October 15, 2025 UPDATE (2)
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 15.10.2025, 20:00
DEFICIT – The Government on Wednesday submitted a document to the European Commission, detailing the fiscal measures taken to reduce the budget deficit since summer, in line with the commitments made. The document also contains details of the recent budget revision and plans to save public money. The Bucharest government has committed to reducing the budget deficit – the largest in the EU – by nearly 1% of GDP compared to last year and to keeping public spending within the 2.8% limit. Otherwise, Brussels could cut off Romania’s funding, which is mainly provided through two programs – the National Recovery and Resilience Mechanism and the Cohesion Plan. The Minister of Investments and European Projects, Dragoş Pîslaru, said that Romania is in a paradoxical situation: it has a very large budget deficit, but at the same time it is sitting on a pile of European money. He believes that, by the end of next year, Romania should absorb €13 billion through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism and about €5 billion through cohesion policy.
ENERGY – Parliament has amended the legislation on protected areas, in order to allow the completion of hydropower projects started decades ago. Initially rejected by the Senate, the bill was adopted on Wednesday by a large majority in the Chamber of Deputies. The leader of the Social-Democratic senators, Daniel Zamfir, one of the initiators of the project, invoked the need for new production units to ensure national energy security. He specified that all hydropower objectives will be completed as a matter of urgency. Representatives of USR were the only ones who voted against, because they consider the amendments harmful, unconstitutional and at odds with European legislation. Deputy Allen Coliban complained that the document was supported with false arguments. He believes that being a patriot does not require cutting down forests and damaging the environment, but identifying real solutions.
NATO – NATO Defense Ministers met at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels for a first discussion on the plans set out at the Hague summit and the related financing, in particular the gradual increase in national defense spending to 5% of GDP. Another topic discussed is the status of the new deterrence and defense operation on the Eastern Flank, entitled Eastern Sentinel, designed to fend off incursions by Russian drones and aircraft into allied airspace. In this regard, 9 member states have so far announced deliveries of equipment and military personnel to contribute to the equipment of this operation. Thus, to date, France has delivered 3 Rafale fighter jets and a transport aircraft for ammunition and supplies. Germany has contributed 4 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, and the Czech Republic 3 helicopters, accompanied by around 150 support personnel. The United Kingdom has provided 2 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, supported by a Voyager aerial refueling aircraft. Italy has sent an air defense system and an early warning aircraft. Denmark has contributed 2 F-35 fighter jets and a frigate. Turkey has sent one of its air warning and control aircraft to Lithuania, and Spain and Sweden have announced their contributions and are about to make them available. All these resources devoted to Operation Sentinel East will add to those already deployed by NATO on the Eastern Flank.
PENSIONS – The Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday adopted the draft law on the payment of private pensions. The main regulation is that people who opt to withdraw money from privately administered funds will initially receive only 30% of the amount, and the rest will be spaced out over eight years. As an exception, patients with oncological diseases can withdraw the full amount. Previously, depositors could withdraw all their money in a single installment, if they did not opt for spaced-out payments. Over 9.3 million Romanians are enrolled in the private pension system, and the assets total the equivalent of over 10% of the country’s GDP.
PROJECT– The Romanian Interior Ministry has launched the “Traffic Safety” project for public debate, which includes measures to increase road safety in Romania, as well as simplified public services for citizens. According to Minister Cătălin Predoiu, the project seeks to ensure inter-institutional collaboration for a unified and efficient response, the integrated use of traffic data and information, the simplification of administrative processes and correct, constant and accessible communication for citizens. Police data shows that, last year, almost 1,500 people died in road accidents, and over 3,000 were seriously injured. This year, over 900 people lost their lives. The Interior Ministry proposes, among other things, the integration into the e-Sigur traffic monitoring system of the police and cameras of local authorities and the Road Company. At the same time, the concept of “average speed” is introduced, as well as a simplified mechanism for determining sanctions. Romania has the lowest level of road safety in the European Union. (VP)
