June 24, 2025
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 24.06.2025, 13:55
The Hague – Romania’s President, Nicuşor Dan, is participating, starting today, in the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, which, in the face of threats from Russia, is to decide on the increase of defense budgets in allied countries to 5% of the Gross Domestic Product within nine years at the most. According to a press release from the Romanian Presidential Administration, Nicuşor Dan will support the gradual increase in military spending and the consolidation of NATO’s deterrence and defense posture. He will also highlight the crucial importance of the transatlantic bond and collective defense, based on Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. Radio Romania’s correspondent reports that the two-day summit will reconfirm the United States’ commitment to the alliance, its support for Ukraine and the definition of Russia as the main threat to the continent’s security. On the eve of the meeting, the Dutch government announced that it had repelled several cyber attacks by pro-Russian hackers.
Government – As of Monday evening, Romania has a new government with full powers. The Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has promised to balance the state’s finances, as the deficit is unsustainable. There will be three priority directions: order in the public finances, good governance and respect for citizens, the Prime Minister also said at the investiture vote in Parliament. Many measures will be unpopular, the PM admitted before Parliament, and the first reforms will start with the state and the political clientele.
Competitiveness – Romania ranks 49th in this year’s global competitiveness ranking, a ranking in which Switzerland, Singapore and Hong Kong are on the podium, shows a press release from the Center for Technological Information, transmitted to AGERPRES news agency on Tuesday. According to the World Competitiveness Yearbook – 2025 edition, Romania loses nine places in ‘Economic Performance’ (down to 56th place), but climbs four places in ‘Government Efficiency’ (to 44th place), four places in ‘Business Environment Efficiency’ (50th), as well as six places in ‘Infrastructure’ (position 45). The Center for Technological Information specialists explain that Romania’s ‘Economic Performance’ has decreased due to the way the economy has moved in general, reflected in the values of macroeconomic indicators that show that the economic engine is in a lower gear.
Agreement – The new government in Bucharest, sworn in on Monday, will operate on the basis of a coalition agreement signed by the leaders of the four pro-European parties that make it up: PSD, PNL, USR and UDMR. The document is valid until 2028, the year in which new parliamentary elections will be held. According to the agreement, the new Cabinet will have 16 ministries, 5 deputy prime ministers – one designated by each pro-European party – plus a deputy prime minister for the reform of the state apparatus. The protocol also stipulates that the government will operate on a ‘rotational’ basis: until April 2027, the government team will be led by the Liberal Ilie Bolojan, and from April 2027 to December 2028 by a representative designated by the Social Democratic Party.
Parliament – The Romanian parliamentarians are electing the speakers of the two chambers today, after the incumbents of these positions, Ilie Bolojan and Ciprian Şerban, became prime minister and minister of transport, respectively, in Monday’s inauguration vote. The speaker of the Chamber of Deputies is going to be the interim leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Sorin Grindeanu, and for the Senate, the National Liberal Party (PNL) has proposed Mircea Abrudean for the position of speaker. Also in Parliament, the hearing of candidates for the positions of judge at the Constitutional Court is taking place in the legal committees. (LS)
