August 24, 2025
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 24.08.2025, 13:55
UKRAINE Romania’s president Nicusor Dan sent his warmest congratulations and sincere wishes for peace and security to the citizens of Ukraine on Sunday, as the country celebrates Independence Day. “In the face of Russia’s continued aggression against your country, I would like to reiterate Romania’s support for Ukraine’s legitimate effort to defend itself,” president Dan said in the message. He promised Romania will support Ukraine’s reconstruction and EU accession efforts. The Romanian official also said that he admires the courage and resilience shown by both the Ukrainian armed forces and civilians in defending the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Your determination serves as a powerful example of the fight for freedom and democracy against an autocratic enemy,” Nicusor Dan said in the message.
MESSAGES World leaders, including the US president Donald Trump, have sent messages of congratulations to Ukraine on its Independence Day, celebrated for the fourth time amind Russia’s full-scale invasion, the BBC reports. In a letter made public by Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president Trump says that many have been inspired by Ukraine’s courage and that he supports a negotiated solution to the war. In an address in Independence Square on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would never give up its freedom. The Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day.
MOLDOVA Romania stands by the Republic of Moldova in its European integration process, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan reaffirmed in Chisinau on Saturday, on his first foreign visit since taking over the office. Bolojan said that in recent years the Republic of Moldova has had to face unprecedented pressures, but managed to preserve its sovereignty and independence. He emphasised that Romania will assist Moldova with its own expertise, with the experience gained during the years of EU membership, as well as through EU bilateral and cross-border cooperation formats. The Moldovan PM Dorin Recean thanked Bucharest for helping Moldova secure its energy independence, and mentioned that Romania is one of the main markets for Moldovan products. PM Bolojan also had talks with president Maia Sandu.
FESTIVAL The 27th International “George Enescu” Festival takes place in Bucharest between 24 august and 21 September. It’s been 70 years since the death of the great composer George Enescu, and this year’s edition of the festival named after him is an opportunity to bring to the fore both his artistic legacy and his impact on universal classical music. Over 4,000 Romanian and international artists take part in more than 100 concerts and performances for all audiences. The festival includes over 45 performances of George Enescu’s works, from the famous symphonies, Romanian rhapsodies, suites for orchestra, chamber, choral and solo works to the opera ‘Oedipus’ produced by Stefano Poda. Performances by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Zurich Tonhalle-Orchester, Orchestre National de France, the Czech Philharmonic, Budapest Festival Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Accademia Bizantina, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Il Giardio Armonico are among the festival highlights. Radio România Music, the only station in the country devoted to classical music, airs over 60 of the concerts in Bucharest, and some of them will be re-broadcast as part of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Summer Season, which brings together recordings and live broadcasts of the most important European festivals, such as the BBC Proms, Richard Wagner at Bayreuth or the Salzburg Festival.
TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea won the WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland (Ohio, USA) on Saturday, after defeating Ann Li (USA) in the final. Cîrstea (35) won her third WTA singles title, after those Tashkent (2008) and Istanbul (2021). She will play in the first round of the US Open, which started on Sunday, against Solana Sierra (Argentina). Two other Romanian players, Jaqueline Cristian and Gabriela Ruse, will have difficult opponents in the first round. Jaqueline Cristian takes on Danielle Collins (US), while Gabriela Ruse faces the Russian-born Australian player Daria Kasatkina. (AMP)
