August 16, 2025 UPDATE (I)

The latest from domestic and international news

Newsroom, 16.08.2025, 19:47

Summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that he plans to travel to Washington on Monday to meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump, following the latter’s meeting in Alaska (US) with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports. He said his country supports a trilateral meeting with the US and Russia and stressed that Europe should be part of the discussions at all stages. The summit attended by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday ended without any agreement on a ceasefire in Ukraine. The US president said that some progress had been made and that, for the time being, he was postponing additional sanctions. For his part, Vladimir Putin said he wanted an end to the conflict in Ukraine, but only after its causes had been eliminated. He also issued a veiled threat to Ukraine and its European allies, telling them to refrain from provocations and behind-the-scenes schemes. In an interview with Fox News after the meeting, Trump explained that Volodymyr Zelensky must show that he is willing to make a deal. The American leader added that both he and Vladimir Putin agreed that there should be an exchange of territories, an option that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. The international press comments that the meeting represents a victory for Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and has been isolated by the West in recent years. The Russian leader was welcomed with a red carpet and traveled in the same limousine as Donald Trump, which is unusual at this level of protocol.

Reactions. A group of European leaders pledged on Saturday to continue supporting Ukraine and maintaining pressure on Russia, following the meeting in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. A joint statement was issued by several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after they were briefed by Donald Trump on his discussions with Vladimir Putin. European leaders reject any restrictions on arms deliveries to Kyiv and oppose halting Ukraine’s integration into the EU and NATO, the joint statement also said. They say they are ready to facilitate a summit between Donald Trump (US), Volodymyr Zelensky (Ukraine) and Vladimir Putin (Russia).

Rating. The international rating agency Fitch has maintained Romania’s sovereign rating at “BBB minus” with a negative outlook. “Fitch’s decision, in a sensitive fiscal and budgetary context, reconfirms confidence in the Romanian Government’s measures and plans,” said Minister Alexandru Nazare. In the agency’s opinion, the decision is supported by Romania’s EU membership and capital inflows from the EU, which provide support for real income convergence and external financing. This solidity is offset by large and persistent budget and current account deficits, rapid growth in public debt, political polarization, and fairly high net external debt, according to the financial rating agency’s statement. The negative outlook reflects the significant deterioration in Romania’s public finances, as evidenced by the high fiscal deficit and the rapid increase in the government debt-to-GDP ratio. Political uncertainties have eased, and the new government has introduced an ambitious fiscal consolidation package. However, there are significant risks to fiscal consolidation in the medium term due to weak economic growth, implementation difficulties, fiscal fatigue, and high political polarization, Fitch warns.

Taxes. The Ministry of Finance in Bucharest has published new proposals for taxes and duties to be included in Package II of measures to reduce the budget deficit. Health contributions will be increased for those with income from self-employment, and owners with income from short-term rentals will be required to use cash registers and issue receipts. Another proposed measure is to increase tax rates on stock market gains, i.e., income from the transfer of securities and transactions with derivative financial instruments. Thus, the tax rates of 1% and 3% will increase to 2% and 4%, respectively. These provisions are in addition to those presented a few days ago by Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare regarding the taxation of multinationals in the area where they export their profits. At the same time, a fixed tax of 25 lei (about 5 euros) will be introduced for each parcel under 150 euros coming from non-EU countries, such as China or Turkey.

Gaudeamus. The Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair continued on Saturday in Sibiu (city center). Over 40 book industry professionals, from well-known publishers to distributors and educational material producers, are attending the event. This year’s edition will take place until Sunday in the city’s Piața Mare. Fifteen exhibition pavilions await readers, with publishing events and other surprises. For those who cannot make it to Sibiu, the physical fair will be complemented by an online edition, hosted by the gaudeamus.ro website. The honorary president of this edition is the Sibiu-based essayist Ion Dur.

Award. Romanian actress Katia Pascariu received the Boccalino d’Oro award for best actress at the Locarno International Film Festival for her performance in the film “Sorella di Clausura,” directed by Ivana Mladenović. The award is given by the Independent Critics Jury and praises “the authenticity of her performance and her ability to illuminate the film with humor and authenticity.” The film received rave reviews in the international press and tells the story of Stela, a young woman from a village in Timișoara who dreams of meeting a Balkan singer, exploring themes such as the search for happiness and the imperative of success. The Romania-Serbia-Italy-Spain co-production had its official premiere on August 13 in Locarno and will continue its festival run in Sarajevo, where it will be screened on August 21 and 22. Katia Pascariu is also known for her role in the feature film “Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc” (Trouble in Paradise or Crazy Porn), directed by Radu Jude, which won the Golden Bear in Berlin in 2021. The film analyzes the relationship between the individual and society, starting from the consequences of an amateur porn clip uploaded by a middle school teacher on a specialized website. For her role in this film, Katia Pascariu was nominated by the New York Times among the best actors of 2021.

Holiday. This is the busiest weekend on the Romanian coast this summer, with the St. Mary’s mini-holiday. The most popular resorts are Eforie, Mamaia Nord, Vama Veche, and Costinești, according to the RESTO Constanța Employers’ Association. The organization also shows that, according to authorized accommodation facilities, there are currently 155,000 official tourists at the seaside, but in reality their number is higher by several tens of thousands, as there are many unauthorized accommodation facilities. In this context, the authorities are asked to identify illegal rentals, in thousands of untaxed villas and apartments, as well as illicit trade on beaches and in the kitchens of private homes. On the other hand, many Romanians have chosen mountain resorts, guesthouses, and hotels in Braşov County (center) for this mini-vacation, which are almost full. Nearly 9,000 police officers are on duty nationwide these days to ensure public order and safety. Traffic police are calling on drivers to drive carefully, obey speed limits, and avoid dangerous overtaking. They are also supported by the General Aviation Inspectorate to benefit from better aerial surveillance of traffic. (MI)