives of the European Commission From Data to Direction: Concrete Actions and Initiatives Institutional and Strategic: Social and Educational: About CIRCULARIO CIRCULARIO is an initiative of PIVOT-Caiming to support the country’s journey towards circularity Is conceived as a response to the urgent need for a sustainable transformation within Romania Recognizing the potential of the circular economy to address environmental challenges startups and academia to transform Romania with circular solutions we support turning national goals into action piloting scaling and embedding sustainability nationwide Join the Loop, and connect withCIRCULARIO, and PIVOT-C on LinkedIn for insights and collaborations in sustainable development. The election took place months after an annulled vote plunged the European Union and NATO member country into its worst political crisis in decades. Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, was far outpacing all other candidates in the polls with 40.5% of the tally, official electoral data showed, after 99% of ballots were counted from Sunday’s vote. Far behind in second place was Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan with 20.67%, and in third place was the governing coalition’s joint candidate, Crin Antonescu, with 20.62%. He conceded defeat after midnight, saying he believes it’s an “irreversible result.” Eleven candidates vied for the presidency, and a runoff will be held May 18 between the top two candidates. By the time polls closed, about 9.57 million people — 53.2% of eligible voters — had cast their ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau, with 973,000 votes cast at polling stations set up in other countries. The rerun was held after Romania’s political landscape was shaken last year when a top court voided the previous election in which far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round, following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference, which Moscow has denied. In a prerecorded speech aired after polls closed, Simion said that despite many obstacles, Romanians “have risen up” and “we are approaching an exceptional result.” “I am here to restore constitutional order,” said Simion, who came in fourth in last year’s race and later backed Georgescu. “I want democracy, I want normalcy, and I have a single objective: to give back to the Romanian people what was taken from them and to place at the center of decision-making the ordinary, honest, dignified people.” As in many EU countries, anti-establishment sentiment is running high in Romania, fueled by high inflation and cost of living, a large budget deficit and a sluggish economy. Observers say the malaise has bolstered support for nationalist and far-right figures such as Georgescu, who is under investigation and was barred from the election rerun. Georgescu, who appeared Sunday alongside Simion at a polling station in the capital, Bucharest, called the vote redo “a fraud orchestrated by those who have made deceit the only state policy,” but said he was there to “acknowledge the power of democracy, the power of the vote that frightens the system, that terrifies the system.” The presidential role carries a five-year term and significant decision-making powers in national security and foreign policy. Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician and former anti-corruption activist who founded the Save Romania Union party, or USR, in 2016, ran on a pro-EU “Honest Romania” ticket. “It is about the trust of Romanians and our partners in democracy ... and in my opinion, it is a new beginning that we all have a responsibility to do correctly,” Dan said after the polls closed. Antonescu, 65, a veteran centrist who campaigned on retaining Romania’s pro-Western orientation, said Sunday that he voted for “a united Romania, for a strong Romania, for a dignified Romania.” “Democracy means a battle, sometimes taken to the maximum, but it is a battle of ideas,” he said after voting had closed. “Let’s not forget that we are fellow citizens, sons of the same country, and we must move forward together.” Victor Ponta, who was prime minister from 2012 to 2015, also pushed a “Romania First” campaign and boasted of having close ties to President Trump’s administration, stands in fourth place with 14.3% of the vote. Elena Lasconi, who came second in last year’s first-round ballot and participated in the rerun, garnered about 2.6% of the vote. She positioned herself as a staunchly pro-Western, anti-system candidate, railing against what she described as a corrupt political class. Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, said that Simion’s clear victory indicates a complete “reshape” of the political spectrum, and that if Dan reaches the runoff, “it will be a clear signal that the political class and the political establishment have lost.” “You have a populist or pro-sovereign movement ... and you also have this liberal, urban, pro-Western segment of Romania that wants change,” he said, adding that it would be a “huge rejection of the classic political parties ... and this will mean that the entire political spectrum will be reshaped.” Distrust in the authorities remains widespread, especially for those who voted for Georgescu, a sizable electorate that Simion has sought to tap into. “The anti-establishment sentiment is not like an anarchic movement, but is against the people who destroyed this country,” Simion told the Associated Press days before Sunday’s vote. “We are not a democratic state anymore.” Simion said that AUR is “perfectly aligned with the MAGA movement,” capitalizing on a growing wave of populism in Europe after Trump’s political comeback in the U.S. AUR, which has doubled its support since it rose to prominence in a 2020 parliamentary election, proclaims to stand for “family, nation, faith, and freedom.” Rares Ghiorghies, 36, who works in the energy sector and voted for Simion, says he hopes that if he secures the presidency, Romania can “return to the basic principles of democracy, regain our confidence.” “What happened in December 2024 is definitely a dark chapter in the history of this country, and we can no longer accept it,” he said of the canceled election. “I’m hoping things will get back to normal.” The election redo is a crossroads moment for Romania as it seeks to shore up its geopolitical alliances, which have become strained amid the election crisis. The decision to annul the election and the ban on Georgescu’s candidacy drew criticism from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk and Russia, which supported his candidacy in the rerun. California World & Nation Hollywood Inc. