April 26, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 26.04.2025, 19:15

Funeral. Dozens of heads of state and government, including Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and senior Romanian state officials, along with over 180 official delegations from around the world, attended today in Rome the funeral of Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88. Hundreds of thousands of Christians paid their last respects to the one who led the Catholic Church for the past 12 years. The service in front of St. Peter’s Basilica was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals. At the end of the service, Pope Francis’ coffin was transported by a papal hearse to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, the final resting place of the former Pontiff. Thousands of believers gathered along the 6-kilometer funeral route and applauded as the papal hearse passed. The Vatican announced that those wishing to visit the tomb of Pope Francis in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore will be able to do so starting Sunday

Talks. The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, had a brief meeting on Saturday at the Vatican, where they attended the funeral of Pope Francis. In the end, the White House called the discussion “productive”, and Zelensky said that it had the potential to become historic. It is the first time that the two leaders have met since the heated dialogue in the Oval Office of the White House, in February. After the funeral of the Sovereign Pontiff, the Kyiv leader had the opportunity to speak with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, with the French President Emmanuel Macron and was seen with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, a strong supporter of Ukraine. The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, also spoke with Donald Trump. Before heading to Rome, the US president gave an interview to Time magazine in which he said that the occupied Crimea peninsula would remain Russia’s, a condition included in the peace plan discussed by his envoy in Moscow, Steve Witkoff. Administration officials in Washington have warned that they may soon abandon efforts to end the war if Moscow and Kyiv do not reach an agreement.

Ruling. The High Court of Cassation and Justice has definitively settled the situation created by the unprecedented ruling of the Court of Appeal in Ploiesti (southern Romania), which ordered, on Thursday, the suspension of the CCR decision from December by which the presidential elections were annulled. The judges of the supreme court admitted the appeals filed by both the Constitutional Court and the Prosecutor’s Office against this ruling, practically annulling the approach of the judge in Ploiesti, which created numerous controversies. The argument of the High Court was that challenging a decision of the Constitutional Court in administrative litigation is inadmissible, no court in Romania having the authority to judge or suspend CCR decisions. In its appeal against the decision of the magistrate in Ploieşti, the Court reacted harshly, accusing the court in question of violating the fundamental law. At the same time, it stressed that the independence of a judge does not justify the failure to respect the Constitution in a state governed by the rule of law. Central Electoral Bureau has announced that the procedure for electing the President of Romania is continuing. The first round will be held on May 4, and the second on May 18.

Budget. Romania’s budget deficit reached 2.28% of the Gross Domestic Product in the first three months of 2025, 0.24 percentage points higher than last year, according to data published by the Ministry of Finance. The increase in the difference between revenues and expenditures is a worrying signal, economists believe, given that this year, Romania must reduce the deficit from 9.3% to 7% of the GDP. The state thus spent, in the first three months, 44 billion lei (over 8.8 billion euros) more than it collected. Total revenues amounted to 141 billion lei (about 28.3 billion euros), registering an increase of almost 7%, supported by the growth in current revenues, mainly the tax on wages and income, insurance contributions, excise duties and non-tax revenues. At the same time, expenditures stood at almost 185 billion lei (approximately 37.1 billion euros) and increased in nominal terms by 10.1%, compared to the same period last year. Finance Minister Tánczos Barna said that the data reflect the first results of the measures taken by the Government to restore the budget balance and specified that the reduction of spending and the increase in investments in the economy must continue.

Energy. Romanian Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja has announced the signing of 60 new financing contracts through the Modernization Fund for renewable energy projects for the consumption of public institutions. He said that investments in solar parks in local communities have exceeded 2 billion lei (400 million euros). Burduja specified that, in total, over 830 financing contracts have been signed so far for investments totaling almost 300 installed megawatts, for own consumption. These are hospitals, schools and other institutions that will be able to produce their own energy for consumption with a direct effect on reducing bills, and thus more money remains for investments, for the creation of new jobs and income increases, the minister also stressed.

Bridge. Authorities from Romania and neighboring Moldova on Saturday attended an event marking the start of works on the first road bridge over the Prut River in 60 years. The Ungheni bridge will be 260 meters long and 13 meters wide, which will later be expanded to 25 meters. A two-lane highway system will be built and pedestrian traffic will also be possible. One-kilometer connecting roads will also be built, both on the left and right sides of the Prut. The new bridge will be ready for use starting next fall. The project is worth 30 million euros. (MI)