December 14, 2025
A roundup of domestic and world news
Newsroom, 14.12.2025, 13:55
Protests – The protests started a few days ago after revelations from a journalistic investigation regarding problems in the justice system continued in Bucharest and other cities in Romania and abroad. Approximately one thousand people were in front of the government headquarters on Saturday evening, chanting messages in support of an independent justice system. The main demands of the protesters are the restoration of the independence of judges, the abolition of the de facto immunity of magistrates, the reduction of the control exercised by the Superior Council of Magistracy over the judicial system and the urgent dismissal of the heads of prosecutors’ offices. In parallel with the street protests, the petition initiated by the non-governmental organizations Declic and Funky Citizens to amend the Justice Laws has collected about 150,000 signatures. The signatories are calling on the Prime Minister and the President of Romania to initiate a real reform of the justice system, through a transparent and honest procedure, which goes beyond simple public declarations. The Recorder documentary features several prosecutors and judges, some with protected identities, who reveal how the leadership of the Bucharest Court of Appeal on a regular basis changes judges from panels in order to obtain favorable decisions for individuals accused of corruption. Hundreds of magistrates have publicly denounced abuses in the judiciary. The Judges Section of the Superior Council of Magistracy has decided to notify the Judicial Inspection to conduct checks in relation to the issues reported in the press material broadcast by Recorder.
Motion – Romanian parliamentarians are meeting on Monday afternoon in a joint session to debate and vote on the no confidence motion against the government, initiated by the parliamentary group “PEACE, Romania First” and supported by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which proposes removing Save Romania Union (USR) from the government. The document is initiated by opposition parliamentarians who criticize the activity of the Executive. They claim that the government led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has not properly managed areas such as justice, health, education or public administration. On the other hand, the representatives of the governing parties assure that the opposition’s approach will not be successful. Social Democratic MPs announce that they will not vote for the motion of censure, but the social democrats will evaluate in the coming period the relations with the other parties in the coalition (Liberal Party, Save Romania Union, Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania). For the motion of censure to pass, 232 favorable votes are needed. Also on Monday, a simple motion against the environment minister Diana Buzoianu will be debated and voted on in the Senate.
Bridge – Road traffic on the Giurgiu-Ruse friendship bridge, between Romania and Bulgaria, will resume in both directions from December 18 for all types of vehicles, including on the repaired section of the bridge over the Danube, which is currently closed in the direction of Romania. Thus, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, traffic will be possible without restrictions, the Border Police reports. This measure is valid until January 8, 2026, during which time the works will be suspended to allow for smooth and safe transit, in the context of the winter holidays. The works will resume from January 8 on the direction towards Bulgaria.
Fishing – EU agriculture ministers have reached an agreement on fishing quotas for next year, setting catch limits and fishing days for the Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean, Black Sea and other waters, with some rules extending until 2028. In the Black Sea, the EU Council agreed on slightly lower total allowable catches than this year for turbot, with Romania and Bulgaria directly concerned. Turbot fishing also has a ban period between April 15 and June 15, and the number of fishing days for authorized vessels is limited to 180. For sprat, assimilated in Romania to the term anchovy, the Commission proposed the same catch limit, of around 11,500 tons, divided unequally between Romania and Bulgaria. Romania receives 30%, which is about 3,500 tons, the distribution taking into account historical and natural fishing data. For sharks in the Black Sea, very small species, such as the dogfish, a ban on commercial fishing remains in place.
Attack – Ten people were killed in Sydney, Australia, during a shooting on the famous Bondi Beach, the police announced as quoted by international news agencies. According to the Australian national channel ABC, one of the two attackers was among those killed, with the attack also leaving behind 12 injured. Located in the east of Sydney, Bondi attracts a large number of tourists, surfers and swimmers, especially on weekends. (LS)
