A group of Nepalese workers involved in the construction of the new "Nicolae Dobrin" stadium in the central Romanian city of Pitesti held a spontaneous protest, local media reported. They complain about inadequate accommodation conditions and low wages and are demanding an increase in their hourly rate from 13 to 27 lei (from 2.55 to 5.30 euros), BTA reported.
The disgruntled foreign workers claim that the money they currently receive is not enough to even cover their basic expenses, considering that they work in difficult conditions on construction sites, far from their families, in a foreign country.
The employer company, Erbașu Construction SA, denied the allegations and said that its workers, regardless of their nationality, are treated fairly.
„All our employees, regardless of their nationality, enjoy fair and balanced treatment, in full compliance with current legislation. "Any ambiguities are resolved internally through dialogue, without affecting current activities," says Erbasu Construction, which is among the leading construction companies with 100 percent local capital in Romania, according to a ranking by the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
This is the first protest of its kind in the country, local media reported. It comes a few months after an Asian food supplier from Bangladesh was attacked in Bucharest. This came after a call by a lawmaker from the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) to refuse orders if the suppliers are not Romanian.
According to data cited by local media, the annual number of permits for new foreign workers in Romania has increased fivefold since 2021, reaching 100,000 people per year in the last two years.
In the first half of 2025, the countries with the largest number of citizens granted work permits in Romania were Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Turkey.