March 15, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 15.03.2025, 20:00
A roundup of local and international news.
VALUES – A public demonstration in support of European values was held on Saturday in Bucharest. The participants aimed to openly affirm that Romania’s place is in the European Union. “This is not a protest, but a peaceful demonstration of solidarity for European values. In an increasingly tense political context, a wave of sovereignty and ultranationalism threatens our unity. #EuRoManifest is the peaceful response of ordinary citizens, who unite to reaffirm that Romania is part of the European family and that common values guide us towards a better future,” the organizers said. Similar demonstrations have also been announced in several European capitals.
TRANSPORT – Transport officials from Romania and the Republic of Moldova discussed, in Chisinau, the start of negotiations to sign a memorandum on the expansion and modernization of the trans-European transport network in both states, as well as agreements for the construction of four new road bridges over the Prut River. Also discussed was the Flower Bridge in Ungheni, the first highway-level road bridge over the Prut River. For this project, the start date of works was set for April 26, 2025.
BOOK FAIR – The 2025 International Book Fair, one of the most important events of this type in Europe, is taking place in Brussels from March 13 to 16. Romania is participating with approximately 500 titles at the Romanian Cultural Institute’s stand. There are books and albums translated into several languages, especially French, which want to offer visibility to Romanian authors at an international level. Along with Romanian books, authors from the Republic of Moldova are also promoted. The Brussels Book Fair is one of the most important cultural events in the capital of Belgium, also the capital of the European Union, which brings together thousands of authors, illustrators, publishers and readers.
PRESIDENCY – The interim President of Romania, Ilie Bolojan, participated, on Saturday, in a videoconference convened by the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. Ilie Bolojan highlighted Romania’s commitment to continue supporting Ukraine and the efforts to ensure a lasting and fair peace. “An unconditional ceasefire is a first step towards this objective, and Ukraine must agree to it”, the Romanian leader said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened this videoconference as a follow-up to the March 2 summit in London, following which the participating states established a four-point plan aimed at leading to a lasting peace in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin will have to “sooner or later come to the table” of the negotiations, Keir Starmer said.
RATING – Moody’s Ratings on Saturday changed the outlook on the Government of Romania to negative from stable. According to Moody’s, the decision to change the outlook to negative reflects the risk that in the absence of the adoption of additional fiscal consolidation measures, Romania’s fiscal strength will significantly weaken in coming years. Romania’s fiscal deficit is expected to remain elevated at 7.7% of GDP in 2025 and only gradually improve thereafter, driving the government debt burden to 68.5% of GDP by 2028, while also significantly weakening the government’s debt affordability metrics. The agency’s analysts say that Romania is also exposed to geopolitical risk, due to its proximity to the war in Ukraine. Romania’s long-term local and foreign-currency country ceilings remain unchanged at A2.
LANDMARK – The Triumphal Arch in Bucharest is permanently open to visitors as of today, but also for the inhabitants of the Capital who are passionate about history and culture. The program is Tuesday to Sunday, between 10:00 am and 6 pm local time. The Triumphal Arch is a symbolic monument for the victory of the Romanian Army in World War I. On the other hand, as of next week, from Friday to Sunday, the courtyard and interior of the Cotroceni Palace, the headquarters of the Romanian presidency, will be open to citizens. They will be allowed to walk through the gardens or enter the church within the estate. The public can also visit the area of the Palace where official meetings take place. A point of attraction will be the soldiers of the guard battalion, present every weekend, as well as the songs sung by the brass band in the Palace courtyard. (EE)
