English

The 'useful vote' is neither a fad, nor a distortion of the democratic game nor an injustice done to the electorate. It is simply a method, one among many, in which politicians and voters between whom there are differences, but not irreconcilable ones, can maximize their chances of seeing their program and expectations implemented, at least to some extent. Alliances...

Legal representatives of SC Laminor Arena Expo Events SRL have requested the right of reply in response to the article Storm brews over Oktoberfest in Romania. Munich city hall denies granting permission considers legal action.   ___________ This statement was sent to Universul.net "regarding the denigrating article on the alleged lack of the license "Oktoberfest" by the lawyer and Professor, Șerban...

Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded that Ukrainian troops withdraw from Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. If not, Russia will seize the area without compromise.  "Either we liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these territories," he told India Today.  Russia currently controls some 85% of Donbas, and 20% of Ur Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly ruled out ceding territory. The plan for...

A man from New Zealand has been charged for theft after stealing a diamond-studded Fabergé egg locket.  He said he had swallowed it.  Indeed, it has since been “recovered in a natural manner”, without additional medical intervention.  The Fabergé egg locket is valued at NZ$33,585, or approximately £14,600. The Octopussy Egg, as it is named, was inspired by the 1983 James Bond film...

Russian propaganda has penetrated more strongly and deeply than in many European countries. The narratives which are extremely hostile to the West, are being rolled out live not only at a top political level, through voices from the nationalist parties, but also at a grassroots level, through regular people on social media. The rise of Calin Georgescu in the 2024...

Romania's president need not worry too much about his notoriety. Along with Labubu dolls, the ‘Yellow Tie’ move about late Romanian musician Sergiu Celibidache and the Vienna Chistmas market, Nicusor Dan was the top Google search in Romania this year. Other favorites were presidential runner-up George Simion, the movie "Nosferatu", a recipe for lamb meatloaf (an Easter specialty), the Cerin diet,...

In Moldova's prisons, it’s not the staff that prisoners fear but other detainees who have created a widespread informal prisoner hierarchy where abuse and intimidation is common, depending on your ‘status.’ What is worse is that custodial staff in these understaffed establishments do little if anything to intervene and stop the widely reported abuse, which is tantamount to torture according...

In a difficult context from all points of view – economic, social, political and geopolitical – it would have been expected that the stakes of the Bucharest mayoral elections would be treated in line with the challenges by the more reformist and clearly pro-Western wing of the political spectrum. The first symptom that this approach has been ignored, and reduced...

The European Commission has agreed to register a new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) that calls for the introduction of an optional EU-themed passport cover.  “EU Stars On My Passport (STAR-PASS)” asks the Commission to enable EU countries to offer their citizens a new passport design featuring a blue background, and the EU’s circle of gold stars.  We do not yet know...

Ana Ciceală, who is running for mayor of Bucharest for the leftist, pro-European SENS party says she won’t drop out of the race for the Bucharest City Hall on Dec. 7, because  "voters aren’t sacks of potatoes that politicians keep in their cellars and move them from one place to another. That's not how it works." It’s not an original...