August 23, 2025 UPDATE
The latest news from RRI
Newsroom, 23.08.2025, 20:00
Visit – The Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Saturday talked in Chisinau with the Moldovan President Maia Sandu about expanding cooperation in the field of infrastructure, energy and cross-border development projects, as well as about the European path of the Republic of Moldova and “countering foreign interference that destabilizes” this process. Romania will continue to be a strong supporter of Chisinau in the EU accession process, supporting both internal reforms and projects that strengthen regional security and bring the Republic of Moldova closer to European standards, the Bucharest government emphasizes. In Chisinau, the Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan also discussed with his counterpart Dorin Recean. ‘I assure you that we will continue to build new bridges that will bring us even closer, as befits sister countries, which share a common language, history and values’, the Romanian official declared. This is the first visit that Ilie Bolojan is paying to Chisinau as Prime Minister. He was previously in the Republic of Moldova in March, but as interim president of Romania. Next week, on August 31, on the occasion of the Romanian Language Day, the President of Romania, Nicuşor Dan, is also expected in Chisinau, and on August 27, on Independence Day, at the invitation of President Maia Sandu, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will come to the Republic of Moldova. Through their presence, the European partners reconfirm their trust in the Republic of Moldova and their support for our European path – the Moldovan presidential administration reported.
Enescu – Between August 24 and September 21, 2025, Romania becomes the world center of classical music, with the unfolding of the 27th edition of the George Enescu International Festival. The event takes place in concert halls in Bucharest, including the Radio Hall, as well as in Cluj (northwest), Timişoara (west), Constanţa (southeast) and Sibiu (center). During the 29 days of the festival, almost 100 concerts and performances will take place. In addition to Enescu’s masterpieces – such as the opera Oedipus, the Symphonies, the Romanian Rhapsodies or the Ballad for Violin and Orchestra – the audience will enjoy works by important composers such as Dmitri Shostakovich, Pierre Boulez and Maurice Ravel. Attending the festival will be over 80 ensembles, symphony orchestras, choirs and chamber groups from 28 countries. This year, the festival also marks 70 years since the great composer’s death, paying tribute to his artistic legacy and profound impact on universal classical music.
Pact – The Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, through which Eastern Europe was divided between the two totalitarian regimes led by Hitler and Stalin, was a heinous act, the Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stressed, on the day marking 86 years since the signing of the document. “August 23, 1939 remains a symbol of cynicism and brutality. The totalitarianisms of the last century brought mass murder, deportations, famine and terror, and the memory of these horrors must be kept alive,” the Prime Minister recalled in a message conveyed on the occasion of the European Day of Commemoration of the Victims of Stalinism and Nazism and the National Day dedicated to the Victims of Fascism and Communism. Also on August 23, but in 1944, King Mihai I ordered the dismissal and arrest of the then Prime Minister of Romania, General Ion Antonescu, as well as the immediate cessation of Romania’s collaboration with the Axis powers and the beginning of armistice negotiations with the Allies and military collaboration with the Soviet Union.
Israel – Israel has rejected a UN-backed report declaring a famine in Gaza City, which the Israeli military is preparing to occupy. The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the report is based on biased data provided by Hamas and that the only starving people in Gaza are the Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist group. But the IPC, the internationally recognized body for assessing global food insecurity, uses strict criteria and warns that the famine is caused by Israel’s systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid and could spread to other parts of the Palestinian territory by the end of next month. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said the deaths from starvation could constitute war crimes. While Israel has rejected the IPC’s findings, it has taken new steps in recent weeks to support aid distribution. On the other hand, the Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Gaza City would be destroyed if Hamas did not accept peace on the terms dictated by Israel. The Israeli army began sending warnings to hospitals and non-governmental organizations active in Gaza to prepare to evacuate the area and head to the south of the enclave, the correspondent of Radio Romania’s News and Current Affairs’ channel in Israel reported. (LS)
