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October 31, 2025 UPDATE A roundup of domestic and international news 31.10.2025, 19:51 Election. The government in Bucharest adopted two bills on Friday during an extraordinary session, establishing the expenses and technical measures necessary for organizing the partial local elections on December 7. On Thursday, an emergency ordinance was adopted regarding the elections for the president of the Buzău County Council (southeast), the mayor of Bucharest, and mayors in several other localities in the country. Also at Friday’s meeting, two memoranda were approved. One gives the Ministry of European Projects the possibility to adopt additional measures to implement a component of the NRRP, which supports the use of renewable energy by households. The second refers to the approval of the agreement between Romania and Israel on the protection of classified information. ROBOFEST. The campus of the Bucharest Polytechnic University is hosting until Sunday the 14th edition of ROBOFEST, an event that brings together hundreds of teams of young engineers from over 30 countries. Robochallenge, a competition that has become an international benchmark for robotics enthusiasts, brings to Bucharest almost 1,200 robots from all over the world. There will be 20 spectacular events, from sumo wrestling between autonomous robots to speed races and demonstrations with humanoid robots. ROBOFEST 2025 also includes an exhibition area, where tech companies present their innovations, as well as educational activities for the general public. Defense. The Romanian Defense Minister, Ionuţ Moşteanu, had a meeting with the French Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans, Catherine Vautrin, in Sibiu (central Romania) on Thursday. The program also included a visit to the military deployed at the “Getica”, National Joint Training Center in Cincu. The two officials analyzed the security situation in the Black Sea region, France’s contribution to strengthening NATO’s position on the eastern flank and bilateral cooperation in support of collective defense. Minister Moşteanu emphasized the essential role of France, as the framework nation of the Allied Battle Group in Romania. He said that the presence of French military personnel, alongside those from Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain, is a solid guarantee of allied solidarity and a strong signal of France’s commitment to the security of the Black Sea region. In turn, Catherine Vautrin sent a firm message regarding bilateral cooperation, confirming the strength of France’s commitment to European security and to mark a new step in the defense partnership between France and Romania. Colectiv. The victims of the fire at the Colectiv Club in Bucharest, ten years ago, were commemorated on Thursday in the capital and other cities across the country. In Bucharest, a march took place between University Square and the site of the tragedy that killed 65 people and sent 140 people to hospital. The participants demanded justice for those who died and complained about the severe issues still facing the Romanian healthcare system. “Romania will be able to treat major burns in modern centers, built with care and dignity,” Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete wrote in a message on social media, specifying that three burn centers were under construction, and the one in Timişoara (west) would be completed this year. President Nicuşor Dan laid a wreath at the monument erected in memory of the victims on the premises of the former club, and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan conveyed a message compassion to the victims’ families. Football. The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) has announced Bucharest’s bid to host the 2028 or 2029 Europa League final at the National Arena stadium. FRF President Răzvan Burleanu says Romanian football is ready to offer the best conditions and meet the highest standards in organizing the event. The Europa League final is a sporting event of great importance and European significance, and the bid underscores the FRF’s determination to contribute to the promotion of football at the highest level in Romania and Europe. The host cities for the next two years of the Europa League final are already known. These are Istanbul in 2026 and Frankfurt in 2027. The National Arena has previously hosted a final of this competition, in 2012, when Atletico Madrid beat Atletico Bilbao 3-0. (MI)