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot Get the most important global markets news at your fingertips with a Bloomberg.com subscription You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan talks to the media after casting his ballot during the first round of the presidential election rerun at a polling station in Bucharest Romanians headed to the polls on Sunday for the first round of the presidential election rerun contested by 11 candidates According to the Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania over 18 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots at around 19,000 polling stations May 4 (Xinhua) -- Exit polls showed that George Simion chairman of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians took the lead in the first round of the Romanian presidential election rerun on Sunday According to the exit polls conducted by the Center for Urban and Regional Sociology (CURS) followed by Crin Antonescu of the electoral alliance Romania Forward with 22.9 percent and Mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan In another exit poll carried out by the AVANGARDE Socio-Behavioral Studies Group Simion secured 30 percent of the vote while Antonescu and Dan both had 23 percent over 18 million voters registered for this election Romania's president serves a five-year term with a maximum of two consecutive terms allowed if no candidate secures an outright majority in the first round a runoff will be held between the top two contenders in two weeks Romania's presidential election held last November was annulled following allegations of irregular campaigning practices and foreign interference Mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan votes during the first round of the presidential election rerun at a polling station in Bucharest A woman votes during the first round of the presidential election rerun at a polling station in Bucharest Presidential candidate Crin Antonescu votes during the first round of the presidential election rerun at a polling station in Bucharest Voters cast their ballots during the first round of the presidential election rerun at a polling station in Bucharest A man votes during the first round of the presidential election rerun at a polling station in Bucharest Voting announcements are seen at the entrance of a polling station during the first round of the presidential election rerun in Bucharest Romania (AP) — Hard-right nationalist George Simion secured a decisive win Sunday in the first round of Romania’s presidential election redo The election took place months after an annulled vote plunged the European Union and NATO member country into its worst political crisis in decades was far outpacing all other candidates in the polls with 40.5% of the vote after 99% of votes were counted from Sunday’s vote Far behind in second place was Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan with 20.89% and in third place the governing coalition’s joint candidate saying he believes it’s an “irreversible result.” Eleven candidates vied for the presidency and a runoff will be held on May 18 between the top two candidates about 9.57 million people — or 53.2% of eligible voters — had cast their ballots with 973,000 votes cast at polling stations set up in other countries Election redo held after vote annulled The rerun was held after Romania’s political landscape was shaken last year when a top court voided the previous election in which the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round, following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference In a prerecorded speech aired after polls closed Romanians “have risen up” and “we are approaching an exceptional result.” “I am here to restore constitutional order,” said Simion who appeared alongside Simion at a polling station on Sunday in the capital called the vote rerun “a fraud orchestrated by those who have made deceit the only state policy,” but said he was there to “acknowledge the power of democracy the power of the vote that frightens the system Widespread distrust in the authorities “It is about the trust of Romanians and our partners in democracy … and in my opinion it is a new beginning that we all have a responsibility to do correctly,” Dan said after the polls closed a veteran centrist who campaigned on retaining Romania’s pro-Western orientation said Sunday that he voted for “a united Romania but it is a battle of ideas,” he said after voting had closed “Let’s not forget that we are fellow citizens also pushed a MAGA-style “Romania First” campaign and boasted of having close ties to the Trump administration stands in fourth place with 14.3% of the vote who came second in last year’s first round ballot and participated in the rerun She positioned herself as a staunchly pro-Western railing against what she described as a corrupt political class said Simion’s clear victory indicates a complete “reshape” of the political spectrum “it will be a clear signal that the political class and the political establishment have lost.” “You have a populist or pro-sovereign movement … and you also have this liberal pro-Western segment of Romania that wants change,” he said adding that it would be a “huge rejection of the classic political parties … and this will mean that the entire political spectrum will be reshaped.” Crossroads moment for Romania but is against the people who destroyed this country,” Simion told The Associated Press days before the rerun who works in the energy sector and voted for Simion says he hopes that if he secures the presidency Romania can “return to the basic principles of democracy “What happened in December 2024 is definitely a dark chapter in the history of this country “I’m hoping things will get back to normal.” The election redo is a crossroads moment for Romania as it seeks to restore its democracy and retain its geopolitical alliances which have become strained since the canceled election fiasco The decision to annul the election and the ban on Georgescu’s candidacy drew criticism from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk and Russia which publicly supported his candidacy in the rerun rewritten or redistributed without permission Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public file should contact Richard Reingold at rreingold@whec.com or 585-546-1701 Compiled by Luiza Ilie and Elizaveta Gladun Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Kevin Liffey Bucharest-based general news reporter covering a wide range of Romanian topics from elections and economics to climate change and festivals. This 152-year-old Belle Époque beauty is back and better than ever Corinthia Grand Hotel du Boulevard Bucharest A LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF GOD AND MANKIND. A woman exits a voting booth before casting her vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest the winner of the first round of presidential elections which were annulled presidential candidate