June 23, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 23.06.2025, 20:00

GOVERNMENT – The new Government in Bucharest led by the Liberal Ilie Bolojan took the oath of office before President Nicusor Dan, on Monday evening. Previously, the Government had been sworn in, in a plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.  The new Government  will have 16 ministries, according to the protocol for the establishment of the ruling coalition, signed on Monday by the leaders of the pro-European parties in the Bucharest Parliament and of the national minorities. Six ministerial positions will go to  PSD, four to PNL, four to USR, and two  to UDMR. The future government will have five deputy prime ministers, one from each party in the coalition – and an independent deputy prime minister, responsible for reform. The protocol also provides for a rotation of the PM seat, between the PNL and the PSD. PM Bolojan said the protocol ensures a stable executive, focused on vital structural reforms, respect for citizens and the consolidation of democracy. He stressed that the new government will do everything possible to put the country’s finances in order and develop Romania.

EU – The Council of the European Union on Monday published a recommendation that, in order to exit the excessive deficit procedure, Romania must ensure that the growth rate of expenditure does not exceed 2.8% in 2025 and 2.6% in 2026. The Council set  October 15 as the deadline for the country to take effective action and present the necessary measures to ensure the timely correction of imbalances. The document published on Monday comes after the Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting at the end of last week found that Romania had not taken effective measures in response to Brussels’ recommendations on correcting the budget deficit, and this finding paves the way for new possible measures if the country does not take swift action to reduce imbalances.

COURT– The parliamentary groups in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate had until Monday to submit their candidacies for the appointment of two new judges to the Constitutional Court of Romania. The mandates of constitutional judges Marian Enache and Attila Varga expire in mid-July. On Tuesday, the candidates will be heard by the legal committees, and on Wednesday, separate plenary sessions could be held, both in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, to appoint the two new magistrates. The Constitutional Court of Romania has nine judges appointed for a nine-year term, which cannot be extended. Of these, three are appointed by the Chamber of Deputies, three by the Senate and three by the President of Romania.

NATO – The member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have approved a declaration for the summit in The Hague, due on June 24 and 25, which sets a target of 5% of GDP for annual defense and security spending by 2035. The document will become official once it is approved by the leaders of the NATO countries during the meeting that begins on Tuesday. Sources within the Alliance told Radio Romania that there is a big chance that the final declaration will mention Russia’s explicit threat and the support of the member states for Ukraine. At the NATO summit in The Hague, Romania will be represented by President Nicuşor Dan. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the necessary steps are being taken for a direct meeting between President Dan and American president, Donald Trump. From The Hague, President Nicuşor Dan will go directly to Brussels for the European Council meeting. EU leaders will discuss security and defense and emphasize the need to strengthen capabilities, the defense industry, and increase funding in this sector.

MIDDLE EAST – US President Donald Trump mentioned the possibility of regime change in Tehran, after the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities. Trump’s reaction came just hours after senior officials in the Washington administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, said that the United States is not trying to overthrow the Iranian government. The US president also said that the US bombings caused huge damage to the Iranian nuclear sites. The crisis in the Middle East is regarded with concern by the international community, which is waiting to see if Iran responds to the American attack.  (EE)