May 10, 2025
A roundup of local and international news
Newsroom, 10.05.2025, 13:50
MAY 10 – May 10th has a triple significance for Romanians. On May 10th, Romania celebrates National Independence Day. The Russian-Turkish War that broke out in April 1877 was the ideal opportunity for Romania to gain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. On May 10th, 1877, the motion submitted by the Assembly of Deputies and the Senate was promulgated by King Carol I, becoming law and officially marking the birth of the independent Romanian state. Also on May 10th, Royalty Day is celebrated, which was Romania’s National Day from 1866 to 1947, until the communists came to power. May 10th marks the beginning of the 48-year reign of Carol I of Hohenzollern Sigmaringen, the first king in a dynasty of four. Events dedicated to celebrating National Independence Day are being held in Bucharest and across the country today. A military ceremony took place in Bucharest at the Monument to the Heroes of the Fatherland, with similar activities being announced in collaboration with local authorities in cities across the country, according to the Ministry of National Defense.
MOLDOVA – An agreement on the economic growth plan of the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking), with financial support from the European Union, was signed in Chisinau, on Friday, on Europe Day, during the visit of Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. The support of 1.9 billion euros also comes with a commitment for the Republic of Moldova to respect European values, to strengthen good governance, the rule of law, the fight against corruption and to increase institutional resilience, said Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean. The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, said, in turn, that the growth plan represents the expression of the EU’s trust in the Republic of Moldova and its support for its European path, while also being an investment in a future member state. Marta Kos added that the long-term objective aims to double the economy and create 100,000 new jobs in the coming decades.
EUROPE – Tens of thousands of Romanians participated, on Friday evening, on Europe Day, in the largest pro-European march in recent years, both in Bucharest and in other cities of the country. Under the slogan “One path: Europe”, people took to the streets to affirm their adherence to EU values and to Romania’s EU membership. Similar rallies were held in Iași (northeast), Galați (southeast), Oradea (northwest), Arad (west), Cluj (northwest), Timișoara (west). As a sign of solidarity with those who took to the streets in the country, Romanians in Belgium organized a rally in Brussels, to emphasize the importance of democratic values, such as freedom, the market economy and freedom of movement.
SUMMIT – The interim President of Romania, Ilie Bolojan, is participating today, via videoconference, at the “Coalition of the Willing” Summit, which is taking place in Kyiv, the Presidential Administration announced. Ukraine is today hosting a meeting of leaders from the countries of the so-called “coalition of the willing” that want to offer it security guarantees by participating in a peacekeeping force in the event of a peace agreement with Russia, Reuters reports. The leader in Kyiv insists that his country joins NATO, an idea ruled out, however, by US President Donald Trump. Under these circumstances, with the support of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelenskiy is trying to obtain the deployment of a contingent of foreign troops in Ukraine as a security guarantee, in case he reaches a peace agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian (74 WTA) plays today against Russian Diana Shnaider (11 WTA) for a place in the round of 16 of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome. Jaqueline Cristian and Diana Shnaider have met twice before on the WTA circuit and shared their victories. The Romanian won in Auckland in 2022, and the Russian got her revenge last year in Charleston. Also today, in Rome, Romanian Monica Niculescu makes her debut in the doubles competition with Polish Kataryna Piter against the pair Dabriela Dabrowski (Canada) / Erin Routliffe (New Zealand). Romanian Gabriela Ruse also pairs with Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) against the pair Miyu Kato (Japan) / Aldila Sutjiadi (Indonesia).
ICE HOCKEY – The Romanian men’s national ice hockey team will be up against the Netherlands, Estonia, China, Spain and South Korea at the 2026 World Championship, Division I, Group B, the Romanian Ice Hockey Federation announced. The Netherlands is the team coming from Division II, Group A, while the other sides have made it to this level this season as well. In return, Lithuania has advanced and will replace the Romanian team, in Division I, Group A. The venue for the World Championship, Division I, Group B will be established at the Annual Congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation in Stockholm, in May 22-24. (EE)