for the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) during a protest calling for the resignation of the country's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu presidential candidate for the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) stands during a protest calling for the resignation of the country's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan looks up during a press conference in Bucharest FILE - Presidential candidate Crin Antonescu sits during a live electoral debate in Bucharest An election official holds a voting stamp during the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest A woman casts her vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest People register before voting in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest winner of the first round of last year's annulled election during the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest exits a voting booth before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest after they casted their votes in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate George Simion exits a voting booth before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest during first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest A man receives a voting stamp before casting his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest Supporters hold religious icons outside the voting station where Calin Georgescu and Presidential candidate George Simion voted in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan smiles after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan gestures as he addresses supporters after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate George Simion is shown on a screen at the meeting of his supporters after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Crin Antonescu speaks to media during a meeting with supporters after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest attends a meeting with supporters after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest Presidential candidate Nicusor Dan smiles after polls closed in the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest A man wears a t-shirt showing Calin Georgescu winner of the first round of last year's voided election outside the headquarters of presidential candidate George Simion after polls closed during the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest activist Brian Brown stands as supporters of presidential candidate George Simion celebrate the exit poll results at the headquarters of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest A woman holds up a mobile phone backdropped by depictions of Romanian historical figures outside the headquarters of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) shortly before polls close in the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest activist Brian Brown walks on stage as supporters of Presidential candidate George Simion celebrate the exit poll results outside the headquarters of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest Supporters of presidential candidate George Simion react to the exit poll results backdropped by depictions of Romanian historical figures outside the headquarters of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest Nearly complete electoral data shows that hard-right nationalist George Simion has secured a decisive win in the first round of Romania’s presidential election redo The vote comes months after last year’s annulled election plunged the European Union and NATO member country into its worst political crisis in decades the leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians is far outpacing all other candidates in the polls with 40.5% of the vote official electoral data shows after 99% of votes were counted Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan is second with 20.89% and third is the governing coalition’s candidate after 99% of votes were counted from Sunday's vote Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Get the latest need-to-know 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plus need-to-know updates From Friday nights under the lights to Saturdays on the diamond Prep Rally is your year-round source for Northeast Mississippi high school sports coverage and stories sure to get your weekend off to the perfect start Sign up to get the Daily Journal e-edition delivered to your inbox each morning Sign up to view our weekly e-editions each Wednesday with just a click Sign up to view our weekly e-editions each Wednesday with just a click.  Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account A woman exits after casting her vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest saying he believes it's an “irreversible result.” Romanians “have risen up” and “we are approaching an exceptional result.” “It is about the trust of Romanians and our partners in democracy .. said Simion's clear victory indicates a complete “reshape” of the political spectrum “it will be a clear signal that the political class and the political establishment have lost.” “You have a populist or pro-sovereign movement .. adding that it would be a “huge rejection of the classic political parties .. and this will mean that the entire political spectrum will be reshaped." Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she would hold a referendum on provincial sepa… British Columbia MLA Mable Elmore gave a speech in the legislature on her first da… The Canadian Press is a member of the International Fact-Checking Network This is the eleventh part in a series about riding night trains across Europe and the Near East to Armenia — to spend some time in worlds beyond the pathological obsessions of President Donald Trump (This week the president has been redeveloping Gaza into another Trump resort so that Palestinian children bombed out of their homes can learn to appreciate golf and casinos.”) The Eastern Express train that connects Ankara Erzurum and Kars figured in most wars between the Ottoman and Russian empires and both fortress cities were part of the end games of the 1854 Crimean War I had a good view of the Danube and the Black Sea coast Even from the air they looked like ramparts between fortress Europe and the ever-expanding Ottoman Empire (If you have any doubts about Turkey’s emergence as a regional superpower visit the new Istanbul Airport in Arnavutköy.) I was reminded of the coda of my 1975 trip with my father to Romania which ended not in Bucharest but in the port city of Constanța We went there on an early train that must have left from Gara du Nord around 6:30 a.m What I remember most vividly from the train is that when we ate breakfast in the dining car all the tables were set with an open bottle of Romanian brandy The other