April 5, 2026 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 05.04.2026, 20:00

PALM SUNDAY – Orthodox Christians and Greek Catholics, including those in Romania, a predominantly Orthodox country, celebrated Palm Sunday. People went to church to bless willow branches, reminiscent of the date and olive branches with which Jesus Christ was welcomed in Jerusalem. For Orthodox Christians, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the last week of Lent. During Passion Week, Christians prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior, which will take place on April 12. Almost 1.8 million Romanians celebrated their name day on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter. At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV called on those who have the power to start wars, to choose peace. It was the Pope’s first Easter message – the traditional ‘Urbi et Orbi’ blessing – on the occasion of the most important holiday in the Catholic calendar, overshadowed this year by the conflict in the Middle East, press agencies reported. The Pontiff denounced the indifference in the face of war and its consequences. “We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent. Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people,” Pope Leo told a crowd of faithful in St Peter’s Square.

MESSAGE – Romanian President Nicusor Dan conveyed messages to Roman Catholic Christians celebrating Easter and Orthodox Christians celebrating Palm Sunday. “The Resurrection reconnects us to the deep values of humanity – compassion, responsibility for our fellow human beings and solidarity. These are the values on which we want to continue building a free society, in which we all live together in peace,” said Nicusor Dan. He emphasized that, for those celebrating Palm Sunday, the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem heralds Easter and symbolically reminds us of the importance of forgiveness and balance, of sacrifice and devotion to others.

NATO – Romania’s NATO membership remains the foundation of national security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) said in a message occasioned by the 77th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Treaty, the founding document of the Alliance. Bucharest promotes a stronger Europe in NATO, capable of truly contributing to the collective defense and resilience of the Euro-Atlantic area, MAE said in a press release. In a message on the same occasion, President Nicuşor Dan stated that Romania’s path to NATO was built on the deep desire to be part of an area of democracy, freedom and the rule of law. In turn, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said that, for Romania, NATO means, today, security, stability and trust. He added that Romania will continue to invest in defense, modernize its army and consolidate its role as a trusted partner on the Eastern Flank, actively contributing to Euro-Atlantic security. NATO Day is celebrated in Romania on the first Sunday of April.

GENDARMES – Romanian Gendarmerie Day was marked on Sunday in the “Carol I” Park in Bucharest, through a series of events dedicated to the general public. These included demonstration exercises, exhibitions and artistic events, according to the Gendarmerie. The program included a cross-country race dedicated to the Gendarmerie, as well as spectacular demonstrations with horses and service dogs. Equipment used in special interventions, including those of divers and paratroopers, was also presented. An exhibition of period military uniforms, as well as a promenade music concert also took place. The events marked 176 years since the founding of the Romanian Gendarmerie.

WAR – US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday to hit its power plants and bridges on Tuesday if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, France Presse reports. He had previously given Iran several ultimatums, which he then postponed, saying he did so to allow negotiations that he claimed were underway, with his latest ultimatum expiring on April 6. Iran, however, denied any negotiations with Washington, saying that what the US presents as ‘negotiations’ are merely exchanges of messages through intermediaries such as Pakistan. After one of Trump’s ultimatums, Iran responded that the Strait of Hormuz was open to all ships, except those with ties to ‘Iran’s enemies’. According to Tehran, if the US president carries out his threat, this strait will be completely closed and Iran will strike regional energy installations, American economic interests in the region and vital infrastructure, the latter being a reference to seawater desalination plants. (EE)