August 21, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 21.08.2025, 20:00
DEFICIT The Romanian government will take responsibility, most likely next week, for a second set of fiscal measures aimed to reduce the budget deficit. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) in opposition, has announced that the party’s MPs will submit a no-confidence motion and that MPs from other parties are expected to sign it as well.
PENSIONS The Romanian government Thursday passed a bill on the payment of privately managed pensions. Those who opt to cash out their money under the mandatory privately managed funds may initially receive only 30% of the amount, with the balance to be spread over 8 years. Two weeks ago the bill was first read by the Cabinet, and the mostly negative reactions prompted the government to resend the draft legislation to the Financial Supervision Authority. Under the original bill, the over 8.3 million Romanians who contribute to privately managed pension funds, the so-called Pillar II, were allowed to cash out a maximum of 25% of the amount after retirement, and the balance was to be paid in monthly installments over a maximum of 10 years. According to the vice-president of the Financial Supervision Authority (ASF) Ştefan Daniel Armeanu, the draft law passed by the Government on Thursday helps fulfill a strategic goal of Romania, that of joining the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
SENTENCE Vlad Pascu, the DUI driver who killed two young people and injured another three in the village of 2 Mai in August 2023 received a final 10-year prison sentence on Thursday at the Constanta Court of Appeals. The court dismissed Pascu’s appeal, upholding the sentence given by the Mangalia Court in January 2025. The judges also dismissed the appeals lodged by the prosecutors and the victims’ families, who had requested a longer sentence for Vlad Pascu. The only change made by the Constanta Court of Appeals is a decrease in the amount of compensation paid to the family of one of the victims, from EUR 50,000 to EUR 20,000. After the DUI hit-and-run, Vlad Pascu was found in a neighboring town. Investigators found out that he was under the influence of several controlled substances. He was accused of manslaughter, bodily harm, driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances, and leaving the scene of an accident.
FIRES 51 Romanian fire-fighters, part of a specialised wild fire unit, Thursday left on a mission to Spain, the Emergency Department announced. The Romanian fire-fighters will operate in the region of Galicia. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated as a result of the many wild fires affecting Spain. Specialised teams from several states, including France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, promptly responded to Spain’s request for assistance. The Romanian intervention module will operate alongside a team from Finland.
DEFENCE Romania is a reliable and active ally in the defence of NATO’s eastern flank and stands by its commitment to multidimensional and sustainable support for Ukraine, in close coordination with NATO and the EU, the defence ministry said on Thursday. Romania is also updated on and will be a party to all decisions of the Allies regarding security guarantees for Ukraine. The defence ministry added that the Romanian Air Force has F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft, and recently, a German Air Force unit was certified at the Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase, which performs reinforced air policing missions jointly with the Romanian military, for the defence of NATO airspace. Romania’s military air infrastructure is a strength on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance for deterrence and defence. Romania reaffirms its firm commitment to national and collective security, acting responsibly and in full accordance with the obligations undertaken within NATO and the EU, the defence ministry also emphasised.
DIPLOMACY The Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy will take place in Bucharest on August 25-26, the foreign ministry announced. The event will bring together the heads of Romanian diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad, as well as public officials. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Callas will also take part in the event via video link. The foreign ministers of Moldova and Poland will also be present, as well as the NATO deputy secretary general. The working sessions will address topics related to strategic security, economic diplomacy, accession to the OECD and the EU enlargement process.
VISA WAIVER The United States embassy in Bucharest Thursday announced new changes to the visa application process starting September 2, 2025. Romanians who have had a business or tourist visa that expired in the last 12 months can apply for renewal by courier, without an interview, but only if they meet strict criteria. As part of the conditions for interview exemption, citizens must submit the application within 12 months of the visa expiry date, must have been 18 on the date of the previous visa issuance, must submit the application in their home or residence country, and must not have previously had their visa denied or declared ineligible. The US embassy in Bucharest mentions that even if these conditions are met, it is up to the members of the consular service to still request an interview. Romanians were supposed to travel to the United States without visas starting April 1, 2025, after the refusal rate dropped below 3% last year. However, the Visa Waiver Program for Romania was suspended by the US authorities. (AMP)
