August 29, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 29.08.2025, 20:28
MEASURES The government in Bucharest has endorsed 5 out of the 6 legislative bills part of the Package 2 of measures aimed at curbing the country’s budget deficit. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has announced the sixth package referring to the public administration will be tackled on Sunday. This provides for slashing over 6 thousand unoccupied positions in the local administration as well as the introduction of some performance indicators at the level of city halls. The Prime Minister has voiced confidence that by the end of next week all the six packages will be endorsed through assuming responsibility in Parliament. On Friday the new reforms got the green-light from the Economic and Social Council, while Bolojan held talks on the issue with trade unions and employers associations within the Three-Party National Council for Social Dialogue. Six bills are part of the second package of measures aimed at curbing Romania’s budget deficit. So, regarding the magistrate pensions, the retirement age is to become 65 in 2036 and the 70% ceiling from the net income is to be maintained. In terms of fiscal streamlining, new mechanisms for combating tax evasion are to be introduced such as the elimination of the minimum revenue tax starting the fiscal year 2026. Companies will have to open a bank account or an account with the state treasury. Higher taxes will be levied on transportation and polluting vehicles. As for the reform in the healthcare sector, hospital managers will be hired on contracts with performance indicators and the chiefs of the county insurance houses will need at least two years in management expertise.
MAE The Russian ambassador in Bucharest, Vladimir Lipaev, has been summoned at the Romanian Foreign Ministry after the recent Russian attacks against Ukraine. We recall that at least 23 people, including at least 4 children, were killed yesterday in a Russian attack against Kyiv, which caused numerous civilian casualties and significant material damage including to the buildings housing the European Union Delegation and British Council. The attack has also caused large-scale international protests. “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,” the diplomacy in Bucharest says. According to the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry all efforts must be made to hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.
MOLDOVA In the Republic of Moldova the campaign for the legislative elections due on September 28 officially started on Friday. 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.
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