*As signatory of the ICC Rome Statute, Romania is obliged to arrest Netanyahu if he sets foot in the country. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu's announcement of a meeting between the governments of Romania and Israel in Bucharest and his invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signals they could be the next country to defy the ICC international arrest warrant, www.euractiv.com reads. As Romania is one of 125 signatories of the International Criminal Court Rome Statute and Netenyahu is subject to an arrest warrant for "crimes against humanity" related to military actions in Gaza, it would be obliged to arrest him when he sets foot in the country. However, it seems that arresting Netenyahu would not be on the cards. Ciolacu wrote on X that Romania and Israel share a relationship of strategic importance and solidarity, reiterating that the prime minister had been invited to the meeting. Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in November that the ICC decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant is binding on all member states. But France said days later it believed Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the ICC, given Israel has not signed up to the court statutes. Poland then said Netanyahu would have immunity from arrest if he attended Auschwitz memorial events, something most Poles disagree with. Meanwhile, outgoing US President Joe Biden has called the issuing of warrants against Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, "outrageous". In his message, Ciolacu made no mention of the ICC arrest warrant. Earlier on Sunday, the Romanian prime minister welcomed the release of the first group of three hostages from the Gaza Strip following the entry into force of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas. Two of the hostages released, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher, are of Romanian origin. Ciolacu praised the sustained and substantial efforts of high-level mediators from Qatar, the US, and Egypt to conclude the agreement. Romania has excellent relations with Israel, and during the Cold War, it was the only communist country not to break its diplomatic ties. In April 2018, Romania announced that it would move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. On 17 October 2023, Ciolacu, during his previous mandate as prime minister, was the first foreign leader to visit Israel after the deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel.
German company Henkel, with over 500 employees in Romania, has opened a new headquarters in Bucharest, marking a fresh chapter in its three-decade presence in the local market. The space blends Henkel’s “Smart Work” concept with Romanian cultural design elements inspired by Constantin Brâncuși and traditional motifs, while a dedicated quiet zone pays tribute to […]
Ruling on the draft law on the disbursement of privately-managed pensions, namely 2nd and 3rd Pillars, inked by the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), promoted by the Romanian government and approved with amendments by the Parliament, the Constitutional Court (CCR) concluded that the capping the single payment granted before the start of the monthly payments to […]
The revised bill that bans the cumulation of the public pension of a special (non-contributive) nature with a wage paid in the budgetary sector, currently available for public debate, will be amended so as to restrict the exceptions provisioned in the original form, labor minister Florin Manole said, according to
The Romanian business community reiterated its firm call to decision-makers to eliminate the minimum turnover tax (IMCA), in view of the discussions on the construction of the state budget for 2026, according to a statement signed by more than 100 employers' federations, business associations, and chambers of commerce in Romania. The Romanian government will address […]
Romanian president Nicusor Dan reiterated in a speech at the 2025 Digital Governance Summit organised by Edge Institute at Cotroceni Palace and published on the Presidency's webpage, thus making it somewhat official, an invitation addressed to the "private community" to draft regulations and sectoral policies that the state is unfortunately unable to design, such as […]
Premier Energy Group (BVB: PE), a leading vertically integrated utility company in Southeastern Europe listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, reported its normalized revenue grew 40% y/y to EUR 1.17 billion, while normalized EBITDA rose by 36% y/y to EUR 94 million in the first nine months of 2025. On a reported IFRS basis, revenue […]
