June 10, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 10.06.2025, 19:55
Moldova. Romania supports the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union, said president Nicuşor Dan on Tuesday in Chişinău. In a joint press conference with Moldova’s president Maia Sandu, he said he was optimistic that on September 28th, when the neighbouring state will hold parliamentary elections, Moldovan citizens will stay on the European path their country has carved out for itself. President Maia Sandu appreciated that Romania has a president who is a staunch partner and friend of the Moldovan people. She also spoke about Russia’s military and hybrid threats. “We thank Romania for the support given to Ukraine. This support defends not only Ukraine, but also Moldova and Romania”, she said. Earlier on Tuesday, Romanian president Nicuşor Dan and King Felipe VI of Spain visited the Getica joint training centre in Cincu, in Braşov county. The Romanian president said this is a very challenging period for Euro-Atlantic security and emphasised that Spain has a substantial and concrete contribution to the consolidation of NATO’s eastern flank. King Felipe said Spain and Romania are firmly reconfirming their strategic partnership in the current curcumstances and noted the contribution of the Romanian community in Spain.
Consultations. Romania’s pro-western parties that could form the future government, namely the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, are resuming talks after yesterday’s meeting between president Nicuşor Dan and the leaders of the four parties ended without an agreement on measures to cut the budget deficit. Presidential advisor Radu Burnete said in a Facebook post that the president’s priority is to cut state spending, combat waste and improve the efficacy of revenue collection. After a meeting of their National Permanent Bureau, the Social Democrats said they support further investments and are opposed to measures that could lead to recession or affect low-income Romanians. The Save Romania Party said it did not see progressive taxation as acceptable and that it in order to prevent the VAT from growing, it is necessary to restructure state companies with problems.
Economy. The Romanian economy will grow by 1.3% this year, compared with 2.1% as initially forecast in January, according to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report published on Tuesday. Romania’s GDP is expected to grow by 1.9%, compared with the previous 2.6% forecast in January. The World Bank estimates that Romania’s economic growth level will improve in 2027 to reach 2.5%.
Attack. Romania’s interim prime minister Cătălin Predoiu on Tuesday sent a message of condolence following the attack at a school in Graz, Austria’s second largest city. “We strongly condemn violence and stand in solidarity with the Austrian authorities”, Predoiu posted on X. Ten people were killed, including the suspect, and several were wounded in an armed attack at a school in Graz, said the city’s mayor Elke Kahr on Tuesday. The latter said the alleged perpetrator, who is believed to be a former pupil, committed suicide. The armed attack is “a national tragedy that shook the entire country”, said chancellor Christian Stocker. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said her thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed her solidarity with Austria.
