November 29, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 29.11.2025, 20:00
LAW The government in Bucharest headed by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan will be assuming responsibility in Parliament on December 2 for a draft law on the magistrates’ pensions. The procedure kicked off on Friday after the draft had been formally endorsed in a setting of the Executive right on the last day of a deadline on the implementation of the aforementioned law pledged by the Romanian authorities in the National Plan of Recovery and Resilience PNRR. A 231 million Euro installment hinges on meeting this goal and the Prime Minister has voiced hope these funds are not going to be lost. He has again mentioned the provisions: a maximum cap set at 70% of their final net salary, an increased service time, from 25 years at present to 35 and also a raised retirement age from 48-50 years at present to 65 years. The draft had been previously rejected by the country’s Constitutional Court as the government failed to get the correct approvals from the Superior Court of Magistracy. In another development, the Executive endorsed the second budget adjustment based on a deficit of 8.4%. The ministries of Health, Transport and Agriculture will be getting more money, whereas the ministries of Finances, Investment and European projects, Economy, and the Public Ministry, the Labour Ministry and the Service of Special Telecommunications have seen their funds cut.
PARADE Over 29 hundred servicemen and experts with the Romanian Ministries of Defence and the Interior, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service and the National Administration of Penitentiaries with 220 pieces of equipment and 45 aircraft are expected to attend the military parade staged on December 1st, Romania’s National Day in Bucharest. According to Defence Ministry sources, this parade will also involve troops of allied and partner countries stationed in Romania, such as France, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United States. On December 1st, the Romanian flag will be flying on all the military institutions in the country as well as on maritime and river ships. An exhibition of military gear and equipment will be set up close to the Triumphal Arch in downtown Bucharest shortly after the military parade. The servicemen deployed to theatres of operation and those serving in various missions abroad are also to attend ceremonies and specific activities staged on the occasion of the National Day.
FAIRS A Christmas Fair opened in the Constitution Square in Bucharest on Saturday. For the first time, the Palace of Parliament will be floodlit every evening until December 28th through dedicated festive projections. Another Christmas Fair opened in the University Square in Bucharest also on Saturday and Christmas lights switched on everywhere around the city. In another development, the city of Craiova, in southern Romania, had outperformed other cities such as Strasbourg, Vienna and Dresden and was this year awarded the first prize in the ranking of the most beautiful Christmas Fairs annually staged by the European Best Destinations, a travel site, which is the European Commission’s official partner. It has mustered 142 votes from 140 countries and boasted 56 thousand votes more than the runner-up. At the same time Craiova secured the title of ‘the most beautiful Christmas market in Europe’ from a panel of travelers, outperforming famous destinations, such as Zurich, Riga or Lisbon. ‘Craiova delivered a historic performance, with a result never seen in two decades of competition. The Romanian city achieved a dominating position, supported by an exceptional international involvement, and the number of votes obtained by Craiova is an absolute record,” says the European Best Destinations in a communiqué. The fair opened its gates on November 14, and can be visited until January 4, 2026.
PLAN The European Union is launching a plan for strengthening preparedness for cross-border health crises. According to a communiqué issued by the European Commission Representation in Romania, the aforementioned plan will provide policymakers, crisis managers and stakeholders with practical tools such as exchanging information, expertise and technical assistance when a crisis occurs for coordinated action in times of health crises to protect the health and well-being of people across the EU. The EU plan addresses all potential health hazards and crises, whether natural, accidental or intentional, caused by various threats, on the lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MINISTER Romanian president Nicusor Dan has signed a decree through which he acknowledges the resignation of the country’s Defence Minister, Ionut Mosteanu and another one for the appointment of Economy Minister Radu Miruta as interim. Both documents have been published in Romania’s Official Gazette. Mosteanu announced his intention to step down in a Facebook post on Friday. He explained he didn’t want the talks about his education and the mistakes he made many years ago to distract those who are presently leading the country from their difficult job. Everything started a couple of days ago, when publications wrote about the fact that in his first résumé, while he was adviser at the Ministry of Transport and member in several boards of directors, the minister mentioned a degree he got from the ‘Athenaeum’ University. The aforementioned university denied the fact that Mosteanu was its student though. The outgoing minister says that his 2016 résumé contains a mistake, which he described as embarrassing and for which he apologized.
VOTE The election campaign for the partial local election for the Bucharest city hall on December 7th goes on. 17 candidates are vying for the Bucharest mayor seat, which has been vacant since its former owner, Nicusor Dan, won the presidential election in May this year. December 7th will be also seeing elections for the county council of Buzau in south-eastern Romania, and the mayors of 12 towns and villages. The Interior Ministry has announced it will oversee the unfolding of the election campaign and the voting process adding that measures have already been taken to ensure the safety of both the candidates and citizens.
WEATHER Romania’s sky is overcast and heavy downpours have been reported in most of its regions. Mixed precipitations are expected in the south-west and meteorologists have issued a yellow warning for heavy rainfalls in 13 counties and the capital Bucharest valid until Sunday. Mixed precipitations will be seen in the mountains and a layer of snow is expected at altitudes over 18 hundred meters. The highs of the day are ranging between 2 and 13 degrees centigrade.
(bill)
