PALM SUNDAY – On Sunday, Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians in Romania are celebrating Palm Sunday, marking the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. According to tradition, on this day people bring willow branches to church to be blessed, which they then take back to their homes for protection. Willow branches are substitutes for the palm and olive branches the crowds brought to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. This Sunday marks the start of the last week of Eastern Lent, when people prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, this year observed on May 5. Mass processions were held in several towns and villages in the country on Palm Sunday eve, and a traditional procession will be held on Sunday in Bucharest. Nearly 1.8 million Romanians celebrate their name day on this occasion.
UKRAINE – Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr and the Chief of Defense Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad represented Romania in the 4th meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine, held in videoconference format. According to the Defense Ministry, the meeting examined progress reported since the previous meetings, and briefed participants regarding military developments linked to the conflict in Ukraine. Minister Tîlvăr highlighted Romania’s multi-dimensional support for Ukraine, including Romania’s participation in the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), training Ukrainian servicemen, as well as in the INTERFLEX mission led by the UK.
MOLDOVA – EU integration is the best solution to boost the resilience of the Republic of Moldova in the face of current security challenges, Romania’s Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu said in Chișinău. The Romanian official referred to Romania’s project to assist Moldova in increasing its capacity to counteract non-conventional security risks, with a focus on cyber-security, the protection of critical infrastructure and hybrid threats. The second phase of this project was launched on Friday. “We will continue to provide support to consolidate the legal and institutional framework of the Republic of Moldova, in line with EU requirements”, Minister Odobescu pointed out.
COOPERATION – Turkey is Romania’s top trade partner from outside the EU and the number one destination of Romanian exports, Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday after meeting Turkey’s vice-president, Cevdet Yilmaz in Bucharest. Talks focused on the current security context and the best cooperation solutions at bilateral and NATO levels. Also on Friday, the Romanian Prime Minister attended the third meeting of the Inter-Government Cooperation Committee of Romania and the United Arab Emirates. The Romanian official said the development of strategic projects will benefit the economic development of both states. Last week, Marcel Ciolacu paid a visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he met with high-ranking officials as well as representatives of companies interested in expanding their operations and investing in Romania.
GAUDEAMUS – The city of Cluj Napoca (northwest) is playing host to the Transylvania-Gaudeamus Book Fair, organized by Radio Romania. Having reached its 23rd edition, the fair this year has 85 publishers exhibiting their offers, including book launches, music and educational games. A few thousand volumes in Romanian and international or minority languages will be on display. Over 40 events are organized on the sidelines of the fair, book launches, panel discussions and book signings. The book fair will close on Sunday.
ENERGY – Romania has some of the lowest prices for electricity and natural gas at EU level. According to Eurostat, the prices for natural gas for household users were the third-lowest at community level, accounting for half of the EU average. For electricity, Romanians are paying 65% of the EU average. Household users in Hungary and Croatia have the lowest prices for natural gas, while the lowest prices for electricity are reported in Hungary, Bulgaria and Malta. Overall, the total value of energy bills for EU consumers went down in the second half of 2023, after the increase caused by the war in Ukraine.
TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian is today playing Danielle Collins of the United States in the third round at the WTA 1000 Mutua Madrid Open, totaling 7.7 million EUR in prizes. On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian ousted Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia, 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 in the second round. Also today, Sorana Cîrstea is playing world no. 1 Iga Świątek of Poland in the third round. (VP)
