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September 17, 2025 UPDATE
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17.09.2025, 20:00
Price cap – Maintaining the price cap on basic foodstuffs was discussed on Wednesday for four hours in the governing coalition meeting. The Social Democrats want to extend this mechanism, and their position is also supported by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) leadership. In this context, the Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan asked his coalition partners for a respite until next week, so that the document presented on Wednesday by the interim president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Sorin Grindeanu, on the topic of the cap can be analyzed. The PM also had scheduled discussions on Wednesday with mayors and heads of county councils about the reform of local public administration, another topic that is causing tensions in the coalition. If Bolojan wants a 40% reduction out of the total number of positions, the Social Democrats support a reduction in expenses in city halls and county councils by 10 %, which would avoid layoffs.
Disinformation – Romania was the favorite target of disinformation campaigns and hybrid warfare in the context of the 2024 presidential election, said the Prosecutor General, Alex Florența, on Tuesday. He drew attention to the fact that players hostile to the country sought to influence public opinion and that the type of disinformation and the method of implementation correspond to Russia’s pattern of action, which, however, rejects the accusations. The Prosecutor General’s statements were made in the context of the indictment, also on Tuesday, of the former independent candidate in the canceled presidential election last year, the sovereigntist Călin Georgescu. He is accused of being accessory in an attempt to commit actions against the constitutional order. Over 20 other people were prosecuted in the same case. Călin Georgescu allegedly used hostile hybrid campaigns, winning the first round and being the favorite in the second round of the election. However, the Constitutional Court decided to cancel the entire presidential election and start from scratch.
Schengen – In Romania, the Entry/Exit System, a modern control tool at the external border of the Schengen Area, will become operational as of October 12. According to the Border Police General Inspectorate, this is an electronic system that records the date and place of entry and exit of third-country nationals admitted for short-term stays, as well as their alphanumeric and biometric data (facial image and four fingerprints). At the same time, it calculates the authorized duration of the stay. The Entry/Exit System does not restrict existing travel rights, but offers a faster and more secure verification mechanism, gradually replacing the stamping of travel documents, the authorities said.
Deficit – Romania’s budget deficit will exceed 8%, after last year it was more than 9%. According to the Finance Ministry, the deficit for the first 7 months of the year was almost 77 billion lei (about 15.4 billion Euros), remaining at just over 4% of the GDP, similar to the same period last year. The European Commission’s forecasts for the coming years also indicate that the fiscal imbalance was maintained: 8.6% in 2025 and 8.4% in 2026.
Motion – The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has tabled a simple motion to the Chamber of Deputies against the Environment Minister, Diana Buzoianu, demanding the completion of the works on the four hydroelectric power plants started before 1989 and completed in a proportion of 75%. According to AUR, these works are blocked by the Ministry of the Environment, which delays the approvals and sends public messages of discouragement. The motion will be debated on Monday, with a vote to be held in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies meeting on Wednesday.
NATO – The leadership of the Romanian Parliament has analyzed two letters sent by the country’s President, Nicuşor Dan, regarding military cooperation and national security. Dan proposes the establishment on the national territory of the Logistic Node Command – Romania as a component part of the NATO Security Assistance and Training Mission Command for Ukraine. He mentions that Parliament has already approved the participation of the Romanian Army in the NATO mission last year, by making available the infrastructure and equipment necessary for hosting and operating this logistical facility on the national territory. The Parliament leadership has decided to send the document to the Specialized Committee for report, which is to be analyzed in a meeting of the reunited plenum. In the second letter, the President informs the Parliament that he has approved the prepositioning on the national territory of some aerial refueling aircraft, a United States contingent and force protection means, and some aircraft performing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. These will operate from Air Base 57 Mihail Kogălniceanu, in the southeast of the country.
Clean industry – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted by a majority of votes the European Commission’s opinion on the Clean Industry Deal, which is to ensure affordable, efficient and clean energy for EU member states. The Social Democratic Party (PSD), part of the ruling coalition, voted in favor of the Commission’s opinion, but requested urgent measures from the government to stop the steep increases in energy tariffs. Positive votes also came from the other coalition partners. The sovereigntist opposition, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), abstained from the vote. The party believes that the market has been unbalanced by the closure of some fossil fuel production capacities, amid the slowdown in nuclear electricity production. The same position was expressed by S.O.S. Romania, another representative of the opposition. The European Commission’s action plan also provides for better interconnection between member states for the transport of clean energy with low carbon emissions. (LS)