passengers in the diner were smoking giving the rail car the stale air of a spy novel “is an infinite capacity for suspicion.”) My father had read somewhere that Constanța was a Black Sea resort of some charm Constanța was held out as the plum that would come at the end of these brave old worlds what we found there was an endless row of seaside high-rise council flats built so that the revolution could enjoy two weeks off every summer and the restaurant in our hotel seemed only to serve the same pork chops I walked around with my camera to take some pictures of the “resort,” and remember getting shooed back to our hotel by the police who saw no reason why anyone needed souvenirs of the workers paradise I know Romania is now in both the European Union and NATO but in my mind it remains a Stalinist redoubt It’s about an hour outside the capital city the plane flew over a bleak section of the Anatolian plain that was laced with endless fissures as if earthquakes were a weekly occurrence (one reason why the Greeks No one in the customs department cared at all about my bicycle in a shrink-wrapped package I spread my tools on an empty bench and reassembled the bike I changed money at a bank kiosk and asked about transportation into the city A man at the bank said I could take a taxi while a shuttle bus went to the same places and cost $3 I went with the bus.To transport my bicycle all I needed to do was remove the bags from the frame and fold the bicycle in half The bus (not the newest in the fleet) was mostly empty although I chatted with two women from Norway who were in Turkey for their holidays and asked me if I knew how they could get down to the Mediterranean coast I told them that buses in Turkey went everywhere and that most were modern and comfortable and recounted how I had taken my son Charles—then 15—to Syria (before the civil war) on a night train that went from Istanbul to Adana where we caught taxis and buses to Aleppo and finally Damascus Crossing the border into Syria to Aleppo (laid to waste in the civil war) the taxi driver asked if he could stuff cartons of cigarettes into our luggage It allowed me to whisper to Charles a quote from the movie Airplane!: “I picked the wrong week to quit smoking…” so I did not really care where the airport bus dropped me but as we drove into the city—it took a full hour and then some—I kept noting that Ankara is nothing but steep hills and that the traffic had the frenetic look of a split atom in almost any city where I have taken the Brompton but as the bus ground to a halt in the crazed traffic I began to wonder whether Ankara might be an exception The bus driver left me off close to Ankara Tren Gari but first I wanted to buy my train ticket on the Dogu Express which goes from Ankara to the eastern city of Kars not far from the Georgian and Armenian borders Getting from the bus stop into the station involved crossing a boulevard that had about six lanes of rushing traffic I waited and waited for a break in the waterfall of steel until finally I gave up and rode along the sidewalk until I came across a traffic light and crosswalk The main railway station wasn’t crowded and I had no trouble finding the window where I could buy a berth on the Dogu to Erzurum the city in eastern Turkey to which I was headed the following evening which on Turkish trains isn’t the luxury that it is in western Europe or the United States I calculated that I would need to spend about $80 or so and that I would have a single bed and wash basin plus a large window through which I could take in the landscape that separates Europe from Asia Minor I dreamed of reading my books and looking at my many maps while the train crept east I also knew that there would be a dining car and I recalled that when Charles and I took the Çukurova Express from Istanbul to Adana the chef in the dining car had told us to ignore the menu and just order from him whatever meals we might fancy He would then serve us with a flourish at our table (where we had a non-stop backgammon game in progress Before I could realize any of these idle dreams has an online booking system that works well for purchasing rail tickets in advance but on this occasion I could not make it work Nor could I reserve my berth on the Dogu and simply collect the ticket at the station the train seemed to have sold out its compartments and the best I could do was to reserve a chair in one of the second-class coaches The journey from Ankara to Erzurum is almost 24 hours and I didn’t warm to the idea of “sitting up” (to use a family expression for overnight coach travel) for my schedule to work out in Georgia and Armenia I had no choice but to be on the train the following day—come hell or high water I had only paid about $6 for my reserved second-class coach but what I wanted now was a berth in my own compartment Just so that everything was clear to the ticket agent I had translated the request into Turkish and printed out my firman which when my turn came at the window I slid through the bars on the window as if submitting non-negotiable demands (although every in Turkey is a negotiation) who in turn consulted the computer and made a few phone calls In the end I was told that the train was almost full and that the best I could do was to book a single berth in a compartment with four beds my dream of a night train to Erzurum on the Dogu Express was boiling down to something that would feel like a crowded couchette on the night train (in 1975) from Amsterdam to Vienna and biked off toward the Hotel İçkale with that sense of travel defeat that comes to me all too often (especially when I am dreaming of the crack night trains of my childhood) which for $40 (the Turkish lira was in the tank) gave me a large room with a balcony and the kindly porter brought up a cold beer from the bar The doorman took responsibility for my bicycle promising to lock it to the inside luggage rack and I did what I do at some of my travel stops which is to empty out my bags and send off all of my clothes to be washed my many maps carefully stacked on my bedside table and my books aligned along the desktop (luckier than I Napoleon traveled with a desk that folded out of a cart) I set off on a bike ride to take the measure of Ankara converted into a seat of empire (that which is playing endless double games with the Russians over Ukraine highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the United States’ role in addressing them alongside its allies and partners A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them UkraineAlert is a comprehensive online publication that provides regular news and analysis on developments in Ukraine’s politics UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders and activists from Ukraine and the global community MENASource offers the latest news from across the Middle East and independent analysis from fellows and staff Econographics provides an in-depth look at trends in the global economy utilizing state-of-the-art data visualization tools BUCHAREST—It’s never a good thing when presidential elections are annulled But that’s just what happened in NATO and European Union (EU) member Romania earlier this month.  