October 5, 2025
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 05.10.2025, 13:50
Reform. The bill on the reform of the local and central administration may be finalised next week, says prime minister Ilie Bolojan. He went on to say that all coalition partners agree on staff downsizing, but concrete plans to achieve this are yet to be established. The reform will be part of the third package of fiscal and budgetary measures initiated by the government. Bolojan has warned that without a quick reduction in fixed expenses, the additional revenues resulting from taxes and duties may soon be exhausted. In another move, lawyers from several cities are dissatisfied with the magistrates’ partial strike and have called on them to give up the protest in order to unblock the activity of the judiciary. Magistrates, however, are determined to go ahead with the strike until at least 8th October, when the Constitutional Court judges are expected to rule on a bill on judicial pensions. Magistrates from courts around the country are only processing urgent cases, in protest against the changes proposed by the government regarding their work pensions, including raising the retirement age and limiting the amount of pensions, which magistrates say are unconstitutional.
Hackathon. Over 200 Romanian students, professionals and entrepreneurs have taken part in the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2025, the largest global hackathon held simultaneously in over 400 cities around the world. According to a Facebook post by the education ministry, Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca are among the international centres where participants in the event are looking for innovative solutions to the challenges of the Earth and outer space. In the opening of the event, the education minister Daniel David said the hackathon is an approach that brings together education and science. In his address, he emphasised the importance of courage, solid theories and continuous learning in the innovation process. NASA Space Apps Challenge annually brings together thousands of participants from around the world and is recognised as the largest international hackathon dedicated to science, technology and the sustainable future of the planet and space exploration.
Exercise. The Romanian Air Forces are carrying out complex missions across the country until next Friday, as part of the BUREBISTA 25 exercise. The missions involve the coordinated use of all air and ground weapons systems. In order to respond effectively to current challenges, the military are training based on scenarios of air defence of certain targets and prevention and reaction to hostile enemy actions to ensure the security of the national airspace. Also, between October 20 and November 13, over 5,000 military personnel from ten NATO allied states will participate in the multinational exercise DACIAN FALL 2025 (DAFA 25), hosted by Romania and Bulgaria. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence in Bucharest, the soldiers, equipped with 1,200 technical means, come from Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. The exercise will take place simultaneously in Romania and Bulgaria. The NATO exercises, including DACIAN FALL, are defensive in nature and are carried out in full compliance with the international obligations pledged by Romania, the Ministry of National Defence pointed out.
Arrest. Former Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu was detained by Greek police near the airport in Thessaloniki, said the Romanian Police. A European arrest warrant had been issued for him in May 2022, with the former mayor due to serve a prison sentence of 10 years and 8 months. Oprescu was convicted of forming an organised criminal group, taking bribes and laundering money. He fled Romania before the sentence was published, in April 2022. He was later caught in Greece, but the Court of Appeal in Athens rejected Romania’s extradition request, citing his health condition and the conditions of the Romanian prison system. Subsequently, legal procedures were resumed to bring Oprescu to Romania so he could serve his prison sentence.
Defence. NATO member Poland said it had scrambled aircraft to ensure air security on Sunday morning after Russia launched new air strikes on Ukraine, Reuters said. Ukrainian officials said missiles and drones hit the Lviv region near the Polish border. Vilnius airport in Lithuania was closed for several hours after hot air balloons were reported heading towards the airport on Saturday evening. This Baltic state, which borders Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, has seen a number of Russian drone incursions in recent weeks. NATO members on the eastern flank have been on high alert since Poland shot down Russian drones that had entered its airspace in September. Drone sightings and aerial incursions, including in Copenhagen and Munich, have disrupted European aviation.
Flooding. The Bulgarian authorities have declared a state of emergency after floods caused by heavy rains hit the country’s coastline. So far, at least four people have died in the Black Sea resort of Elenite. Streets have been flooded, cars have been swept away and dozens of homes have been submerged. The floods have also caused significant damage to the infrastructure, with power outages in several areas and some bridges and roads blocked. The army has sent boats with rescue teams to help the residents of the flooded areas. (CM)
