Bucharest Mayor Ciprian Ciucu announced on Sunday evening that the city’s budget is in a disastrous state and that the municipality will close four institutions to curb debt. Ciucu said the city has only about five million lei in accounts, compared with some wealthy Romanians, and warned that the transport operator STB could face enforcement action for unpaid debts to the Tax Administration (ANAF). He cited 1.5‑1.5 billion lei owed by STB and about 3 billion lei owed by municipal companies to the state. The four institutions slated for closure are the Senior Center, Youth Center, Cultural Center Lumina (to be absorbed by Arcub) and Expo Arte. Ciucu also said he would raise public transport fares and take other unpopular measures to balance the budget over a ten‑year horizon. The mayor emphasized that he would not rely on the government for funds and that the situation is a structural problem that must be addressed by the city council.

Original article can be found here.