October 21, 2025

A roundup of local and international news.

Elena Enache, 21.10.2025, 13:55

MEETING – Romania’s Prime Minister, Ilie Bolojan, received, on Tuesday, the visit of the Head of the Chancellery of South Korea’s President, Kang Hoon Sik, who is on an official visit to Bucharest. He is accompanied by a delegation made up of government officials and representatives of strategic South Korean companies. The meeting takes place in a symbolic context, in which Romania and the Republic of Korea mark 35 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. The discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between Romania and the Republic of Korea, in the context of the strategic partnership between the two countries. The visit of the South Korean delegation aimed to present cooperation opportunities in the field of the defense industry, with an emphasis on South Korean investments in the production of military equipment and on joint technological development projects. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan mentioned that Romania already has a contract in place with Hanwha Aerospace for the acquisition and production of K9 ‘Thunder’ self-propelled howitzers and reiterated the Romanian Government’s interest in possible future collaborations with South Korean partners, both in the field of defense and in other economic and technological sectors of common interest.

WAGE – The leaders of the ruling coalition in Bucharest are expected to resume discussions today regarding the minimum wage in the economy for next year. Its level should increase according to a European directive to which Romania has aligned itself and which correlates income with the cost of living. The leaders of the parties in power, PSD-PNL-USR-UDMR, have not agreed, however, on this topic so far. There is no consensus either among the representatives of employers and unions who met at the Ministry of Labor on Monday. The parties in the coalition are also deciding today the date of the elections for the position of general mayor of the capital city, which remained vacant after the victory in the presidential elections of the former mayor, Nicusor Dan. Two options are on the table, both involving the organization of an election at the end of this year – November 30 or December 7. Afterwards, the coalition parties must decide whether they will have a joint or separate candidate. PSD threatened to leave the coalition if PNL and USR propose a joint candidate for Bucharest.

FOOD SECURITY – Romania is a strategic hub for Europe’s food security, said Holger Kray, World Bank’s Regional Manager for Agriculture and Food, emphasizing that the war in Ukraine has transformed the Port of Constanta into a strategic corridor for European agricultural trade. “Romania and Eastern Europe are at the forefront of European food security. Investing today in digital agriculture, risk management and the modernization of agri-food chains is not an act of generosity, but a strategic necessity — for farmers, for stability and for Europe’s food sovereignty,” said Holger Kray at the national conference AGRI4FUTURE Romania – Objective 2035, staged by the Romanian Farmers’ Club. The World Bank representative stressed that Romania plays an essential role in the EU’s agri-food stability, being one of the few countries that can contribute decisively to the resilience of supply chains.

INVESTIGATION – Anti-graft prosecutors are conducting searches in several counties in Romania in a case investigating tax evasion crimes in the field of car purchases. Judicial sources have stated that three people are suspected of tax evasion in this case, and the damage amounts to approximately 29 million lei (about 6 million euros).

SCHENGEN – The first evaluation report of Romania after its full accession to the Schengen area is the reason why the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, paid a visit to Romania on Monday, where he participated in several working meetings. The first of these, with President Nicuşor Dan, focused on the protection of the EU’s external borders, especially in the context of a hybrid war, and the way in which the Union states will cooperate to deal with this phenomenon. The visit of the European official ended at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where Magnus Brunner thanked Romania for the efforts it is making to limit illegal migration and voiced appreciation at the way that IT system were implemented at border crossing points.

UKRAINE – The EU’s focus on further support for Ukraine will be debated today in the Strasbourg Parliament. MEPs are also due to vote on changes to the EU driving licence, including a new type of digital licence that can be accessed on a mobile phone. The draft legislation will introduce additional requirements for future drivers, including increased awareness of pedestrians, children, cyclists and other vulnerable road users. The European Commission’s view on the recent Middle East peace agreement and the EU’s role in this context will also be presented in the European Parliament’s plenary. The European Council and the European Commission will also provide clarifications on the first annual European report on asylum and migration and the creation of the annual solidarity fund. The two European bodies will also provide clarifications on an important issue related to the work of journalists – it is about the criminal intimidation of investigative journalists in the EU.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian qualified for the round of 16 of the WTA 500 tournament in Tokyo, with a total prize pool of $1,064,510, after defeating Russian Alina Cearaeva 6-2, 6-3. Jaqueline Cristian (42 WTA) secured a check of $15,700 and 60 WTA points, and in the round of 16 she will face another Russian, Ekaterina Alexandrova (10 WTA), the third favorite. (EE)