August 29, 2025
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 29.08.2025, 13:55
POPULATION The number of Romanians residing in the country had dropped by 31,545 people by January 1, 2025, compared to the beginning of the previous year, to 19,036,031 inhabitants. Meanwhile, aging continues to accelerate, with a ratio of 130 elderly people to 100 people under 15, according to data made public by the National Statistics Institute (INS) on Friday. According to official statistics, the main cause of the decrease in the number of inhabitants was the negative natural increase (the difference between the number of live births and deaths)—101,800 people. On January 1, 2025, 9.768 million people were living in urban communities, down 1.3% compared to the corresponding period in 2024. Also, the female population in the same period was 9.777 million, down 0.2%. INS data indicates that demographic aging has deepened, with the share of the elderly (aged 65 and over) staying on an upward trend.
UKRAINE The Romanian foreign ministry condemns the major air raid by Russia’s invasion army on Kyiv, which caused many civilian casualties and significant damage, including to the buildings hosting the European Union Delegation (EUDEL) and the British Council. “It is yet another blatant proof of Russia’s total contempt for international peace efforts. These attacks add to the long list of war crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Bucharest emphasized. According to the ministry, all efforts must be made to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable. “Romania fully stands in solidarity with Ukraine and its legitimate fight to defend its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Our thoughts go out to the victims of the attack and their families, as well as to the staff of EUDEL and the British Council,” the foreign ministry also said. According to international news agencies, the updated death toll in Kyiv has reached 23, including at least four children.
ENSCU FESTIVAL A very busy programme today in the George Enescu International Festival. The National Opera House in Bucharest hosts the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, while two concerts are scheduled at the Romanian Athenaeum, featuring “Sinfonia Varsovia” Orchestra and the Preludiu Chamber Choir conducted by Voicu Enăchescu, and the Transylvania Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir from Cluj. Other events in the festival scheduled take place today in Constanţa, Timişoara and Bacău. Until September 21, over 80 ensembles, symphony orchestras, choirs and chamber groups from 28 countries will perform. Radio Romania is a co-producer of the “George Enescu” International Festival.
GOVERNMENT The second set of fiscal measures aimed at reducing budget spending contains 6 bills, which target taxation, local administration reform, healthcare and state-owned enterprises, as well as a reform of special pensions for magistrates. The bills are currently reviewed by the Economic and Social Council, and will be analysed once again in a special government meeting. Subsequently, the entire set of measures will be sent to Parliament. The government will assume responsibility before Parliament for this second set of legislation, as it did for the first one.
MOLDOVA In the Republic of Moldova the campaign for the legislative elections due on September 28 officially started today. Under the law, the election campaign ends on September 26. Four electoral blocs, 21 political parties and 7 independent candidates have submitted the required documents to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) to be registered as candidates. Moldova’s pro-Western president Maia Sandu addressed citizens on this occasion, emphasising the importance of the September 28 election and warning against the risks to which the democratic process is subject. “Our democracy is increasingly under attack by foreign forces which seek to buy our votes with dirty money, which spread lies and try to scare us through destabilising actions. We see how people who openly work for Russia, not for Moldova, act to destroy the fairness of elections and undermine our future,” the Moldovan president said.
FOOTBALL Romania’s football champions FCSB (Bucharest) qualified for the Europa League main stage after defeating the Scottish side Aberdeen FC 3-0 on Thursday night in the decisive play-off leg. Last week, in the first leg in Scotland, FCSB drew 2-2. Also on Thursday, Universitatea Craiova qualified for the first time in the Conference League main stage, after defeating the Turkish side Istanbul Bashakshehir 3-1 on home turf. The first leg had been 2-1 for the Romanians. Also in the Conference League, runners-up CFR Cluj managed a historic 1-0 home victory over the Swedish side BK Haecken, but missed out on qualification after an unprecedented 2-7 away defeat in the first leg of the play-offs. The teams coached by former Romanian national team coaches are also moving up in European cups: Legia Warsaw (Poland), led by Edward Iordănescu in the Conference League, and PAOK Thessaloniki (Greece), with Răzvan Lucescu coaching, in the Europa League. (AMP)
