April 23, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Cristina Mateescu, 23.04.2025, 19:53
Defence. Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan has summoned the Country’s Supreme Defence Council for 30th April, the president’s office said in a statement. The agenda will feature Romania’s participation in Readiness 2030, the European defence plan, the bill on the national defence of the country and the national plan for military mobility. Other bills to be discussed include that on national security in the field of hydro energy and on the national strategic vision in the space area.
Magistrates. The Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday passed a bill that radically changes the retirement rules for magistrates. In the version adopted by the deputies, starting with January 1, 2026, judges and prosecutors will retire at the age of 65, like all other employees in Romania, instead of 48. Their pensions will also be lower. The bill will next go to the Senate, which is the decision-making body in this case. The document was criticised by the Superior Council of Magistracy on grounds that it would seriously undermine the functioning of the judicial system in the short and medium term. Its adoption is, however, one of the conditions that Romania must meet in order to receive the third payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Pope. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists gathered at the Vatican to pay their last respects to Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88. The open coffin containing his lifeless body was transferred on Wednesday morning to St. Peter’s Basilica, where mourners can bid farewell to the leader of the Catholic Church for three days. Hundreds of thousands of believers are expected to attend the funeral on Saturday, as well as numerous heads of state and government, including Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan. According to his last wishes, Pope Francis will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in central Rome, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Italian government has declared five days of national mourning, while the Vatican is in mourning until April 30. The conclave to elect the future Pontiff will have to meet at least 15 days after the death of Pope Francis, which means that discussions between the 135 cardinals with voting rights are to begin on May 5.
Economy. Romanian finance minister Tánczos Barna is this week attending the spring meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, where he is expected to reiterate his country’s commitment to fiscal and budgetary stability, the Romanian authorities said on Wednesday. The event, which is held annually, brings together finance ministers, central bank governors, economic leaders and representatives of world financial institutions, providing a strategic framework for debate on global economic and financial challenges. Romania is also represented by its minister for the economy, digitalisation, entrepreneurship and tourism, Bogdan Ivan, and the National Bank delegation led by first deputy governor Leonardo Badea. On the sidelines of the meeting, finance minister Tanczos Barna is attending the Central and Eastern Europe Strategy Summit.
Theatre. Tickets for the 32nd edition of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival have gone on sale. The festival will take place between June 20 and 29. The festival brings together 150 indoor or outdoor performances and 37 online performances, of which more than half are available free of charge. American actors Bill Murray and Kathleen Turner are among the special guests of this year’s festival. (CM)
