July 4, 2025. ONLINE SPOTLIGHT. Online news of the last 24 hours

In the last 24 hours, Romania's online press has been dominated by fiscal and economic issues, marked by a package of tax reforms discussed by the government, but also by administrative and social tensions.

Tax measures and their impact on the population and the economy

One of the most publicized topics was the announcement of an increase in VAT to 21%, with a reduced rate of 11% for certain products and services. The topic was approached from the perspective of the impact on the real estate market, with industry players warning that the new tax regime could block new home purchases and create abuses in dealings with developers. At the same time, the government is also preparing excise hikes and additional taxes on banks and dividends.(Profit.ro, Digi24, HotNews.ro)

Reform of the public pay and pension system

The government has announced a freeze on salaries and bonuses in 2026, with a "budget winter" outlook until 2027. Also, holiday vouchers and food allowances will be limited to gross salaries below 6,000 lei, and pensioners with incomes above 3,000 lei will pay health contributions. These measures were presented as inevitable to reduce the deficit. (Pro TV news, HotNews.ro, Economica.net)

Results of the 2025 National Assessment

Publication of the results of the National Assessment has been a topic of interest. The press notes a record percentage of averages above 5 for the last 13 years. The marks obtained by pupils by county are presented, as well as statistics on taking and passing the exam. (HotNews.ro, Pro TV News, Free Europe Romania)

Government bureaucracy and the prime minister's criticism

Premier Ilie Bolojan has publicly criticized the oversized structure of some government departments, such as Protocol and Resilience, suggesting that many of the posts do not justify their work. His statements are highly visible and have been interpreted as an attempt at internal reform.(Digi24, G4Media, News.ro)

The bear attack on the Transfăgărășan

The death of a foreign tourist following a bear attack has reignited the debate on the overpopulation of hunting grounds, with Romsilva confirming the presence of 112 bears on a hunting ground optimized for only 25. The press reports details and circumstances of the incident. (Agerpres, HotNews.ro, Știrile Pro TV)

The crisis at Salina Praid and the dismissal of Salrom management

The Minister of Economy has triggered the procedure to dismiss Salrom's management following a €12,000 party organized in parallel with the Praid crisis. The minister said that the dismissal was inevitable and that the inspection body's report indicated damage to the institution. (G4Media.ro, Libertatea, Agerpres)

Top entities frequently mentioned in the news:

1. Government of Romania / Ilie Bolojan
2. Ministry of Labor
3. Ministry of Education
4. Salrom and Salina Praid
5. National Assessment 2025

*****Synthesis realized with the help of a monitoring feed provided by NewsVibe Romania, as well as Google News data. The analysis, data and images presented were enhanced using Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence tools.