US intelligence officials privately confirmed to me that the allegations are credible evidence of Russian interference in European and US elections is abundant No country before Romania has cancelled a presidential election because of it Romania’s parliamentary elections were held without incident on December 1 The parliamentary elections produced a strong result for the three centrist governing parties—the center-right liberals and the Hungarian minority party—plus a fourth liberal party These four parties are now in negotiations to form a new coalition government Political players I visited with in Bucharest told me that the coalition is likely to be announced before Christmas The new government will then have to rerun the cancelled presidential election Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis will probably remain in office until then The twin shocks—Georgescu’s rise and the annulment of the presidential election—have shaken the hitherto complacent centrists in Romania While the accusations of Russian interference (and attempted sabotage) are plausible given that the Kremlin engages in such activities throughout the West Georgescu’s popularity is not simply a foreign import That a man regarded as a fringe character even by fellow nationalists could rise within a few weeks from near obscurity to a leading contender for the presidency speaks to broad social dissatisfaction with the Romanian centrist parties which have been trading control of the government back and forth for years.  My Romanian interlocutors expressed embarrassment and they agreed that it set a terrible precedent for the country and the region They also acknowledged that the centrist parties had lost touch with Romanian society and its cultural and economic dissatisfactions that sounded similar to those of unhappy right-wing voters in Germany (particularly in the former East Germany) that the establishment has been focused on itself not on the problems faced by ordinary citizens and that traditional national values and even national sovereignty were being lost.  More thoughtful liberals told me that Georgescu’s rise was a protest vote against centrist complacency not a vote for the candidate’s weird brand of nationalism and Romanian fascist nostalgia was for the incoming coalition to bring forward new faces for the posts of prime minister and president But a shrewd leader of one of the nationalist parties was skeptical that the centrist parties will put aside their own leaders in favor of a fresh team predicting that they would go for the status quo leaders yet again and concerns about the direction of US foreign policy under the incoming Trump administration most of the Romanians I spoke with were jittery they were focused on a way ahead to limit the damage of the annulled presidential election to Romania’s democracy That way ahead is to rerun the presidential election in a fast credible manner and quickly address the political discontent that had propelled Georgescu Some Romanian politicians I spoke with even seemed ready to consider bringing in fresh faces to head the next government Whether Georgescu will be allowed to compete given various irregularities in his campaign including his alleged claim to have spent no money at all on his campaign the credibility of the rerun presidential election will be questioned within and without the country a nationalist president and centrist government could rapidly find themselves at loggerheads The resultant political paralysis could hamper governance and everyone I spoke with in Bucharest regarded it as a major national achievement.  But success as seen from afar and in context does not seem enough to assuage Romanian voters The political dissatisfaction common throughout Europe and the United States has hit Romania hard as I reminded those with whom I spoke in Bucharest is that Romania is part of the same political family as the rest of Europe and the United States The bad news is that they share the same challenges and are struggling with them and anti-foreign investment) views useful is questionable: ideological compatibility may not translate into policy compatibility.  What happens next depends on the Romanians: Will the next government have new faces When and how will the presidential election be rerun And can the centrist Romanian parties learn from what is a near-miss political train wreck Daniel Fried is the Weiser Family distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and former US assistant secretary of state for Europe Image: A person walks near a Christmas market on Constitution Square by the Palace of Parliament after the Romanian top court annulled the result of the first round of the presidential election Sign up to receive expert analysis from our community on the most important global issues © 2025 Atlantic CouncilAll rights reserved If refreshing the page doesn't resolve the issue you could try clearing the sites browser cache The leaders of Romania’s liberal USR party announced Wednesday that they want to support Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan in the country’s upcoming presidential election instead of the party’s own candidate Top party officials said they want to avoid the “toxic scenario” of two anti-European candidates qualifying for the presidential runoff potentially leading Bucharest to pivot away from its pro-EU and pro-NATO path Romanians go to the polls May 4 in a do-over presidential election An initial vote last November was canceled over concerns Russia had targeted Romania with an “aggressive hybrid action” and helped ultranationalist Călin Georgescu to a shock victory in the first round With Georgescu having been hit with a contentious ban on standing for election far-right candidate George Simion is now flying high in the polls for the re-do ballot — and Romania’s mainstream parties are scrambling to stop him.  