According to the article, the Romanian government is offering €50,000 in non-repayable funding to young Roma individuals (ages 18-30) to start businesses, as part of the Start-Up Nation program, amidst a record number of business closures in the country.

Eligibility criteria for the funding rely on self-declaration of Roma ethnicity, raising concerns about potential misuse and the impact on actual Roma individuals seeking support.

The program aims to reduce poverty among the Roma community but may inadvertently inflate the number of declared Roma, affecting future government programs and representation.

Well, the current official number of Roma is really low and far from reality …

• Absurditatea Start-Up Nation. 50.000 € de la stat, pentru orice tânăr care se declară rom. In: Jurnalul. 25.09.2026. https://jurnalul.ro/amp/absurditatea-start-up-nation-milioane-de-euro-din-fonduri-europene-etnie-roma-1045083.html