December 31, 2025
A roundup of domestic and world news
Newsroom, 31.12.2025, 13:55
Assessment – After this year’s last government meeting, the Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan made an assessment of his activity at the helm of the government in Bucharest. He recalled that he took office at a complicated time for Romania and was forced to adopt a series of unpopular measures, such as increasing the VAT, freezing revenues and eliminating some bonuses. The Prime Minister believes, however, that if the money is spent cautiously next year, there will be no need for tax increases. He points out that 2026 will also be a difficult year, but he estimates that things will be better than this year, because public finances have been put in order. He added though that spending must continue to be kept under control.
Birth rate – Romania recorded an increase in birth rates in the second half of this year. According to data published by the National Institute of Statistics, over 56,300 children were born between July and October, 8% more than in the same period of 2024. According to INS data available to date, September 2025 recorded the highest number of births, with over 14,600 newborns. The evolution is all the more relevant as birth rates have been, in recent years, one of the most sensitive topics for Romania, amid a sharp decline.
Contribution – Romania contributes 50 million euros thus joining the states that contribute, upon the US proposal, to the list of priority acquisitions necessary for Ukraine’s defense, according to a decision adopted by the government. The allocation is made in compliance with the budget ceiling for 2025, it is specified in a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE). According to the cited source, the contribution of the aforementioned mechanism will support, by strengthening Ukraine’s capacities, the achievement and maintenance of sustainable peace in this country. The program allows for joint allocations from the NATO budget and is a continuation of the allied initiatives following the Helsinki summit, a priority reiterated including during the visit of the Secretary General Mark Rutte to Romania, the MAE specifies. The institution also emphasizes that Romania’s participation in the American mechanism directly contributes to the consolidation of regional and national security, including by increasing institutional interoperability, deepening military and civilian cooperation with the United States and the Allies, as well as by strengthening the capacity to respond to hybrid and conventional threats.
Workers – The Romanian government has approved for 2026 a quota of 90,000 newly admitted foreign workers on the Romanian labor market, according to a press release. The measure is intended to cover the personnel shortage in several fields. Employers have repeatedly reported job vacancies that they could not fill, and the demand for employment permits for citizens from other states is significant.
Talks – The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ukraine will host a new round of security talks with Western partners in early January, followed by a meeting of allied leaders in France. Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing for high-level meetings with the so-called “Coalition of the Willing,” led by Great Britain and France. The countries’ national security advisers are due to meet in Kyiv on January 3, with a leaders’ meeting being scheduled for January 6 in France. (LS)
