April 27, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 27.04.2025, 19:44
Pensions. In Romania, the bill that radically changes the retirement rules in the justice system is to be debated on Monday by the Senate, as a decision-making forum. The permanent bureau decided on an accelerated calendar for the analysis and vote on this normative act initiated by the leaders of the governing coalition. The document, which stipulates that the retirement age of magistrates will go up to 65 years, starting January 1 next year, and the amount of the pension cannot exceed that of the last salary, has already received the green light of the Chamber of Deputies. The European Commission’s release of the third tranche of financing from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan depends on the approval of the law. Also on Monday, the Senate will debate and vote on the simple motion submitted by AUR regarding the Minister of Labor, Simona Bucura-Oprescu, who was summoned to Parliament to respond to criticism regarding the problems in the pension system.
Pope. Since the early hours of Sunday morning, thousands of people have been lining up in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, where the tomb of the former sovereign pontiff is located, to pay their last respects to Pope Francis. In the afternoon, the cardinals, who are in Rome for the funeral and the conclave, celebrated a short mass as a tribute to Pope Francis, after which they visited the basilica. As of Monday, the Sistine Chapel will be closed to visitors in order to prepare the appropriate space for the conclave. The Holy See also announced, Radio Romania’s correspondent in Italy reports, that all visits to the Vatican gardens and the Via Triumphalis Necropolis are also suspended. In view of the meeting of the cardinals who will have to choose the new Sovereign Pontiff, a series of security measures have been prepared that will affect the Vatican, such as checks at some gates and aerial surveillance of areas with the greatest influx of tourists.
Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine must happen soon and that the Trump administration will spend the coming week trying to determine whether it will continue as mediator, Reuters reports. Rubio’s statement came shortly after US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky met in Rome on the occasion of the funeral of Pope Francis. Zelensky said the meeting could prove historic if it led to the kind of peace he hoped for, and a White House spokesman described it as “very productive.” According to Rubio, Washington has postponed imposing new sanctions on Russia to allow diplomacy to work, but, he warned, Trump has options to deal with any party that opposes a peace deal.
Commemoration. The commemorative march dedicated to the Romanian heroes who fell on the Western Front during World War II ended in Brno, with a ceremony dedicated to the Romanian soldiers who fell in the Czech Republic. In April 1945, during the offensive to liberate Czechoslovakia, the Romanian Army played a crucial role in the area of this city, an important political and economic center of the region. The march in the footsteps of the Romanian heroes who fell on the Western Front, in Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, 80 years after the end of World War II, started in Bucharest and scheduled Commemorative ceremonies during a week at Oarba de Mureş – in Romania, in Budapest and in Zvolen – in Slovakia.
Vancouver. Many people around the world have expressed deep sadness after the incident on Saturday, when a man drove a car into a crowd gathered at a Filipino festival in Vancouver, western Canada, killing nine people and injuring many more. On Sunday, police ruled out the possibility of a terrorist act and reported that the arrested suspect, aged 30, was ‘known’ to them. The incident occurred just two days before Canada’s early parliamentary elections, due on Monday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared himself devastated by the incident, which he described as horrible, and Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader and Carney’s main opponent, said that his thoughts are with the Filipino community and all the victims of this senseless attack.
ComicCon. Comic Con Romania 2025, the largest event in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to lovers of movies, series, video games, comics and more, ended on Sunday evening in Bucharest. Among the guests of the edition were actors from established productions such as: The Originals, Lord of The Rings, The Rings of Power or Bridgerton, who provided answers during Q&A sessions and signed autographs. Exhibitors prepared dozens of stands, and visitors could enter exciting competitions or relax in the gaming area, where the newest titles and the most advanced equipment awaited them. Those curious about Japanese culture were able to make an incursion into the Japanese universe, in the hanami area. Graphic artists from Romania and abroad were also present, and another attraction of the event was the contest and parade in which cosplay fans took on the role of various favorite characters from movies, series, games, or anime. (MI)
