The Week in Review

The main headline-making events this past week

Leyla Cheamil, 29.11.2025, 14:00

The European Commission freezes the excessive budget deficit procedure for Romania
On Tuesday, the European Commission adopted the autumn package of the European Semester and announced that the excessive deficit procedure was temporarily suspended for nine Member States, including Romania. The other countries are Austria, Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia. Specifically, this means that no new procedural measures will be taken at this stage, but the procedure remains open: for example, if the deficit is not sustainably brought below 3% of the GDP. The obligations for Member States in the Commission’s recommendation also remain in place. Next summer, the European Commission will review the situation, with data for 2025 available. Romania is currently in last place in the European Union, with a deficit of 8.4%. The EU executive points out that the country’s situation remains fragile, so it encourages the government to remain vigilant and rigorously implement the planned fiscal adjustment measures. On the other hand, the reforms promised and some already undertaken by the authorities in Bucharest, although very unpopular at home, are well received in Brussels.

Romania has a new defense strategy
Romanian President Nicuşor Dan presented the National Defense Strategy for the next five years to a joint session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The document, adopted by the Supreme Council for National Defense, stipulates that Romania must be prepared to manage the risks of a large-scale, long-term conflict near its borders. There is also a need to increase the combat capability of the army and revitalize the national defense industry. Investment projects in this area, worth around €16 billion, will be carried out under the European SAFE instrument, according to Romania’s New Defense Strategy. It also provides for the strengthening of strategic partnerships, support for the stability and development of the Republic of Moldova, and continued support for Ukraine. Risks include corruption and dysfunctions in key areas such as health, education, social protection, and administration.

A drone enters Romanian airspace without authorization
Romanian and German NATO fighter jets were mobilized on Tuesday near Romania’s border with Ukraine after a drone entered Romanian airspace deeper than ever before, an action that authorities in Bucharest called a Russian provocation. The pilots had approval to engage the aerial target, but the planes did not fire, and the drone crashed either because it lost control or because it ran out of fuel. Fragments of the drone, without explosive cargo, were later found on Romanian territory. Russian drones had struck Ukrainian ports overnight near the border with Romania, which lies across the Danube River. Tuesday’s incursion was the 13th reported by Romania in its airspace since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The drone entered Romania on the day of US General Christopher Donahue’s visit to the US troops at the “Mihail Kogălniceanu” Air Base (southeast). He said that an anti-drone combat system would soon be deployed by the Romanian Air Force and would provide increased capability to shoot down drones that illegally enter the country’s airspace.

Romania takes over the rotating presidency of the Central European Initiative for 2026
On Wednesday, Romania took over the rotating presidency of the Central European Initiative (CEI) for 2026. The event took place in the context of the meeting of foreign ministers from CEI member states, organized by Serbia as the rotating presidency of the Initiative. On this occasion, the head of Romanian diplomacy, Oana Ţoiu, made a recorded statement in which she emphasized Bucharest’s increased commitment to regional cooperation and presented the priorities of Romania’s CEI presidency. These include, among others, supporting the European integration of candidate countries and strengthening the economic and business dimension within the CEI, including by promoting connectivity projects.

The Superior Council of Magistracy rejects the new draft law on the reform of magistrates’ pensions
The Superior Council of Magistracy announced on Thursday that the plenary session rejected the new draft law on the reform of magistrates’ pensions. The negative opinion was given just one day before the European deadline for Romania to avoid losing more money from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). In recent days, general assemblies of magistrates across the country have expressed their views, and it is already known that prosecutors and judges in Bucharest have rejected the draft legislation that reduces their pensions and increases their retirement age. According to the new draft, the amount of magistrates’ pensions will be 55% of the calculation basis, represented by the average gross allowances over the last five years, but no more than 70% of the last net allowance. Also, the transition period until the retirement age of 65 will be 15 years, calculated starting January 1, 2026. In return, magistrates are asking for their pensions to be almost the same as their last salary.

The election campaign for Bucharest continues
The election campaign for the Bucharest City Hall elections, scheduled for December 7, continues. There are 17 candidates in the race. The position of mayor became vacant after Nicuşor Dan, who won a second term last year, became president of Romania. Also on December 7, elections will be held to appoint the leadership of the Buzău County Council (southeast) and the mayors of 12 localities. (MI)