The Week in Review, June 16-20

A review of the week's most important events.

Newsroom, 21.06.2025, 14:00

POLITICS

Romanian President Nicusor Dan on Friday appointed the interim leader of the National Liberal party, Ilie Bolojan, as Prime Minister. The head of state held consultations, on Thursday, with the political parties and groups represented in Parliament, to nominate the candidate for the PM position. The appointment comes after weeks of intense and difficult negotiations between the President and the leaders of the four pro-European parties in  Parliament, namely, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), The National Liberal party (PNL), the Save Romania Union (USR) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR). MPs with the National Minorities Group also took part in the negotiations.

STRIKE

Romanian teachers in schools, high schools and universities, employees in libraries and research institutes were on a Japanese strike on Wednesday. Trade unionists are unhappy with the austerity measures circulated in the public space: the increase in the teaching norm, the lowering of the salary threshold according to which vacation vouchers and food allowance are granted, as well as the elimination of the allowance for the scientific title of PhD. In addition, teachers may have to work eight hours a day. Acting Minister of Education Daniel David said that, at this moment, there is no question of reducing teachers’ salaries or laying off teachers in education and research. He claims that the messages carried by the unionists contain, in addition to absolutely real things, also rumors and interpretations.

PNRR

The European Parliament proposes to the European Commission that the countries in the community bloc receive 18 more months to complete the projects they have already started and which are financed with money from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Another suggestion is that the money from the PNRR be moved to alternative financing mechanisms, such as cohesion policy or the future competitiveness fund, so that investments can continue. Drafted by Romanian MEPs Victor Negrescu (PSD–S&D) and Siegfried Mureşan (PNL–PPE), the Parliament proposal is to go to the European Commission. If the Commission accepts it, the current regulation on the functioning of the recovery and resilience mechanism will have to be amended, and the change must be approved by both the Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

EVACUATIONS

The evacuation of  the Romanian citizens and their family members from the conflict zone in the Middle East has continued.  The evacuation, whose costs are covered by the state, was carried out with aircraft of the Romanian Air Force or of the national air carrier Tarom. The Government will continue, through ministries, diplomatic missions and intelligence services, to provide assistance to Romanians from the armed conflict zone, including through new evacuations, if the situation requires it.

FESTIVAL

June 20 is the first day of the famous Sibiu International Theatre Festival (central Romania). More than 830 events are scheduled until June 29, with around 5,000 artists from over 80 countries. The military conflict between Israel and Iran is also having an impact on the festival program. The performances that two renowned Israeli dance companies were scheduled to hold have been canceled, due to flight bans in their country, the organizers announced. Vertigo Dance Company was supposed to perform twice the show “Bread from Heaven/Manna”, while Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company was due to perform “Best of Kibbutz”. Both shows had been sold-out. The president of the festival, actor Constantin Chiriac, announced that people who had purchased tickets can get their money back and that solutions are being sought to complete the program on the days when the Israeli artists’ program was scheduled.

FOOTBALL

The Romanian national squad, host of the final tournament, qualified, for the first time, to the semifinals of a European Under-19 Football Championship, after defeating the Danish team in Bucharest, 3-0. Spain won the group, with 9 points, followed by Romania, 6, Denmark, 3, and Montenegro, 0 points. In the semifinals, the Romanian juniors will meet the Netherlands, on Monday evening. At the European Under-21 Championship, held in Slovakia, Romania recorded defeats in the group, with Italy, Spain and the host country. Also this week, the Romanian club teams found out their opponents in the European cups. According to the draw at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the Romanian champion FCSB plays in the first preliminary round of the Champions League against Inter Club d’Escaldes, from Andorra. In the Europa League, runner-up CFR Cluj (north-west) will face Hungarian side Paksi FC. Universitatea Craiova (south) will face FK Sarajevo, from Bosnia, and Universitatea Cluj will play FC Ararat, from Armenia, in the second preliminary round of the Conference League. (EE)