The Eastern European country of 19 million people borders Ukraine and is one of NATO’s key eastern flank members A victory by a far-right candidate in the presidential election threatens to bring Bucharest more in line with U.S President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement while harming EU plans to continue aiding Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion who founded the USR party but is now running as an independent In November Lasconi received 19 percent of the vote qualifying for the original second round before authorities called a halt but recent polls in the runup to the new election have her at below 10 percent The party’s polls showed “there’s no path” for Lasconi to make it into the second round this time to represent pro-European forces The party leadership said in a statement that there’s “a real risk that the second round of the presidential elections will be seized by two extremists who want to take Romania out of the European Union,” and warned of “historic stakes.” leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has been polling well ahead of other candidates at around 30 percent The USR decision comes amid fears that Victor Ponta could qualify for the second round along with Simion Today we took the decision to support Nicușor Dan because he is the pro-European candidate with the best chances to stop this toxic scenario,” Fritz said Ponta said earlier his week he would halt Ukrainian grain exports through Romanian ports — a key export route for the war-ravaged country — to protect local farmers.  The party said a large majority in its national bureau had decided to back Dan adding that Lasconi herself doesn’t support the move “We cannot put personal or party pride first We are facing a historic challenge and we must respond to this challenge responsibly Elena Lasconi … did not respond positively to this reality,” Fritz said In a press conference after the party’s announcement I will continue the fight,” she said from the party’s headquarters Lasconi added that it’s not the USR leadership but the whole membership that decides on the party’s candidate She called those who had withdrawn their support for her “traitors” and “losers.” The USR will put the decision to back Dan over Lasconi to a vote in the party’s political committee “as soon as possible,” according to a USR press statement Mayor of Bucharest has a daunting deficit to bridge with hard-right opponent The far-right chief qualifies for the presidential runoff in which he will face centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan Brussels is chockablock with people trying to influence new rules on everything from Big Tech to pesticide use Here’s where they’ve put most of their efforts The world’s most powerful stories of survival and courage are on display in the heart of Romania’s capital as the World Press Photo 2025 exhibition opens in University Square both locals and visitors are invited to explore the images that have given voice to the most vulnerable communities around the globe presented outdoors with free public access offers a striking and often unsettling look into the human side of global crises Curated from over 59,000 images submitted by nearly 3,800 photographers across 141 countries this year’s edition features 42 award-winning projects that span a wide range of pressing topics: forced migration Each photograph on display captures a powerful truth revealing the emotional and social depth behind headline events The prestigious Photo of the Year award went to Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times Her image captures nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour It is a heart-rending portrait of innocence caught in the crossfire—an image that crystallizes the enduring human cost of conflict Communication & Customer Experience at Raiffeisen Bank Romania also highlighted the importance of supporting journalism in the current context: “In a time where artistic expression thrives both online and offline journalism must firmly uphold its role as the fourth estate It’s our collective responsibility to protect freedom of expression and ensure that editorial teams receive the support they need positioned at the intersection of journalism and art captures the emotional core of global events—and World Press Photo honors the most impactful visual narratives of our time We are proud to continue supporting this essential project.” The exhibition lands in Bucharest at a pivotal moment—just ahead of elections and during a period marked by challenges to press freedom and the right to information. Beyond its visual impact, World Press Photo 2025 invites viewers to reflect on who we are, what stories we choose to see, and how we choose to engage with the world around us. The exhibition is open to the public daily in University Square We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used U gebruikt helaas een verouderde internetbrowser. Voor een optimale ervaring met deze website is het aan te raden om over te stappen naar een modernere verie of installeer Google Chrome Frame Read/download the Manifesto (PDF) Recognising that the concept of “Quality” requires better definition and adaptation to underpin all heritage actions from policymaking to on-the-ground interventions Noting with concern the persistence of outdated business-as-usual approaches to cultural heritage across Europe which fail to meet today’s imperative Quality requirements and standards despite often being supported by national or EU public funding Acknowledging the urgent need for Quality-driven cultural heritage practices that incorporate recognition of layered and diverse values and the effective integration of technical advancements Hearing the call of Romanian cultural heritage professionals for a Quality-based cultural heritage practice, as articulated in the Manifesto for Heritage Protection in Romania following the Round Table Discussion “Expectations of Romanian Cultural Heritage Civil Society from Public Authorities and Government” held in anticipation of the European Cultural Heritage Summit Commending the work that Europa Nostra has delivered since 2002 in respect of Quality principles through the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards celebrating excellence in heritage conservation and community engagement Saluting the achievements of the EU-funded projects European Heritage Hub and European Cultural Heritage Agora supporting the cultural and heritage ecosystems to thrive Recognising additional relevant EU frameworks and instruments addressing urgent needs protection of the natural environment and ecosystems (Nature Restoration Law) recently elected Members of the European Parliament and designated members of the new European Commission for the 2024-2029 term many of them recently elected or re-elected and upon all cultural and heritage actors at all operational levels to: This Manifesto serves as a collective call to action as the cornerstone of cultural heritage policy and practice we can ensure that cultural heritage remains authentic and resilient preserving its value for society throughout Europe Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries The Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest opened in 1888 as a concert hall Bucharest is a walkable bohemian city known for its historical sites fun festivals,  frenzy of weekly restaurant openings and an ever-growing number of gourmet shops The challenge for any visitor is where to begin get ready for this Romanian capital to surprise you with these 12 best things to do.  