December 18, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 18.12.2025, 20:00
EU The president of Romania Nicușor Dan is in Brussels for a European Council meeting. Heads of state and government of the EU member countries focus on the situation in Ukraine, with an emphasis on solid and reliable security guarantees for Kyiv and diplomatic efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace. Using frozen Russian assets to finance aid to Ukraine, an idea that is not backed by all EU leaders, will also be discussed. While in Brussels, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country needs a quick decision from the EU on how to use these assets to finance the war effort and meet the needs of his people. Meanwhile, European leaders are discussing a EUR 90 billion loan for Ukraine. Negotiations over Russia’s frozen assets are expected to be lengthy, given that these assets are in Belgium, which has not yet been convinced of the plan and fears litigation with Russia. Zelenskyy warned, however, that without a decision Ukraine risks running out of money in the first three months of next year.
GOVERNMENT Dominic Fritz, the president of Save Romania Union, one of the parties in Romania’s ruling coalition, has announced a party Political Committee meeting on Friday to vote on the nominations for the defence and economy ministries. The incumbent economy minister Radu Miruţă is the party’s nomination for defence minister, also holding the Deputy PM post. Senator Irineu Darău was nominated to take over the economy ministry, according to a news release issued by USR. Ionuț Moșteanu recently stepped down as defence minister, following a scandal concerning his education.
UNIONS Both trade unions, and employers are discontent with the decision to raise minimum wages as of July next year, as agreed on Wednesday by the ruling coalition. While trade unions want the minimum wage raise to about EUR 865 to be operated as of January 1, business people argue wages should not be increased at all, given the country’s economic situation. Several thousand members of four trade union confederations Thursday picketed the Romanian Presidency offices, asking the head of state Nicușor Dan to mediate between the government and social partners. The minimum wage is not the only reason for employees’ dissatisfaction. The head of the Cartel Alfa Trade Union Confederation, Mihai Bărbulescu, said the measures taken by PM Ilie Bolojan failed to “get the country out of the crisis or improve Romania’s financial situation.” On Wednesday, the ruling coalition also agreed to cut lump sums paid to MPs, the subsidies received by political parties and central administration expenditure by 10%. The minimum turnover tax will also be lowered to 0.5% as of January 1, 2026 and eliminated as of 2027.
COMMEMORATION In Timişoara, the city in western Romania where the anti-communist Revolution broke out in December 1989, commemorative events continued on Thursday. Students from 17 schools and high schools visited the Revolution Monuments, and in the evening, candles were laid on the steps of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Wednesday, December 17, was a day of mourning in Timişoara in memory of the Revolution heroes, and services were held in churches and cemeteries throughout the day.
FARMERS Thousands of European farmers protested in Brussels on Thursday during the last European Council meeting of the year, where leaders are discussed the Union’s new multi-annual budget. Farmers claim the Common Agricultural Policy will be under-funded as of 2027 and demanded less bureaucracy in the sector. They also criticised the Mercosur trade agreement, which opens the European market to certain agri-food products from Latin America. According to local media, farmers from over 40 groups in all EU member states took to the streets in Brussels with 500 tractors. Water cannons were used when the demonstrators tried to force through police cordons using several agricultural machines. In response, demonstrators set fire to the fences placed in by the authorities. On Wednesday, farmers had protested in Strasbourg, where the European Parliament met in plenary session and approved rules that support small-scale producers. (AMP)
