September 15, 2025 UPDATE (2)
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 15.09.2025, 20:00
OECD – Romania has reported major progress in the process of joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, president Nicuşor Dan said after meeting in Bucharest with the Secretary-General of the OECD, Mathias Cormann. President Dan said that over half of the 25 technical assessment criteria have been successfully met and that, at this pace, Romania will join the organization by 2026. In turn, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan confirmed that Romania is getting closer to achieving this goal. The OECD Secretary General also visited the Romanian Senate. “Joining this organization is the most important strategic objective for Romania after NATO and EU membership, and the Senate fully reasserts its support for attaining that goal”, Senate Speaker Mircea Abrudean said. Mathias Cormann also met with Chamber of Deputies Speaker, Sorin Grindeanu. Talks focused on ways of accelerating Romania’s process of OECD accession. Joining the OECD will bring Romania substantial benefits, Mathias Cormann said in turn, adding that in the coming months, an economic analysis will be conducted. The results will be published in March 2026, which is the last step in the accession process.
MOTION – The simple motion filed against Education Minister, Daniel David, was rejected, on Monday, by the plenary session of the Senate in Bucharest. “Romania is facing an unprecedented crisis in the field of education, and under the leadership of Minister Daniel David, the education system has been subjected to brutal austerity measures, lies, manipulation and contempt for the real needs of students, parents and teachers”, the motion reads. The initiators highlighted that the reason for the adopted measures – cutting the budget deficit – will save merely 0.02% of GDP, according to the Fiscal Council. During the debate, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said that the decisions regarding the reform package do not necessarily belong to the Ministry of Education, but to the coalition, which took into account the real situation in Romania. In turn, Minister David said that no head of the education system has lost his position as a result of the fiscal-budgetary measures undertaken by the Government. Teachers are dissatisfied with the increase in teaching hours, the decrease in hourly pay, the merger of several educational units and the increase in the maximum number of students in classes. After protests organized by the education union federations during the summer holidays, unions staged a large rally on September 8, the official start of the school year.
PROTEST – Several thousand public administration employees protested, on Monday, in Bucharest, against the staff reduction measures announced by the executive. They believe that the unilateral decision taken by the government is generating a deadlock in the public sector and demand negotiations resume between the authorities and trade unions. Otherwise, unionists threaten to launch a general strike. The protest was also attended government employees, who interrupted their activity and launched a spontaneous protest. Also on Monday, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan consulted with representatives of trade unions regarding the reform of the public administration and heard their demands, highlighting the need for proper personnel planning and responsible public resource management. Representatives of trade unions expressed their openness towards the reform process, but called for continuing talks and the establishment of a legislative timetable, expressing their willingness to cancel protest actions if the government is willing to engage in a constructive dialogue.
SYSTEM – Starting October 12, Romania and other EU member states will operationalize the Entry/Exit System (EES), a modern control tool at the external border of the Schengen Area, the General Inspectorate of Border Police (IGPF) announced on Monday. The EES is an electronic system that records the date and place of entry and exit of third-country nationals admitted for short-term stays – including citizens of the Republic of Moldova, as well as their alphanumeric and biometric data (facial image and four fingerprints), and calculates the duration of their authorized stay. The system does not restrict existing travel rights, but offers a faster and more secure verification mechanism, gradually replacing the stamping of travel documents. Romania will use the phased system, initially at selected crossing points, and then gradually expand it until full implementation at the entire external border, within a maximum period of 170 calendar days.
POETRY – Poets from over 30 countries are this week taking part in the 15th edition of the Bucharest International Poetry Festival, running from Monday to Sunday. Over 60 events are scheduled, but there will also be over 220 public reading sessions, featuring reputed international poets from over 30 countries, alongside Romanian authors such as Ana Blandiana, Dinu Flămând, Magda Cârneci, Octavian Soviany. A special element this year will be thematic poetry evenings, dedicated to national literature and contemporary poetic communities, organized in partnership with embassies and cultural institutes in Bucharest. (VP)
