September 19, 2025
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 19.09.2025, 13:55
FOOD PRICES PM Ilie Bolojan discussed on Friday with major retailers the capping of commercial mark-ups on basic foodstuffs, a measure that expires on October 1. The meeting took place amid disagreements in the ruling coalition. The Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania insist on keeping the cap, while Save Romania Union, most Liberal Party members and the PM are leaning towards scrapping this measure. Just days ago, the agriculture minister Florin Barbu (a Social Democrat) said that ending the mark-up cap would drive inflation up, and said that Social Democratic senators may submit an amendment to extend the measure. Another topic discussed by the PM with retailers concerned the promotion of Romanian products. They said they agreed with this under conditions of competitiveness, and stressed the need to increase domestic food production.
UN Romania’s foreign minister Oana Ţoiu will be on a visit to the United States between September 18 and 29, representing Romania at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly and taking part in high-level bilateral and multilateral events. During the visit, Oana Ţoiu will lead the Romanian delegation at the General Assembly and will give the national address in the UN plenary meeting on September 29, an opportunity to present Romania’s objectives and priorities for the entire session. As part of her official visit to the US, Oana Ţoiu will have meetings with members of the American Congress, with Romanian professionals from agencies, companies and universities in the Washington area. She will also take part in a roundtable organised by Georgetown University and will meet with Romanian students and professors.
VISIT Romania’s PM Ilie Bolojan will make a short visit to Brussels on Monday, where he will have a meeting with the commissioner for economy and productivity, Valdis Dombrovskis, a meeting and working lunch with the European commissioner for defence and space, Andrius Kubilius, and a working meeting with Roxana Mînzatu, executive vice-president of the European Commission, responsible for social rights and skills, quality jobs and training. Before that, the PM will discuss with EU officials the issue of loans taken out by Romania and the budget deficit. Romania is among the 19 EU member states that have submitted a list of military projects through the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) instrument. In the provisional allocations, Romania will benefit from over EUR 16 billion under SAFE, the second largest amount for military procurement and increasing defence capacity in the EU.
PROTESTS Hundreds of thousands of French people Thursday took part in protests organised by the major trade union confederations against the austerity measures planned by the government to balance public finances. According to the Gendarmerie, half a million people took to the streets, but organisers say the number of protesters was twice as high. Trains, the Paris metro, schools and drugstores were severely affected. With some exceptions, such as Lyon, Marseille, Nantes and Rennes, marches were peaceful, and the demonstrators were able to express their dissatisfaction. The authorities announced that over 7,000 radical and aggressive individuals infiltrated the peaceful demonstrators in a move to cause chaos and destruction. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Paris, the police took in around 300 people, over 130 of whom were taken into pre-trial custody. It was the second day of mobilisation in eight days, after the “Block Everything” protest on September 10.
EARTHQUAKE A powerful earthquake struck the Kamchatka region in Russia’s far east, the regional governor announced on Friday morning, prompting a local tsunami alert, but no damages have been reported as yet. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake measured 7.8 Richter and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers. It was followed by 4 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 5.1 to 5.8. A tsunami warning has been issued for the eastern coast of the peninsula. (AMP)
