July 26, 2025
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 26.07.2025, 13:55
Measures – As of August 1, the first package of fiscal and budgetary measures to reduce the country’s excessive deficit will come into force in Romania. President Nicuşor Dan promulgated, on Friday, the law for which the coalition government in Bucharest has assumed responsibility in Parliament. The measures include the increase in the VAT and excise rates, in the health contributions for pensions higher than 3,000 lei (about 600 Euros), the freezing of pensions and salaries in the public sector or the limitation of bonuses and state employment. Immediately after the announcement of the austerity measures, employees from numerous fields of activity protested, with unions warning that they could trigger an all-out strike in September if the solutions proposed as an alternative to some of the reforms under consideration are not taken into account. The government is expected to develop a second package of measures to reduce the deficit next month.
Vienna – The Romanian President Nicuşor Dan is meeting with Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker in Salzburg today. In the morning, the head of state attended the opening ceremony of a traditional festival in Salzburg, and in the evening, he will attend the premiere of the opera “Julius Caesar in Egypt” by George Frideric Handel. On Friday, President Nicuşor Dan and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen discussed the development of bilateral relations, the support for Ukraine in the war against Russia, the expansion of the European Union to the Western Balkans, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, as well as the Romanian community in Austria. The Romanian President is on a two-day official visit to Austria, accompanied by his family.
Sports – Romanian athletes Constantin Popovici and Cătălin Preda qualified on Friday for the final of the high-altitude diving event (27 meters) at the World Swimming Championships in Singapore. After the four preliminary jumps, Constantin Popovici, world champion in this event in 2023, in Fukuoka, took first place, and Cătălin Preda ranked fourth. The final will take place on Sunday. On the other hand, the Romanian athletes won six new medals on Friday at the European Youth Olympic Festival, summer edition, in Skopje (North Macedonia) and Osijek (Croatia), which ends today. The Romanian athletes have won a total of 11 medals – 2 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze. At the Summer World University Games – FISU 2025, in the Rhine-Ruhr region (Germany), held between July 16-27, Romania obtained four medals, all bronze.
Weather – Romania is today facing intense and persistent heat, reported in most of the southern half, including Bucharest, where a Code Red Alert is in place. Maximum temperatures can reach up to 43 degrees Celsius, and thermal discomfort is particularly high. In Bucharest, at noon, temperatures rose to 35 degrees C. For the rest of Romania, meteorologists have issued Code Orange and Yellow Alerts for heat. Starting in the afternoon, Sunday and throughout next week, the exchange of a very hot air mass with a colder air mass will lead to torrential rains, possible storms and, on isolated areas, hail. For now, due to the heat wave, traffic restrictions have also been imposed. Vehicles with a maximum authorized total mass of over 7.5 tons cannot circulate, today, between noon and 8 p.m. local time, on motorways, expressways and national roads in the areas covered by the Red Code Alert. Exceptions are in place for the transport of people, livestock and perishable products or vehicles participating in interventions in cases of force majeure.
Roaming – The European Union will eliminate roaming charges for the Republic of Moldova starting from 1 January next year. The measure aims to support the gradual integration of the Romanian-speaking republic into the Union’s internal market, one of the objectives of the association agreement concluded in 2016. A decision to abolish roaming charges has been recently taken for Ukraine as well. Citizens of the two countries will be able to make calls, send text messages and use mobile data in the European Union without additional charges. Both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova have the status of candidate countries for accession. (LS)
