October 15, 2025
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 15.10.2025, 13:55
BUDGET The government of Romania is sending the European Commission today a document detailing the fiscal measures taken since this summer to address the budget deficit. The document also contains details of the recent budget adjustment and plans to save public money. The government has undertaken to reduce the budget deficit (the largest in the European Union) by almost 1% of GDP compared to last year, and to keep public spending within a 2.8% ceiling. Otherwise, Brussels could cut off Romania’s funding, which is mainly provided under two programmes, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Cohesion Plan.
SAFETY The Romanian interior ministry has posted the “Traffic Safety” bill for public review. The draft legislation includes measures to improve road safety in Romania, as well as simpler public services for citizens. According to police data, nearly 1,500 people died in car crashes last year, and over 3,000 were seriously injured. This year, more than 900 people lost their lives. The interior ministry intends, among other things, to integrate cameras operated by the police, local authorities and the National Road Company into the “e-Sigur” traffic monitoring system. At the same time, the concept of “average speed” is introduced, as well as a simplified mechanism for setting penalties. Romania has the lowest road safety level in the European Union.
NATO The North Atlantic Council takes place today at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, attended by the defence ministers of member states. They will have a first discussion about the Allied plans agreed at the Hague summit and the resources that must be allocated to them, in particular the gradual increase of national defence budgets to 5%. Another topic concerns the status of the new deterrence and defense operation on the eastern flank, specially designed to deter and repel raids by Russian drones and aircraft into NATO airspace. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels, support for Ukraine and the situation on the front is also on the agenda, and the Ukrainian defence minister is one of the guests.
DIPLOMACY Germany has been Romania’s most important trading partner in recent years, with a share of over 20% of Romania’s total exports, and is also the main investor in the Romanian economy, the foreign minister Oana Ţoiu said after talks in Bucharest with her German counterpart, Johann Wadephul. She also thanked the German air force for its participation in reinforced air policing missions in Romania. In turn, Johann Wadephul stated that violating the sovereignty of NATO member states is unacceptable and vowed that the eastern flank will be defended by Allied countries.
MOLDOVA The pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), the winner of the recent parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, will nominate Alexandru Munteanu as prime minister, Chisinau announced. Alexandru Munteanu, born in 1964 and living in Ukraine for over 20 years, has no previous political experience. He is an economist, a university professor and businessman known for his work in investments and involvement in international educational and cultural projects. He has held leading positions in several international companies and organisations and was awarded the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour of France. According to political analysts, the new prime minister of the Republic of Moldova must have a clear economic vision in order to lead the small Romanian-speaking state’s accession effort to the European Union. (AMP)
