August 6, 2025 UPDATE (2)
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 06.08.2025, 20:00
FUNERAL – Romanian citizens on Wednesday paid their last respects to the first president of post-communist Romania, Ion Iliescu (1990-1996 and 2000-2004) at the Cotroceni presidential palace. Former presidents Emil Constantinescu and Traian Băsescu, in addition to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and members of his Cabinet paid hommage to the former president. Members of the diplomatic corps also came to pay their respects. Thursday will be a day of national mourning in Romania in memory of the former president. In accordance with the legal provisions in force, all central and local public institutions and authorities will fly the Romanian flag at half-mast. Also, the national flag will be flown at the headquarters of political parties, trade unions and employer organizations, educational units, cultural institutions and diplomatic missions of Romania, at border crossings, in airports, ports, train stations and bus stations, as well as on ships of any kind and on boats sailing under the Romanian flag. Radio and television stations, as well as cultural institutions will adapt their broadcasts and organize their activity accordingly on this day. Ion Iliescu died on Tuesday, at the age of 95, to lung cancer.
MEASURES – Representatives of the ruling coalition continue their assessment of the second package of measures aimed at curbing Romania’s budget deficit. The reform of the local administration by cutting staff expenses and improving tax collection or investment are only a couple of the measures discussed both at the level of the Executive and the ruling coalition. The package also includes a reform of state institutions, proposals for combating tax evasion and improving the activity of the state’s fiscal authority. The Executive is also focusing on ways of improving access to European funds. Concurrently, talks on completing the bill on raising the retirement age for magistrates and reducing their pension quantum are expected to continue.
EUROSTAT – Retail trade volumes increased by 0.3% at European Union level and in the Eurozone in June, compared to the previous month, the European Statistical Office (Eurostat) announced on Wednesday. Romania is among the EU member states that reported growth (1%), along with Croatia, Sweden, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Estonia and Lithuania. Sales of food, beverages and tobacco, automotive fuels and non-food products went up. The most significant decreases were reported in France, Poland, Slovenia and Denmark.
PROTEST – Hundreds of teachers on Wednesday protested in front of the Ministry of Education headquarters in Bucharest for the sixth day in a row against the measures adopted by the Government to reduce the budget deficit. Protesters say the measures that “severely hit” education in Romania are the increase in the teaching load by two hours, the merger of hundreds of educational units, which, in their opinion, will lead to layoffs of auxiliary teaching staff and even administrative staff, and the decrease in the hourly pay rates. The teachers said they will continue to protest on Thursday, both in front of the ministry and at the headquarters of the main political parties.
WILDFIRES – Romanian firefighters on mission in Greece were deployed, on Wednesday, to strategic points in the Nea Makri area (southeast), where the risk of forest wildfires remains high. The crews will be able to ensure a rapid and efficient response in the event of an outbreak, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations reports. Until September 15, 40 Romanian firefighters, along with eight technical means, are taking part in joint European civil protection efforts in support of Greek authorities, together with intervention teams from Austria, Czechia, France, the Republic of Moldova and Bulgaria. (DB & VP)
