Why is Romania losing millions in EU funding?
Romania missed a key EU funding deadline at the end of August by which it would have had to pass or amend a number of laws - including legislation on a gradual phase-out of coal. The country with the highest budget deficit in the EU will now lose up to 870 million euros in funding from the EU recovery fund. The Romanian media are incensed.
The state failed due to its own incompetence
Cătălin Buciumeanu, founder of the centre for technological innovation Inventikus, comments on Adevărul:
“It's no coincidence that the European Commission noted in its 2026 country report that repeated delays in implementing major European programmes, including the EU Recovery Fund, were a 'clear symptom' of the Romanian administration's lack of flexibility and efficiency when it comes to planning, organising and executing complex projects. And that is precisely how things stand. Romania is not losing money because Brussels is hostile towards us. It is losing money because the Romanian state has been unable to implement what its own governments have negotiated and signed within the agreed timeframe.”
The price of inaction
The government created the problem itself, says Maszol:
“The question now is why the Romanian government deemed it necessary to include the law on uniform pay scales in the public sector in the conditions for EU funding. And having done so, why it then delayed the reform until the very last moment. ... If the government negotiates its own commitments to its disadvantage and then delays them beyond the deadline, it can't pin the blame on others. ... Such a Balkan-style approach to politics comes at a price. Sooner or later someone has to pay for inaction, incompetence, petty fraud and procrastination.”
Peace and quiet instead of reforms
On republica.ro, economic expert Cristian Păun makes fun of the MPs who squandered the chance to secure funding:
“EU funding has almost always caused problems. What a nuisance it is! Not to mention the reforms. They, too, have caused us nothing but difficulties. We haven't exactly been keen to implement reforms either. They cause too much unrest. Besides, the people want neither one thing nor the other. ... They always vote for those who do most to sabotage things. Phew, it's a good thing this business with the EU Recovery Fund is over now. No more reforms! No more progress! We'll have some peace and quiet from now on!”