February 11, 2025
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 11.02.2025, 13:55
RESIGNATION – The Constitutional Court has taken note of president Klaus Iohannis’ resignation. The two chambers of Parliament in Bucharest have also decided to annul Tuesday’s plenary sitting, where the main point on the agenda was the debate on the impeachment of Klaus Iohannis, after the populist and isolationist parties POT, AUR and S.O.S. Romania, in addition to the pro-European USR party, filed a motion in that regard. According to the Constitution, Senate Speaker Ilie Bolojan is expected to take over as interim president, after he has just stepped down as president of the National Liberal Party (PNL). Bolojan’s attributes remain limited: he will not be able to address Parliament on key political issues, he may not dissolve Parliament and will not be able to call a national referendum.
BUDGET – Romania’s outgoing president, Klaus Iohannis, on Monday signed a number of executive orders, including the ratification of state budget and social security budget laws for 2025. Last week, the two bills were adopted by Parliament. The budget is based on a deficit target of 7% of GDP and an estimated economic growth rate of 2.5%. The Energy, Education, Health, Transport, Environment, Defense and Investments and European Funds ministries will get additional funds. Finance Minister Barna Tánczos, stated that all the conditions have been met to “support the development of the country by means of record-high investments”, while Romania will have “the resources to ensure the payment of salaries and pensions and restore financial balance”.
CORRUPTION – The level of corruption remains very high at global level, while efforts to combat this phenomenon are decreasing, according to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International. According to the organization, the lack of strong measures against corruption spells serious repercussions globally in key areas such as protecting democracy, observing the rule of law, protecting the environment and combating climate change, and promoting and protecting human rights. In 2024, the average score at EU level was 62, down by two points compared to previous years. For the third year in a row, Romania was rated with a score of 46 out of 100 possible points, the same as Malta. Romania also fares very poorly at EU level in terms of combating corruption. Transparency International Romania made a number of recommendations, such as the implementation of Integrity Pacts as a widespread tool for monitoring public procurement, improving citizens’ awareness of the importance of applying the Law on the Protection of Public Whistleblowers or updating the legislation in the field of public integrity. Transparency International Romania also recommends the government implement an anti-corruption program that would help Romania improve its Corruption Perceptions Index score to at least 50 by 2027.
REAL ESTATE – Ruling coalition MPs are as of today holding public consultations in order to regulate protection measures addressing people who conclude sale-purchase deeds with real estate developers. Representatives of real estate developers, public notaries and the National Agency for Land Registry and Real Estate Advertising are also expected to take part. The goal is to complete the legal framework with regulations that will offer the end beneficiaries robust guarantees for the advances paid in real estate transactions and that will also ensure the development and proper functioning of the relevant market in Romania. The initiative comes after hundreds of people who got scammed in the Nordis case called for amending the relevant legislation. Former PSD deputy Laura Vicol, her husband, Vladimir Ciorbă, the main shareholder of the Nordis group, and three other people were put on pre-trial arrest as part of this investigation. The inquiry targets individuals and companies accused of having collected over 195 million EUR from clients without handing over the apartments.
112 – The buildings of over 100 public and private institutions in Romania will be lit in red today, marking the European 112 Day. By means of a symbolic visual approach, the Special Telecommunications Service wants to draw attention to the instrumental role of the single emergency number and to encourage citizens to use it responsibly. Abusive emergency calls can jeopardize the swift intervention of specialized teams where it is needed the most, Service officials say. In 2024, as a result of the efforts of the relevant authorities and emergency response services, as well as other government partners and private telecommunications operators, the number of non-emergency calls decreased by nearly one million compared to previous years. 112 Emergency Service operators took over 9.7 million calls, of which 60.45% were actual emergencies, the Special Telecommunications Service also reports.
GLOBAL TRADE – France’s Industry Minister, Marc Ferracci, told a TF1 interview that Europe should respond in a firm and united manner to the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, also expressing hope such a response would happen soon. On Monday, the U.S. president substantially increased tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 25%, “without exceptions or exemptions”, in the hope this step would help struggling U.S. industries. However, the measure risks triggering a trade war on several fronts, Reuters reports. (VP)