Calea Victoriei is the capital’s main thoroughfare connecting the most important sights and monuments between Piața Victoriei and Piața Revoluției this upmarket shopping strip pulses amidst a revered cafe culture that has endured since the last century The early 20th century was Bucharest’s most prosperous era large neoclassical buildings and beaux-arts palaces designed by French architects sprung up with the city acquiring the label of “Little Paris” throughout Europe by the end of the 1930s.  Musts along the way include the National Art Museum located in a former Royal Palace and the Art Nouveau Cantacuzino Palace with George Enescu Museum inside.  Detour: Opened in 2023 in a repurposed former computer factory, buzzing MINA Museum of Immersive New Art (Muzeul Imersiv al Noilor Arte) is the biggest new media art center in Southeastern Europe The second-largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon, the Palace of Parliament is a monument of blatant opulence erected to amplify the personality of cult dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu Inflicting irreparable trauma to the fabric of the capital constructing it meant wiping out the Uranus neighborhood demolishing churches of priceless historical value (some were astonishingly salvaged Despite housing the Parliament of Romania and the National Museum of Contemporary Art (Muzeul Naţional de Artă Contemporană; MNAC) the majority of the building remains unused.  Detour: “The Water Symphony” free show in Piața Unirii overlooking the Palace of Parliament is held every weekend on Fridays Bucharest’s cobblestoned Historic Centre is mostly referred to as the Old Town the heart around which the capital grew into a flourishing merchant quarter the Old Town made a dramatic U-turn more than a decade ago Don’t miss the monumental National Bank of Romania Museum with its exquisite Marble Hall. Afterwards, you can take a stroll to see the picturesque Stavropoleos Church the city’s smallest church and arguably most beautiful.  Steps away, grab a pint at Bucharest’s oldest brewery, the Neo-gothic Caru’ cu Bere (with a beer recipe from 1879!). From the terrace, the grand beaux-arts CEC Palace on Calea Victoriei appears, a postcard corner that has stood the test of time. Directly opposite, the National History Museum houses Dacian artifacts Detour: Located on the ruins of 19th-century Gabroveni Inn, the restored ARCUB Gabroveni is a mix of old and new that houses various galleries in the heart of the Old Town Carrara marble, pink-hued Doric columns and four monumental spiral staircases lead up the Big Hall, where a large 70m (229ft) fresco depicting 25 scenes from Romanian history keep watch from the ceiling.  The neoclassical Romanian Athenaeum was inaugurated in 1888 and stands at the heart of Romania’s classical-music tradition today it’s home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra where the most celebrated Romanian composer in history made his debut and gave the first performance of his masterpiece Romanian Rhapsody.  Planning tip: Every two years, during most of September, Bucharest welcomes some of the world’s major orchestras and soloists in tribute to George Enescu. Created in 1958 to honor his legacy, the prestigious George Enescu Festival is a feast for classical-music lovers: a month-long event with dozens of concerts to choose from The city is always buzzing during the festival jam-packed with visitors from around the world Cărturești Carusel has been famously labeled one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world thanks to an army of Instagrammers 19th-century building with a remarkable past in banking and retail this six-floor branch of the Cărturești chain is one of the best spots for quirky souvenirs Detour: Minutes away by Piața Universității MODUL Cărturești focuses on art and architecture books and gifts while diagonally opposite on Str Edgar Quinet Cărturești & Friends is a community favorite offering one of the best selections of English-language titles about the region The Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum (Muzeul Naţional al Satului Dimitrie Gusti) makes a colorful compelling visit: an open-air ethnographic immersion into rural Romania mills and windmills transplanted from across the country it’s particularly bucolic from spring onwards until late autumn Detour: Nearby, Berăria H is a vast beer hall with tradition Home to one of the biggest cafe concentrations per capita in Europe Bucharest tops the charts for third-wave coffee lovers Tapping into a historic devotion to cafe culture the city has seen a surge of specialty coffee shop openings with local pioneers redefining what good coffee should taste like good beans are mixed in with ingenious design Origo on Str Lipscani started the third-wave coffee revolution and M60 sets the tone in Amzei with its Scandinavian look and living-room feel. In Piața Charles de Gaulle, two key players revitalized a beautiful corner by Herăstrău Park, drawing a fashionable crowd by their outdoor benches: BOB Coffee Lab and STEAM Coffee Shop.  Planning tip: Try the amazing “Fat Cat” Cold Brew at another favorite, Saint Roastery Sprawling King Michael I Park (formerly known as Herăstrău) ticks many boxes It’s the largest park in Bucharest (close to 494 acres) a popular trail for joggers doing loops around Herăstrău Lake and the perfect place for a sundowner for those looking to show off the Japanese Garden inside the park is a magnet for cherry blossom enthusiasts and picnickers.  There are plenty of shaded pathways and boats to hop on You can also rent I’Velo bikes by the Aviatorilor metro station On the lake strip starting from Şoseaua Nordului some of the top lounges and clubs pump up the volume during summer making it a popular (if rowdy) DJ party scene Detour: Don’t overlook the “Villa with Bells” on the western side bordering Băneasa modeled on an Oltenian culă (a boyar’s house built like a semi-fortified fortress).  A one-day holiday is what Therme Bucharest promises with some 1400 palm trees and dozens of exotic plant species the tropical atmosphere is unbeatable.  the largest wellness center in Europe is the closest thing to an exotic destination Relaxation is guaranteed thanks to mineral-enriched thermal waters and the therapeutic effects of its 10 thematic saunas (including one with Himalayan salt walls) Evenings are even more atmospheric as the waters glow under big glass domes that are beautifully lit up.  Planning tip: It’s a big hit with children given the 16 themed water slides with different levels of difficulty: the longest indoor waterslide system on the continent.  