November 9, 2025
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 09.11.2025, 14:00
REPATRIATION – The coffin with the remains of the last ruler of the Romanian Principality of Moldavia , Grigore Alexandru Ghica (1807 – 1857), was laid on Sunday in the Union Hall of the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest. The ruler’s remains were repatriated from France, where he died in exile in the mid-19th century. Next, the ceremonies, which include military honors and moments of silence, will take place in Focsani and then in Iaşi, the last one being the city where the ruler will be reburied. Ruler of Moldavia between 1849 and 1856, Grigore Alexandru Ghica is described by historians as one of the most visionary figures of the 19th century. He was a unionist militant, he paved the way for the Union of the Romanian Principalities in 1859, and he promoted essential values for modern society: freedom, social justice, dignity. He supported courageous reforms, from the emancipation of the Roma and the abolition of censorship, to the development of public services and the introduction of a governance model inspired by the great European democracies. He opened the first maternity hospital in Moldavia with his own money. His repatriation is not only an act of symbolic restoration, but also a gesture of national gratitude towards a leader who laid the foundations of the modern Romanian state, the Bucharest authorities say.
MESSAGE – Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan reaffirmed, in a message sent on the occasion of the International Day against Fascism and Antisemitism, marked on November 9, the strong commitment of the Romanian Government to combat antisemitism, discrimination, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech. “87 years ago, Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass) took place, a tragic episode in European history, in which Nazis and civilians intoxicated by the regime’s propaganda arrested, tortured and killed Jews, confiscating or destroying their properties and places of worship,” the message reads. Bolojan stressed that that moment subsequently led “to one of the darkest chapters in history – the Holocaust.” He recalled that hatred knew no borders, and this wave also spread to Romania, with isolated incidents becoming systematic state persecution actions directed against Jewish communities. “Therefore, today, when the ghosts of hatred and intolerance are increasingly present in our societies, we must all assume the responsibility to act coherently and strongly so that hatred, prejudice or discrimination are no longer tolerated and that we no longer validate attitudes that undermine trust and social cohesion,” Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said.
REPORT – Approximately 5 million people in Romania, that is, a quarter of the population, were, last year, in conditions of “material and social deprivation”, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The word “deprivation” is, according to the dictionary, a strictly medical term, but has been adopted in a broad sense to describe, in the case of material deprivation, the situation in which a person or a family cannot afford basic goods, such as a house, food and clothing, and, in the case of social deprivation, it means that they do not have the opportunity to participate in social, cultural events or maintain social connections. The most affected people were found in the age category of 65 years and over, followed by the 50-64 age range and children up to 17 years old. The condition is more common in women than in men and is much more common in people with low and medium levels of education than in those with higher levels of education.
ENERGY – Romanian Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan discussed with Doug Burgum, the United States Secretary of Internal Resources, and Jarrod Agen, the head of the White House Energy Dominance Council, projects to develop civil nuclear, hydropower, natural gas and technology capacities in Romania. Bogdan Ivan wrote, in a post on his Facebook page, that he presented solid projects and clear figures to American officials. He mentioned the financing of civil nuclear projects in Cernavoda (southeast) and the exploitation of natural gas in the Black Sea.
EXERCISE – The Dacian Fall 2025 military exercise continues on Sunday in Romania, with a sequence dedicated to the training of engineering elements, organized in the Sântimbru training range in Alba county, after, on Saturday, the exercises was held at the Cincu training range in Braşov county. Planned by the Multinational Command of the Southeast Division in Bucharest, the exercise is taking place simultaneously in the training ranges of Cincu, Smârdan, Capu Midia, Babadag, Bogata, Alba Iulia, Hanu Conachi, Giarmata and Cârţişoara. “Dacian Fall” aims to operationally integrate the participating forces, provided by the contributing nations, and marks the final stage of the temporary brigade-level stand-off of NATO battle groups in Romania and Bulgaria. The exercises have an exclusively defensive profile, based on complex scenarios.
CONSULATE – The Minister of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest, Oana Ţoiu, informed that two Romanian citizens injured, on the night of Saturday to Sunday, in the armed attack in Taksim Square in Istanbul, are out of any danger. The case came to the attention of the Consulate General of Romania in Istanbul, after an emergency call from the Romanian woman who was accompanying them. A team went to the scene to provide consular assistance. The Romanian citizens are part of a group participating in a cultural event in Istanbul. (EE)
