THE WEEK IN REVIEW
1-5 September, 2025
Daniela Budu, 06.09.2025, 13:31
President Nicușor Dan at the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting for Ukraine
Romania supports the adoption of additional sanctions against Russia, President Nicușor Dan said on Thursday, after participating via videoconference in the Paris meeting of countries supporting Kiev. ‘I appreciate the hard work and progress in obtaining robust security guarantees for Ukraine,’ the president said on a social network. He added that transatlantic unity and coordination ‘are our strong point in the face of Russia.’ According to Nicușor Dan, US involvement remains crucial in the joint efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and a lasting peace in Ukraine. The head of state also stressed the importance of the Alliance’s Eastern Flank. The president added: ‘Consolidated security for Ukraine and the continued consolidation of NATO’s posture on the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea are interdependent. Continuing support for the Republic of Moldova and its democratic and European path is equally important for the overall security and stability in our region,’.
European leaders in Romania
On Monday, visiting Romania, at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Military Base in Constanța County (southeast), the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed Romania’s involvement in maintaining security on the Eastern Flank. ‘Help us keep Europe safe by air and sea on the Black Sea. Romania is an asset for European security and a key partner on NATO’s Eastern Flank,’ the leader from Brussels declared during the meeting with President Nicușor Dan. Furthermore, she recalled the defense package approved at the community level, worth 800 billion euros by 2030, part of this package being the 150 billion euro SAFE program, to which 19 countries, including Romania, have signed up. For his part, Nicușor Dan stated that Romania will start extracting gas from the Black Sea in 2027, which will lead to both the country’s and Europe’s energy security. European solidarity is important in this complicated period, with pressure coming from the Russian Federation, stated, on the other hand, the head of state. Nicușor Dan also mentioned European solidarity during his meeting with the President of the European Council, António Costa, who was in Bucharest on Wednesday. The discussions focused on the security situation and the European Union’s strategy for the Black Sea. António Costa highlighted Romania’s role in European security. ‘We all support your security. We know that we depend to a large extent on Romania’s security,’ added the President of the European Council.
The Romanian government takes responsibility again
The government in Bucharest has taken responsibility again in the plenary session of Parliament, this time on five projects that target magistrates’ pensions, the reform of the healthcare system, the reorganization of public companies, the restructuring of regulatory authorities and the introduction of fiscal measures to combat tax evasion and increase local revenues. The public administration reform, which is part of the same package, has been postponed by two weeks. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced, after a meeting with President Nicuşor Dan and the leaders of the PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR and national minorities coalition, that by the middle of this month, a working group from the Romanian government will identify measures to reduce the number of positions in local administration by 10%. He stated that work is also being done to reduce positions in the central administration, where he believes the staff is overstaffed. The figures displease the unions in the administration, which announced that they would launch a general strike if the government adopts these measures. AUR, the ultranationalist and populist opposition in the Romanian Parliament, attacked the executive with four motions of censure on four of the five bills for which it has taken responsibility. It left untouched by the motion the amendments to the law regulating magistrates’ pensions, which limit their amount and gradually increase the retirement age in the judicial system. The Alliance for the Unity of Romanians criticizes, in the four motions, what it considers to be legislative abuses and austerity measures adopted by taking responsibility, without debate, consultations, or a parliamentary vote.
IMF Delegation in Bucharest
Romania needs to stabilize and consolidate public finances, and not because the International Monetary Fund says so or because other external partners of the country consider it so – says Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare. After the meeting with IMF experts on mission in Bucharest, the minister wrote, in a message on a social network, that a voluntary adjustment is always smoother than an imposed one, and what the authorities are doing during this period is to rebuild a foundation weakened by the high budget deficit. According to the minister, the discussions focused on the evolution of the Romanian economy and the recent packages of measures, with the IMF recognizing the efforts and firm commitment of the current Government for consistent reforms. “We want a healthy and resilient economy, and everything we do during this period represents the foundation we are rebuilding, weakened by the unacceptably high deficit and the poor management of public finances in recent years.” This is the message that the minister conveyed to the IMF representatives present in Bucharest between September 3 and 12, to analyze the recent developments in the Romanian economy.
The George Enescu Festival in Romania and Chisinau
One of the most important classical music festivals in the world – the George Enescu International Festival – continues in over 20 cities in Romania and in Chisinau, through concerts and numerous related events organized in collaboration with partner institutions. This week, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Banat Timișoara Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Basel Chamber Orchestra performed, among others. The program brings together hundreds of invited artists and dozens of events: symphonic concerts, chamber recitals, exhibitions, conferences and screenings of opera and ballet performances. The XXVII edition of the Festival takes place until September 21 and marks the 70th anniversary of the death of the great Romanian composer and musician George Enescu.
