January 22, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 22.01.2025, 19:52
Senate. The staff of the Romanian Senate and their trade union representatives are criticising the plans announced on Wednesday by Senate speaker Ilie Bolojan to cut some 180 posts out of almost 800 and downsize the car fleet and the fuel quota by a 5th. The National Federation of Trade Unions in the Administration is denouncing what it describes as the abusive and non-transparent way in which restructuring measures are adopted and communicated. Trade unions of parliamentary public servants, contractual personnel and drivers in the senate say the reorganisation of the institution is “lacking in transparency and fairness”. They say they welcome any decision to make the activity more efficient, but that they do not understand the haste with which Bolojan wants to show his authority as senate speaker. The leader of the National Liberal Party spoke not only about the reduction of Senate staff, but also about the reorganisation of the Chamber of Deputies and a cut in the number of under-secretaries. The information was confirmed by the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Ciprian Şerban, who explained that over 200 posts would be cut and that exterior and interior lighting would be reduced.
Budget deficit. The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) on Tuesday approved Romania’s 7-year fiscal structural plan to reduce the country’s budget deficit. The plan is designed to stabilise public debt as Romania remains among the top EU member states in terms of public investment – over 7% of GDP, bringing the budget deficit below 3% in 2025-2031, the finance minister Tánczos Barna explained. The decision comes as several countries, including France, Spain, Italy and Finland, are facing similar challenges and have requested an extension of the fiscal adjustment period from 4 to 7 years, until 2031. Other topics on the ECOFIN meeting agenda include the current impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the priorities of the Polish presidency of the EU Council, the 2025 European Semester and the endorsement of the revised recovery and resilience plans for Greece, Cyprus and Spain.
Poll. 90% of Romanians reject the idea of leaving NATO, a record level of approval for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, an INSCOP survey made public on Tuesday indicates. According to the poll, based on data collected at the end of last year, Romanians’ support for the West in terms of political and military alliances has increased by 10% over the past 3 years. The poll also shows that Romania’s European Union membership is seen by almost three-quarters of respondents as an advantage in terms of its effects on economic and social life, on family and personal life. Only 55% of Romanians believed this 3 years ago.
Protest. The Bucharest metro trade unionists on Wednesday staged a protest in front of the Government headquarters, following a similar action outside the finance ministry on Tuesday. They demanded pay raises and more appropriate financing for their company. Metro employees also announced work-to-rule and token strikes to protest against measures adopted by the new government at the end of last year to cut budget expenditures.
Release. A Romanian citizen who was part of the Galaxy Leader crew captured by the Houthi rebels in Yemen more than a year ago was released on Wednesday, the foreign affairs ministry said. The entire crew of the ship flying under a Bahamas flag was freed, the ministry statement also says, adding that the Romanian national is now in a safe location. The ministry thanked all foreign partners, especially the authorities in Oman and Bulgaria, for the support to solve this case, which it describes as “complex and extremely difficult”.
US. The US president Donald Trump said new sanctions against Russia are “possible” if Moscow does not negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, AFP reports. He added the United States would consider continuing military aid to Kyiv, which has amounted to tens of billions of dollars since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Trump had previously said that Russia was heading for disaster if it refused to negotiate and sign a ceasefire or peace agreement with Ukraine. As for the Ukrainian president, Trump expects Zelensky to be willing to sign an agreement.
Cinema. A film directed by the Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude was selected to run in the competition of the Berlin International Film Festival. This is his latest work entitled Kontinental 25, a low-budget production, a black comedy about the real estate crisis and the rise of nationalism. Radu Jude says the film was shot with a mobile phone. The official selection brings together 19 titles for this year’s edition, which is taking place between the 13th and the 23rd February.