the Cișmigiu district has become the designated “Creative Quarter” promoting creative industries and contributing to urban regeneration the oldest public park in town and one of its most scenic with a lake (and paddle boats for rent).  Down the block, Control Club is an undisputed favorite for live indie and electronic music concerts (DJs also), with a leafy garden terrace open all year long. For a chilled spot to mingle, sip a craft beer or coffee, head to artsy Artichoke Social House Raised in 1922 to commemorate Romania’s victory in WWI (and its troops), the Triumphal Arch built on the Paris model stands 27m (88ft) high halfway up Şoseaua Kiseleff it was replaced by the current structure made out of granite from Deva in 1935 to 1936 celebrating the reunification of Romania in 1918 during the reign of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie.  allowing visitors to reach the terrace of the monument from which a 360-degree panorama of the capital unfolds It can be visited for free every weekend during summer until October (2pm to 9pm) Detour: Not far from the Triumphal Arch is the jarring Spring Palace (Palatul Primăverii) a decadent mosaic spa and peacocks roaming about in the garden.  The bar scene in Romania is exploding, and Bucharest has the region’s coolest assembly of breezy rooftops and outdoor drinking gardens. Dine and drink in style at Amethyst Sky Bar, inside Union Plaza Hotel, with great views towards the Palace of Parliament. Nomad Skybar is a hip rooftop in the heart of the Old Town with international cuisine great cocktails and dance nights on weekends.   Part greenhouse, part botanical sanctuary, SERA Eden is an upmarket garden cafe that lies behind a historical villa. Grădina Floreasca is a stylish alfresco cafe by the pool, set in Floreasca Park, that occasionally becomes the site of jazz evenings. Also, check out A46 Venue cocktails and wine in a splendid interwar villa on upper-class Aleea Alexandru This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Romania & Bulgaria guidebook, published in August 2024. Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here we are pleased to share the opening of a new joint Innovation Lab with Amazon Web Services (AWS) at the IBM Client Innovation Centre in Bucharest The lab will drive forward our collaboration with AWS by benefiting mutual clients from 22 countries and operationalizing our latest technologies including agentic AI and generative AI solutions built using Amazon Bedrock Clients in the region will have more hands-on access to joint IBM-AWS offerings such as cloud modernization joint solutions industry innovation and IBM Consulting Advantage IBM’s AWS practitioners will help visualize the art-of-the-possible and co-design prototypes to help accelerate transformation and innovation across industries such as automotive Clients will be able to take advantage of the use-cases and best practices from their global peers that will be demonstrated at the lab test and scale solutions to solve their most pressing challenges These add to IBM’s roster of 21 validated service delivery programs and mastery in 29 AWS competencies IBM was recognised as the EMEA Consulting Partner of the Year – Finalist in addition to receiving Global Design Partner of the Year and Collaboration Partner of the Year awards These recognitions demonstrate that IBM and AWS are trusted partners for the Cloud journey in the European region IBM continues to strengthen AWS capabilities through acquisitions and co-development of solutions with AWS IBM’s acquisition of Modern Systems from Advanced in 2024 brings a combination of talent which will continue to enhance IBM Consulting's mainframe application and data modernization services Experts from IBM and Modern Systems further enable IBM to support clients' mainframe application modernization journeys to AWS designing a fit-for-purpose workload between mainframes and cloud Read about the IBM Consulting services for AWS: AWS Consulting Services Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations Tensions escalated after one of the appointees made public statements contradicting Romania’s official Ukraine and EU stance either observed and verified directly by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources The winners of the 2024 European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards were celebrated this evening with a high-profile event held at the iconic Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest This year’s European Heritage Awards Ceremony was co-hosted by Iliana Ivanova The ceremony assembled some 800 heritage professionals, volunteers, enthusiasts and supporters from across Europe. Among the guests of honour were Prof. Dr. Sergiu Nistor, Presidential Adviser; Raluca Turcan, Minister of Culture of Romania; and Dr. Nicușor Dan, Mayor of Bucharest. The Awards Ceremony was the largest event of the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2024 which is taking place in Bucharest from 6 to 8 October Organised by Europa Nostra and co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union the Bucharest Summit is held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania The five laureates of the Grand Prix 2024 are: The remarkable rehabilitation of the Saxon Church in Alma Vii in ROMANIA is the big winner of 2024: it received a Grand Prix and the Public Choice Award 2024 This impressive initiative raised the largest number of votes cast via an online poll with the participation of some 10,000 citizens from all over Europe stated: “Cultural heritage is the foundation of Europe’s identity and diversity I warmly congratulate the winners of the 2024 European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards on their extraordinary achievements They are a testament to the power of heritage to inspire innovation foster community engagement and support sustainable development across our continent These projects showcase the importance of safeguarding our shared cultural legacy while adapting it to the challenges of the future said: “I am delighted to be in Bucharest for this evening of celebration of the best heritage projects and the most inspiring heritage champions – both individuals and organisations – from across Europe The winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2024 vividly showcase the multiple values of heritage for Europe’s society Cultural heritage is a precious resource that must be carefully managed My heartfelt congratulations to all the winners particularly to the laureates of the Grand Prix and the winner of the Public Choice Award” The Call for Entries for the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2025 is now open. Applications can be submitted online via www.europeanheritageawards.eu by 20 November 2024.