March 2, 2025 UPDATE 3
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 02.03.2025, 20:00
SUMMIT – 15 European leaders and the Prime Minister of Canada are discussing in London support for Ukraine after the failure of the Trump-Zelenskyy talks in Washington, but also about creating a security identity for Europe, in the context of a possible military withdrawal of the United States. This is a unique moment for European security, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the start of the discussions. Among the leaders attending the summit are the president of France, the Chancellor of Germany, the Prime Ministers of Italy and Poland, as well as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Representing Romania is interim president Ilie Bolojan. The agenda of the London meeting also includes security guarantees that the Europeans want to provide to Ukraine against Russia. The urgent increase in support for Ukraine and European defense are also high on the agenda of the special European summit to be organized on March 6. The EU Commission will table a proposal to deliver swift military aid to Ukraine, worth €20 billion. In addition, the Commission and Member States will consult on new instruments that should enable EU countries to increase defense spending this year, without falling into the infringement procedure for exceeding the budget deficit target. Last but not least, EU leaders will discuss the peace negotiations started by Trump and Putin without consulting or inviting either Ukraine or Europe to the table. The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said that if Ukraine is not satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, the EU will continue to provide military aid to Kyiv in order to achieve a just peace.
TRANSPORT – Air passenger transport in Romania went up 6% last year and reached 26 million passengers, the National Statistics Institute reports. The largest traffic flows were recorded at the “Henri Coandă” airport in Bucharest, “Avram Iancu” airport in Cluj Napoca (northwest) and at the International Airport in Iași (northeast). The largest shares in domestic air transport were recorded by the Henri Coandă-Bucharest airport, with 49.8% of the total number of passengers boarded, “Avram Iancu” airport in Cluj-Napoca with 17.6%, and the “Traian Vuia” airport in Timișoara (west) with 14.4%. Most airline passengers arrived from Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and France.
ELECTION – Parties, political and election alliances, organizations representing national minorities and independent candidates have two weeks left to submit their candidacies to the Central Election Bureau for the presidential election slated for May. According to the election calendar set by the government and currently debated by Parliament, the election campaign will start on April 4 and last for a month. At home, the election will be held on May 4, while the vote abroad will start on May 2 and end on May 4. The second round is slated for May 18. This week Parliament dismissed Toni Greblă from the helm of the Permanent Election Authority and appointed an interim replacement. The Audiovisual Council also adopted a set of regulations that will apply to the election campaign.
GAZA – Israel announced that it is suspending the entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip, criticizing the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas for refusing an American proposal to extend the ceasefire agreement. “Israel will not accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas persists in its refusal, more consequences will follow”, a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office reads. Hamas responded, describing Netanyahu’s decision to stop humanitarian aid as “cheap blackmail”, a “war crime” and “a blow” to the ceasefire agreement, Reuters reports. In a statement, Hamas urged the brokers of the ceasefire agreement to force Israel to end punitive measures against the Gaza Strip. The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement ended on Saturday without Hamas and Israel reaching an agreement to implement the second phase, which was supposed to take effect on Sunday and included the release of the remaining hostages in the Strip and a definitive end to the war.
RUGBY – Romania’s rugby team lost 43-5 away from home to Georgia in the semi-finals of Rugby Europe Championship. Georgia thus claimed the Antim Ivireanu Cup, a trophy in play for every match pitting the two sides. In the other semi-final on Saturday, Portugal lost to Spain 42-31 in Lisbon. Georgia and Portugal will compete for the top spot while Romania will take on Spain for the third place final. Both matches are slated for March 14-16. (VP)
