June 3, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 03.06.2025, 13:55
GOVERNMENT Romania could have a new Cabinet in 2 weeks, after negotiations on a government programme have been completed and a political agreement has been reached between the pro-European parties in Parliament, president Nicuşor Dan said. He mentioned that at the moment an expert-level task force is looking for solutions to reduce the budget deficit. On Thursday, the group will present a conclusion of the talks so far. On the other hand, according to official sources, the Supreme Defence Council is to convene this month, to include the fight against large-scale tax evasion in the national defence strategy. According to president Nicuşor Dan, the effects of the fight against large-scale tax evasion will be seen next year.
DEFICIT The Romanian authorities will carry on talks with the European Commission regarding the measures to be taken so as to meet the 7% deficit target, and are hoping for a fair approach for our country. The statement comes from the interim finance minister, Tánczos Barna, in the context in which the Commission is to decide on Wednesday whether or not to propose the suspension of Romania’s access to EU funding over delays in implementing the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Tánczos Barna mentioned that discussions on this topic have been held in Brussels since January, providing details about the budget, the impact of the decisions made so far and ways to meet the deficit target.
DISASTER The situation is worsening in Praid, in Harghita County (central Romania), where dozens of homes and guesthouses located in the vicinity of the Salt Mine have been evacuated to prevent risks generated by a prospective collapse of the floor affected by recent massive water infiltration caused by rainfall. The interim finance minister and deputy PM Tanczos Barna explained that the worst-case scenario analysed by experts from the country and abroad has been taken into account. The situation is constantly monitored and works are about to begin to divert the stream in the area, in order to limit infiltration. Experts have also agreed on a technical solution to prevent future flooding at the Salt Mine. Concurrently, central authorities have introduced 2 state aid schemes for Praid, totaling EUR 60 million: a first one to address the damage caused by the floods in the salt mine, which will benefit companies that carried out economic activity underground, and another one for about 200 companies that had relied on the tourist activity around Praid. For the households affected by floods, the government is expected to adopt another decision this week.
RELIGIOUS SERVICE A solemn event took place in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Monday, celebrating the Romanian Greek Catholic Cardinal Iuliu Hossu, as 2025 is dedicated to him at national level, and marking the start of his recognition as Righteous Among the Nations for his efforts to save Jews during the Holocaust. The Romanian violinist Alexandru Tomescu performed music works, and a member of Iuliu Hossu’s family read excerpts from the cardinal’s memoirs. Cardinal Iuliu Hossu’s motto, “Our faith is our life,” could become the motto of each of us, and what he did for the Jews in Romania makes him an example of a man who was free, brave and generous to the point of the ultimate sacrifice, said Pope Leo XIV, who attended the commemoration.
UNEMPLOYMENT The unemployment rate in Romania was 5.7% in April 2025, down 0.3% compared to March, according to the National Statistics Institute. The number of unemployed people aged 15-74 in April was 467,000 people, lower than the 490,000 registered in March but higher than in the corresponding period in 2024. According to the INS, the high 25% unemployment rate among young people, aged 15-24, recorded between January and March 2025, still causes concern.
SUMMIT The leaders of NATO’s eastern flank and Nordic countries reaffirmed their political, military, economic and humanitarian support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, as well as their commitment to increase military spending, at the B9 summit in Vilnius on Monday. Romania was represented by president Nicusor Dan, who stressed the importance of continuing aid to Romania’s neighbours, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. He voiced hope that a decision to increase military spending will be made at the summit in The Hague at the end of this month.
MOLDOVA The foreign ministry of the Republic of Moldova has issued a travel alert to Russia as the security situation in the region is worsening, and following cases of authorities applying coercive measures against foreign nationals. Based on the state’s obligation to guarantee the security of its citizens, the ministry recommends avoiding non-essential travel to the Russian Federation. The source warns of Russian practices such as detention upon crossing the border or during raids, arbitrary application of laws, transfer to preventive detention centres, administrative sanctions or criminal charges, without conclusive evidence, and the risk of harassment or abusive detention by law enforcement agencies. (AMP)
