THE WEEK IN REVIEW

August 18-22, 2025

Daniela Budu, 23.08.2025, 13:41

Security guarantees for Ukraine

Romania will contribute to solid security guarantees for Ukraine, which will be implemented through close cooperation between Europe and the US, President Nicușor Dan said on Tuesday after participating online in the Coalition of the Willing and the European Council. In a post on a social network, the head of state stressed that this is an investment in the security of Europe, not just Ukraine. According to him, the involvement of US President Donald Trump in a peace agreement for Ukraine ‘is essential’, and any peace must be just and lasting, with Europe’s role also being ‘crucial’. Nicușor Dan stressed the importance of transatlantic coordination, an element that ‘remains the strongest asset’ in deterring Moscow’s aggression, and the fact that Russia must stop killing civilians if it is truly committed to achieving peace. The head of state also said that sanctions must be maintained and, if necessary, even intensified until a peace agreement is reached. On the other hand, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Ţoiu had a discussion on Monday with the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas. “to align efforts for peace, as well as the next steps at the European level”. The head of Romanian diplomacy stated “For Romania, ensuring a long-lasting peace, and not just an indefinite pause in the war, as well as the implications for the Black Sea are essential in this process. We support a strong, common voice of the Coalition of the Willing”. And the Ministry of Defense assured, on Thursday, that Romania maintains its commitment to providing sustainable support to Ukraine, in close coordination with NATO and the European Union. The MoD conveyed that “Romania’s military air infrastructure represents a strong point on the Eastern Flank of the North Atlantic Alliance for deterrence and defense”.

Government announces assumption of responsibility for package 2 of fiscal measures

The assumption of responsibility by the Government for the second package of fiscal measures to reduce the budget deficit will most likely take place next week, announced the President of the Romanian Senate, Liberal Mircea Abrudean. He said that, at present, there are still discussions to resolve “certain ambiguities or to finalize the last details regarding this package”. In the next two weeks, the situation of the projects that will remain in the NRRP will be clarified, assured Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. We remind you that the SDP decided to no longer participate in the meetings of the coalition (PNL, PSD, USR, UDMR), dissatisfied with the measures regarding the suspension of financing for some projects carried out through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, but they are willing to participate in working groups in different fields. The Social Democrats berated the coalition partners for not being consulted in making some decisions. In opposition, the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians has already announced that it will once again use the approach of holding the executive accountable for the first package, even though the censure motion did not pass Parliament at that time. The second package regarding the reduction of the budget deficit includes fiscal measures, public administration reform, special pension reform, measures regarding the health sector, and those targeting projects from the ‘Anghel Saligny’ Program, for the modernization of local communities. The risk that the state will enter into insolvency this autumn is very high if these measures are not adopted, warned Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

Government changes rules for privately administered pensions

The Bucharest government approved, in its meeting on Thursday, the project aimed at the payment of private pensions. Thus, those who opt to withdraw money from Pillar 2, the mandatory privately administered pillar, will initially receive only 30% of the amount, and the rest of the money will be spread over 8 years. Initially, the Executive had proposed that the over 8.3 million Romanians who have privately administered pensions, after receiving the retirement decision, could withdraw a maximum of 25% of the accumulated amount, and the rest in monthly installments, over a maximum of 10 years. The reactions were mostly negative at the time, which is why the Executive sent the project back to the Financial Supervisory Authority. According to the vice president of the FSA, Ştefan Daniel Armeanu, the draft law approved by the Government on Thursday fulfills a strategic objective for Romania, which is to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Joining the OECD in 2026 remains a strategic priority – the prime minister also declared on Thursday, when he chaired the meeting of the National Committee for Romania’s Accession to this organization. The adoption of the project has sparked critical reactions from experts, who say that it limits the right of Romanians to manage their savings. Specialists consider it unacceptable to impose a minimum period of eight years for the payment of pensions, given that Romanians have the lowest healthy life expectancy upon reaching retirement age in the European Union.

Romanian firefighters in Spain and Greece

51 Romanian firefighters, who are part of the specialized module in extinguishing forest fires, have been on a mission in Spain since Thursday. According to the Department for Emergency Situations, they are operating in the Galicia region in northwestern Spain, alongside a similar team from Finland. In Greece, 40 Romanian firefighters are also helping to extinguish fires, at the Nea Makri base, alongside French firefighters. It is the second contingent, which replaced the first, and which, in the last two weeks, has supported the Greek authorities through firefighting and monitoring activities in areas at risk of fire east of Athens. The Romanian authorities announce that Romanian firefighters will be present in Greece until September 15.

Results of Romanian teams in European football cups

Romanian football champion, FCSB, from Bucharest, finished tied with Scottish team Aberdeen FC, 2-2 (1-0), on Thursday evening, at Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen, in the first leg of the Europa League football play-off. Also playing away from home was vice-champion CFR Cluj (north-west), which lost 7-2 in the match with the Swedish team BK Haecken, in the first leg of the Conference League play-off. “It’s a shameful defeat, the hardest in my 25-year career,” said CFR Cluj coach Dan Petrescu, who, following this result, announced his resignation. In the same phase of the competition, Universitatea Craiova (south) will meet, away, the Turkish team Istanbul Başakşehir. The return matches will take place next week.