THE WEEK IN REVIEW

3-7 November, 2025

Roxana Vasile, 08.11.2025, 15:59

Mark Rutte in Bucharest

Mark Rutte made his first visit to Bucharest this week as Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance. He provided assurances that collective defense according to NATO Article 5, together with the presence of allied troops, the initiatives to strengthen the Eastern Flank, and the increased attention to the Black Sea region contribute to protecting Romania. Mark Rutte was received by President Nicuşor Dan, talked with the head of the executive, Ilie Bolojan, as well as with the presidents of the two Chambers of Parliament. The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance also participated in the first edition of the NATO Defense Industry Forum, an event organized in Bucharest to promote strategic dialogue with the defense industries of allied states. Both Nicuşor Dan and Mark Rutte spoke out firmly in favor of increasing the Alliance’s defense capacity, necessary in the current political context, but also for expanding production in the military field. During the government meeting, Prime Minister Bolojan welcomed the Alliance’s commitment to strengthening its defense and deterrence posture on the Eastern Flank through initiatives such as Eastern Sentinel, aimed at increasing the degree of vigilance in this part of Europe, exposed to drone incursions or other types of threats from Russia. Mark Rutte said that the Alliance will defend every centimeter of Romanian territory by all means in the event of an attack, from wherever it comes. The NATO chief’s visit to Bucharest came shortly after the United States announced that they would reduce the number of soldiers at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base, near the Black Sea.

Rheinmetall investment in Romania

Romania has the ambition to become a major player in the defense industry. In Victoria, in the center of the country, there will be the most modern ammunition powder factory in the world, after the government signed an agreement in this regard with the Germans from Rheinmetall. Armin Papperger, the defense giant’s chief executive, said the German investment exceeds several hundred million euros. And Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan believes that, through this partnership, Romania will become a player in the defense industry in southeastern Europe. He also welcomed Rheinmetall’s willingness to renegotiate the joint venture agreement, so that part of the future factory’s supply chain is local.

Charlie Ottley receives Romanian citizenship

British journalist and producer Charlie Ottley received Romanian citizenship this week. The ceremony to take the oath of allegiance to the country was attended by the British ambassador to Bucharest, Giles Portman, the Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu, and the interim president of the National Authority for Citizenship, Claudia Ţapardel. Charlie Ottley declared himself happy and privileged, saying that, as an Englishman who fell in love with Romania, the country has become his spiritual home. Now, this is also his legal home. The British journalist has lived in Romania for 5 years and is dedicated to heritage conservation, nature protection, architectural landscape conservation, and the promotion of better education. Through his exceptional documentaries, Wild Carpathia and Flavours of Romania, Charlie Ottley managed to capture the spirit, authenticity and scenic beauty of Romania.

Bears in the crosshairs

Romania will have, by the end of this month, an official statistic of its bear population and a map with their distribution by area, based on a study that analyzes DNA samples collected over the past two years, announced the Minister of Environment, Diana Buzoianu. The government in Bucharest has amended the legislation so that intervention in the event of the presence of bears in inhabited areas and in the event of an attack is more efficient, and measures are taken more quickly at the local level. It is not about making it easier to shoot bears, it was stated, but about being able to resort to this solution in case of imminent danger. The law also provides for substantial fines for those who feed bears. Romania currently has between 10,000 and 12,000 bears.

Final pilgrimage at the National Cathedral

Approximately 315,000 pilgrims passed through the Holy Altar of the National Cathedral in Bucharest, the largest in the Orthodox world, to worship. After the consecration service on October 26 for the impressive place of worship, access of the faithful to the altar was organized, but their number being very large, the program was extended until November 5, at midnight. Located in the immediate vicinity of the Palace of Parliament (the second largest administrative building in the world), the National Cathedral and the adjacent buildings extend over an area of approximately 110 thousand square meters. The Cathedral’s iconostasis was recognized as the largest in the world by the Academy of World Records. The same body specified that, after it is completely finished, the Cathedral will also have the largest interior collection of mosaic icons, approximately 25 thousand square meters.

Emeric Ienei has passed away

Former football coach Emeric Ienei has died at the age of 88. Considered the great gentleman of Romanian football, he will remain in the memory of sports lovers as the coach who achieved a historic performance for Romanian football – winning the European Champions Cup with Steaua Bucharest in 1986. He also coached the national team, which he managed to bring to qualification for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, after a 20-year break. Messages of condolence came from both the football and political worlds. The country’s president, the prime minister, and UEFA representatives evoked the memorable moments of the former coach’s career, his balance and elegance. On the other hand, there was a day of mourning in Rome on Wednesday, in memory of a Romanian worker who died after the partial collapse of the tower of a medieval building in the historic center of the Italian capital. Octav Stroici, 66, died in hospital, a few hours after being pulled alive from the rubble, where he remained for 11 hours before firefighters managed to extract him. He was the only one who did not survive among the five workers trapped under the rubble.