THE WEEK IN REVIEW
24-28 March, 2025
Bogdan Matei, 29.03.2025, 12:26
No Visa Waiver for Romanians
The United States has suspended the visa waiver program for Romanians, which, according to a decision by the former Democratic administration of Joe Biden, was to activate at the end of this month. A statement from the Department of Homeland Security announces that Romania’s inclusion in the visa waiver program will be reviewed until the strict security requirements set out in the program are met. Thus, Romanians who wish to travel to the United States must apply, as before, to obtain a category B non-immigrant visa at the United States embassy or consulate. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already modified the conditions for travel to the United States on its website to reflect Washington’s decision. Diplomacy in Bucharest states that Romanian authorities remain in close coordination with American ones to ensure that the Visa Waiver program will be implemented as quickly as possible. Many local voices claim that in the United States, with the installation of Republican Donald Trump in the White House, a radical change of approach has occurred in migration policies, which does not aim at Romania alone. There are also many who say that, for the Trump team, there are no credible interlocutors among the political decision-makers in Bucharest.
No certainties for ministers
The Romanian Prime Minister, Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu, declared that, in the coming period, there will be a reshuffle of his coalition government, PSD-PNL-UDMR. Until then, he specified, the ministers will be monitored weekly regarding their activity, in terms of reducing expenses and personnel restructuring. After the failure of the visa waiver program, the Prime Minister also stated that it is necessary for Romania to have a special envoy to the United States, both from the Presidency and from the Government, who will deal with communication between the two countries, until the issue of changing the ambassador in Washington arises.
Draw for presidential candidates
The first three positions on the ballots for the first round of the presidential elections on May 4 in Romania will be occupied, in this order, by the leader of AUR (nationalist opposition), George Simion, the former liberal leader Crin Antonescu, supported by the government coalition, and the leader of USR (in opposition), Elena Lasconi. The order of registration was established by the Central Electoral Bureau, through a draw. Positions 4 to11 will be, in order, Cristian Terheş, Lavinia Şandru, former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Sebastian Constantin Popescu, Silviu Predoiu, John Ion Banu Muscel, former Minister Daniel Funeriu and the mayor general of Bucharest, independent Nicuşor Dan. According to polls on voting intentions, several may have a chance to qualify for the decisive round of voting, scheduled for May 18. Most, however, have an electoral share below the margin of error in sociological research.
No Romanian soldiers for Ukraine
Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, participated in Paris in a new meeting of heads of state and government of the so-called coalition of the willing on security in Ukraine, invaded by Russian troops. The head of state reaffirmed Bucharest’s support for Kiev, which has been amply proven over the more than three years of war. He stated that Romania rules out sending its own soldiers to Ukraine, but if a peace plan is reached in the neighboring country, it could become a transit center for forces assigned by allies and partners.
Queen Marie returned to Chisinau
Numerous cultural and religious events marked, in Bucharest and Chisinau, the anniversary, on March 27, of the 107th anniversary of the Union with the Kingdom of Romania of Bessarabia (east), a province with a majority Romanian population that was, for more than a century, until 1918, under the occupation of the Tsarist empire. In Chisinau, the monument to Queen Marie was unveiled, during a ceremony attended by members of the Romanian community from both banks of the river Prut. It is the statue of the one who, at the end of the First World War, played an essential role in the Union with the Motherland of all Romanian provinces, is six meters high and represents her as sovereign on the day of her coronation in Alba Iulia (Transylvania, center), holding the Bible in her hand. In the cemetery of the Cernica Monastery, near Bucharest, a religious service was held and wreaths were laid at the graves of the Bessarabian unionists from 1918 buried there – Metropolitan Gurie Grosu, politicians Pantelimon Halippa, Daniel Ciugureanu and Ioan Pelivan. The latter three ended up in the prisons of the communist regime in Romania, installed, after World War II, by the Soviet occupation troops. Only Pantelimon Halippa survived the detention. Daniel Ciugureanu and Ioan Pelivan died, in the 1950s, in the prison of Sighet (north).
No sporting joys
The Romanian national football team had a hesitant start in Group H of next year’s World Cup preliminaries: a 0-1 defeat in Bucharest, with Bosnia, and a 5-1 away victory against San Marino, one of the lowest rated teams on the continent. The group also includes Austria and Cyprus. Romania has not qualified for a World Cup final tournament since 1998. In handball, Romania’s men’s champion Dinamo Bucharest was defeated at home by German team SC Magdeburg, with a score of 30-26, in the first leg of the Champions League play-off. The second leg will take place on April 2, in Germany.
