March 8, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 08.03.2025, 19:23
Court. The Constitutional Court of Romania on Saturday rejected the two contestations against the candidacy of Călin Georgescu to president of Romania. “Following deliberations, the Constitutional Court unanimously rejected as inadmissible the contestations filed, as they did not comply with the procedural conditions stipulated in law”, the Court said in a statement. The Central Electoral Bureau also received a number of contestations following the submission of his candidacy for presidential elections as independent on Friday. One such move came from the rector of the National School for Political and Administrative Studies, Remus Pricopie, and one of the arguments invoked was the incompatibility of the candidate’s discourse and behaviour with the democratic and constitutional values of the Romanian state. In December last year, the Constitutional Court of Romania cancelled the presidential elections after noting that the entire election process had been corrupted in favour of Georgescu, a pro-Russian and anti-West extremist. Georgescu is currently under investigation for instigating actions against the constitutional order, initiating and creating an organisation of a fascist, racist and xenophobic nature, promoting the cult of persons guilty of committing genocide and war crimes and initiating and creating an anti-Semitic organisation.
Women. Women made up one third of national parliaments in the European Union in 2024, up by 5.6% compared with 2014, according to data published by Eurostat on Friday. Sweden, Finland and Denmark had the highest number of women in Parliament among EU member states, with 45%, while Cyprus, with 14.3%, Hungary, with 14.6% and Romania, with 19.5%, had the fewest women in Parliament. In 2024, women held 35.1% of the government posts in the European Union, up by 7.4% compared with 2014. Finland has the most number of women in government positions, while Hungary had none, and in Czechia women held 5.9% of government positions. In Romania, women held some 30% of posts in government, up 10% compared with 2014.
Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin “has no interest in peace” in Ukraine, said the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Saturday after Russian strikes overnight left dozens dead and wounded in eastern Ukraine, France Presse news agency reports. “We must step up our military support – otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price,” she added. In Kyiv, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is “fully committed” to constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week and hopes to agree on the necessary decisions and steps. “Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively,” Zelensky said on social media.
Book fair. Between the 11th and the 13th of March, Romania will take part in the London Book Fair. Poet Ana Blandiana, writer and publisher Denisa Comănescu and actress Oana Pellea are some of the guests of the Romanian Cultural Institute, the organiser of the Romanian stand. The Institute’s president, Liviu Jicman, says the country’s presence in the fair is essential, because it is an opportunity to bring the works of the Romanian authors to an extremely important and competitive market, with a global impact. The London Book Fair is considered the second largest event of its kind in the world.
