Zalău, Romania - The municipality of Zalău has decided to shut down its Social Assistance Canteen, which had been serving hot meals to over 100 people in need each month since 2002. The local administration cited the need to reduce budgetary expenditures, citing an annual cost of roughly 1.79 million lei, including 946,440 lei for food and 848,510 lei for salaries and utilities. 11 staff members were re‑assigned to other DAS services or retired. In place of the canteen, the city will introduce a social voucher system, with 22‑lei vouchers to be distributed from February 2026. The move is part of a broader austerity measure aimed at lowering municipal spending.
Original article can be found here.