December 10, 2025
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 10.12.2025, 13:55
Government. In Bucharest, the National Tripartite Council, comprising representatives of the government, trade unions, and employers, is discussing today the minimum wage for next year. Trade unionists point out that freezing the minimum wage would violate national and European legislation, while SME Romania is calling for the minimum wage to be maintained at 4,050 lei gross (800 euros). The employers’ point of view is also supported by Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, who recently said that economic and budgetary realities do not allow for an increase next year. In contrast, the PSD, part of the governing coalition, wants to increase the minimum wage and believes that the measure is, first and foremost, fair to employees and, secondly, necessary for the economy. On the other hand, education unions are organizing a protest in the capital, dissatisfied with the fiscal and budgetary measures adopted by the government in the fall.
CCR. The Constitutional Court of Romania is discussing today the High Court of Cassation and Justice’s referral regarding the Bolojan government’s new draft law on the reform of magistrates’ pensions. The judges of the Supreme Court consider, in principle, that this law discriminates against magistrates compared to other categories of beneficiaries of service pensions, brutally violates the independence of the judiciary, and effectively eliminates the service pension for magistrates. The bill, for which the executive has assumed responsibility in Parliament, gradually increases the retirement age for magistrates to 65 and limits their pension to 70% of their last net salary. It has been rejected by the Superior Council of Magistracy. The previous law proposed by the government was rejected by the Constitutional Court on procedural grounds. The reform of magistrates’ pensions is a milestone in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Motion. In Bucharest, AUR parliamentarians today submitted a simple motion to the Senate against Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu. The initiators accuse the environment leadership of ignorance, irresponsibility, and lack of a centralized plan for managing repeated crisis situations. The debate and vote on the document will take place on December 15. Also on Monday, the Bucharest Parliament will debate and vote on a motion of no confidence against the government, initiated by a group of parliamentarians elected last December on the SOS Romania and POT lists, who have now left these parties. They would like to remove USR from government. However, the parties in the ruling coalition (PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR) have given assurances that the motion will not be voted on.
Visit. Romanian President Nicuşor Dan, on his first visit to France as head of state, discussed with his counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, how French companies can contribute to the major investments that Romania is preparing in the defense industry through the European SAFE program. Nicuşor Dan did not rule out the possibility of increasing the French military presence in Romania in the future, but no decision has been made in this regard yet. He invited the Élysée leader to visit Romania next year, and Emmanuel Macron accepted the invitation.
Human Rights Day. Romania is and will remain active in the international community’s efforts to affirm and respect human rights and increase society’s resilience, which are essential elements for protecting fundamental rights and ensuring people’s well-being. The message was conveyed on Wednesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest on the occasion of International Human Rights Day. According to the MFA, this year marks 80 years since the establishment of the United Nations and 70 years since Romania joined the UN. For 75 years, the celebration of International Human Rights Day has contributed to raising awareness that respect for and promotion of human rights have the capacity to positively transform the societies in which we live, so that every person can enjoy peace, democracy, and sustainable development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added.
Candidacy. Romania has submitted its candidacy to host the future European Union Customs Authority, an institution that will support member states in simplifying customs procedures and ensure the efficient collection of taxes and duties through a digital platform that will centralize and manage all EU customs data. In the dossier submitted to the European Commission, the Ministry of Finance emphasized that Romania is one of the countries with the longest external border in the Union and manages a significant volume of trade flows annually. Alongside our country, Belgium, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal have also submitted their candidacies.
Defense. “Romania and Germany have a solid relationship in the field of defense. Germany is one of Bucharest’s most important allies, a reliable ally and a key contributor to Romania’s security,” said Secretary of State for Defense Policy Sorin Dan-Moldovan. He met with his German counterpart Nils Schmid at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base 57 (southeast), who said that the modernization of the Romanian Army has Germany’s full support. (MI)
