August 31, 2025
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 31.08.2025, 14:00
LANGUAGE DAY – The President of Romania, Nicuşor Dan, on Sunday paid an official visit to the Republic of Moldova to participate, jointly with President Maia Sandu, in the events marking Romanian Language Day, celebrated on both banks of the Prut River. The two leaders took part in the opening of the Great National Dictation event, which takes place in the Great National Assembly Square in Chişinău. Approximately 2,000 participants attended the event, which has become a tradition for Romanian Language Day, and tested their knowledge of writing in Romanian. The two presidents celebrated the event jointly with the residents of the town of Străşeni, where they paid floral tributes to the statue of poet Mihai Eminescu. They also attended a special concert dedicated to the Romanian Language. This is Nicuşor Dan’s third visit to the Republic of Moldova since taking office, after the official one on June 10 and the private one on August 8. Romanian Language Day is celebrated every year on August 31 in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and in Romanian and Moldovan communities abroad.
SHOW – New flight demonstrations by pilots participating in the Bucharest International Air Show were held on Sunday in the capital-city. The largest air show in Romania was venued at Băneasa Airport and included live concerts, fireworks, exhibitions, as well as special activities for children. Over 200 civil and military aircraft and 200 pilots and parachutists, including from abroad, participated in the air show. The event marks 115 years since the first Romanian flight, by Aurel Vlaicu. For the first time, one of the most famous aerobatic formations in the world – Patrouille de France, part of the French Air Forces, took part in the event, which the public could attend free of charge.
REFORM – The sixth package of measures designed to curb Romania’s budget deficit, the one regarding public administration, the only one that was not adopted on Friday by the government, is discussed on Sunday. The government meeting is taking place under pressure from employees in city halls and prefectures, whose unions have threatened that they will interrupt all public activity as of Monday, protesting the prospect of layoffs announced in the local administration. With the adoption of this latest project, the government wants to take responsibility in Parliament as soon as possible for all six parts of the second package of measures, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said. On Saturday, the Permanent Bureaus of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies decided that the meeting in which the Romanian government will take responsibility for the second package of reform measures will take place on Monday evening. The opposition announced its intention to file a motion of no-confidence if the government decides to seek responsibility in Parliament again. If the motion fails, the package will be formally adopted.
IMF – A delegation of the International Monetary Fund is arriving in Bucharest on Wednesday to analyze recent developments in the Romanian economy. The team of experts will meet with officials from the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank and other institutions, as well as representatives of the private sector and NGOs. Talks will continue until September 12 and represent a surveillance exercise, which is mandatory for all IMF member states. Meanwhile, Romania’s budget deficit rose to 4.04% of GDP after the first 7 months of 2025, from 3.68% at the end of June and reached about €15 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance. During this period, total state revenues and expenditures increased by approximately 11%. Last year, the budget deficit in the same period also stood at 4.04% of the GDP.
VISIT – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to pay a visit to Romania on Monday. She is scheduled to meet with Romanian President Nicuşor Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan near the Black Sea port city of Constanța. Talks will focus on strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as on issues related to the prevention, detection and deterrence of maritime and hybrid threats. In May, Brussels adopted a Black Sea security strategy, which includes investments in ports, railways and airports for better troop mobility in case of need. The strategy’s main objective is to create a maritime security hub to monitor security at sea and issue early warnings for the whole of Europe. Romania is the final stopover on the European official’s tour of several countries on the EU’s eastern border, which the European Commission defines as states on the frontline in the face of Russian aggression. (VP)
