November 21, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 21.11.2025, 20:00
MAGISTRATES PM Ilie Bolojan announced on Friday the timeline for his Cabinet taking responsibility before Parliament on the new bill regulating the retirement of judges and prosecutors, which depends however on the speed with which the Higher Council of Magistrates issues its official opinion. “It is our intention that if we receive the opinion, in the Cabinet meeting next Thursday or on the 28th at the latest, we start the procedure for the government taking responsibility for this legislation,” the PM said. We must have a sustainable pension system, he added, voicing hopes that those involved will behave responsibly. The new draft law introduces a ceiling on magistrates’ pension benefits at 70% of the last net salary, and a 15-year transition period at the end of which judges and prosecutors will retire at 65, like most other employees. The government must complete the magistrate retirement reform by November 28, otherwise the country loses over EUR 200 million under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Previously, the Higher Council of Magistrates announced that it will issue an opinion on the bill after the general assemblies of the courts and prosecutors’ offices in Romania express their views on the draft law in meetings scheduled at the beginning of next week. President Nicusor Dan believes the Council’s announcement proves that the institution will issue its opinion in time for the Cabinet to complete the procedure in Parliament by November 28.
COHESION The social dimension of the multiannual financial framework does not receive enough attention, given that there are pressing priorities and we focus on defence, on competitiveness, but we must continue to show people that we are investing in them, that we are fighting poverty, says the executive vice-president of the European Commission, Roxana Mînzatu. She took part in the conference “Cohesion 2027+” organised in Bucharest by the ministries of investments and European projects, foreign affairs and finance. Attending the same conference, the president of Romania Nicuşor Dan stated, on the other hand, that the EU enlargement to include the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and the Western Balkans is not “an act of charity,” but rather an investment in security. The head of state also spoke about competitiveness and performance in terms of innovation. “One of my important messages is that, in the field of research, development, innovation, we must take into account each country’s specific situation, and our goal is to make the economy in the European area advance in each of the member countries,” Nicuşor Dan added.
ELECTION The campaign for the by-elections to be held on December 7 for the Bucharest City Hall, the Buzău County Council and for mayor posts in 12 other villages and one town begins on Saturday. In Bucharest, there are 18 candidates, and according to polls the frontrunners are the representatives of the ruling coalition parties: Daniel Băluţă (Social Democratic Party), Ciprian Ciucu (National Liberal Party) and Cătălin Drulă (Save Romania Union). Among the top four is also Anca Alexandrescu, running independently but backed by AUR party in opposition. At the Buzău County Council, the former social-democratic PM Marcel Ciolacu is competing against Răzvan Moraru, supported by the National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union. The Bucharest mayor general position has been vacant since Nicuşor Dan was elected president of Romania this May.
MEETING Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan met on Friday with Raffaele Fitto, executive vice-president of the European Commission responsible for cohesion and reforms. According to a government news release, the two officials discussed the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the flexibility of the Cohesion Policy and the future Multiannual Financial Framework, in the sense of adapting these European instruments to the needs of each member state. “For Romania, it is essential to preserve its political stability, to reduce the deficit and to benefit from European funding. The cohesion policy has been an important instrument in support of economic growth, convergence and the development of our regions,” Ilie Bolojan said. In turn, Raffaele Fitto emphasised the importance of open dialogue for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, cohesion policies and strategic priorities. He also added that a strategy for the member states in Eastern Europe is desired, which should focus on economic recovery, strengthening defence capacity and curbing disinformation.
UKRAINE Ukraine risks losing US support if it rejects the plan to end the war with Russia, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in an address to the nation on Friday. He added that Ukraine is now going through one of the most difficult moments in its history, but promised to work constructively with the US on the plan, without betraying national interests, AFP reports. The plan notably calls for Kiev to give up the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia. The two regions claimed by Moscow, as well as the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, would be recognized de facto as Russian, including by the United States. Also under the 28-point plan, two other southern regions, Kherson and Zaporozhye, would be divided along the current front line. Kyiv would also give up its bid for NATO membership but would be “eligible” to join the EU. The Union will support any peace plan for Ukraine as long as it brings a just and sustainable peace and involves Kyiv and the EU, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas said on Friday. In Bucharest, president Nicuşor Dan said that any peace plan must be approved by Ukraine, and the international community that wants a rule-based order is willing to continue to defend this country. (AMP)
