November 27, 2025
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 27.11.2025, 13:57
MAGISTRATES – The Plenary of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) gave a negative opinion, on Thursday, to the new project regarding the reform of magistrates’ pensions, judicial sources have announced. The negative opinion was given just one day before the expiry of the European deadline that would prevent Romania from losing any additional funds under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). In recent days, the general assemblies of magistrates from all over the country have expressed their point of view and it is already known that prosecutors and judges in Bucharest rejected the draft law that reduces their pensions and increases their retirement age. Representatives of the ruling coalition also expected to receive a negative opinion from the CSM, but the Executive is ready to meet in an extraordinary session, today or tomorrow morning, to adopt the new project and send it to Parliament. Romania has until November 28 to meet the milestone in the NRRP regarding special pensions, or risk losing 231 million euros. The initial draft of the magistrates’ pension reform was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court on October 20, the Court motivation being that the Government did not request an opinion from the CSM, within the legal time frame, an opinion which is consultative but compulsory.
WEAPONS – The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that it will purchase French Mistral air defense systems, worth over 626 million euros, under a joint procurement agreement with several EU member states. The ministry said it signed an agreement with the French Ministry of Defense for the purchase of 231 Mistral man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), manufactured by MBDA, and 934 missiles, along with training, simulator and logistics programs. Romanian lawmakers first approved the acquisition plan in 2022. Romania, an EU and NATO member, shares a 650km land border with Ukraine and has repeatedly faced drone intrusions into its airspace and drone fragments falling on its territory since Russia began its attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube. Romania’s air defenses currently include F-16 fighter jets, Patriot systems, HIMARS missile launchers manufactured by Lockheed Martin, South Korean Chiron short-range surface-to-air missiles and German-made Gepard anti-aircraft guns. Romania is also in the final stages of implementing the new Merops anti-drone system supplied by the United States, Romanian and American defense officials said.
CEI – Romania took over, on Wednesday, the presidency of the Central European Initiative (CEI) for the year 2026. The event took place in the context of a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the CEI member states, organized by Serbia as the chairmanship-in-office of the Initiative. On that occasion, the head of Romanian diplomacy, Oana Ţoiu, had a recorded intervention in which she emphasized Bucharest’s increased commitment to regional cooperation and presented the priorities of the mandate of Romania’s CEI presidency. These include, among others, supporting the European integration of candidate states, by maintaining the role of the CEI as a link between EU member states and candidate states, strengthening the economic and business dimension in the CEI space, including by boosting connectivity projects, capitalizing on the local dimension of the CEI, by involving local authorities, communities and citizens, maintaining focus on the fight against disinformation and strengthening resilience, given the significant impact that hybrid threats can have on the stability of societies.
DEFENSE – The Parliament in Bucharest passed, on Wednesday, the National Defense Strategy of Romania for the period 2025-2030, after the document was presented by President Nicuşor Dan. Among the threats mentioned are the hostile actions of the Russian Federation and the war it provoked in Ukraine, and among the risks are corruption, as well as dysfunctions in key areas, such as health, education, social protection and administration. The National Defense Strategy provides for the consolidation of strategic partnerships, but also for supporting the stability and development of the Republic of Moldova, as well as continuing support for Ukraine. Both government and opposition parliamentarians voted for the adoption of the new strategic document.
HANDBALL – The Romanian women’s handball team plays today in Rotterdam against the Croatian team in Group A of the World Championship, hosted by the Netherlands and Germany. All 18 Romanian players under the command of coach Ovidiu Mihăilă are playing in Liga Florilor (the domestic championship), three of them being naturalized. The national team will also play the other matches in the Group, also in Rotterdam, on November 29 against Japan, and on December 1 against Denmark. Romania has participated in all editions of the Women’s Handball World Championship, and in 2023 it ranked 12th. (EE)
