The week after Easter saw the visits of several high-ranking Romanian officials to Ukraine in a show of support for the country's northern neighbor, while the Romanian Government also signed a memorandum with Bulgaria for a new bridge over the Danube. In Bucharest, several downtown streets opened to pedestrians in a program covering various performances, concerts and events. More of the April 26-May 1 week's highlights in photos below.

After president Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Romanian Parliament in early April, the Romanian prime minister and the two presidents of the Parliament's chambers visited Ukraine last week. PM Nicolae Ciucă and the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, paid an official visit on April 26. The two met held talks with Zelensky, PM Denys Shmyhal, and the president of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanciuk.

A day later, senate president Florin Cîţu went to the war-torn Gostomel and Irpin alongside the speaker of the Parliament of Northern Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, and Irène Kälin, the president of Switzerland's National Council.

The Romanian officials discussed topics covering the options for supporting Ukraine and the country's post-war reconstruction plan, among others.

Another neighbor of Romania that was in the spotlight last week was Bulgaria as PM Kiril Petkov was on a visit to Bucharest, where he met both president Klaus Iohannis and his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciucă. During the visit, a memorandum was signed for the construction of a second bridge over the Danube between Giurgiu and Ruse. A joint meeting of the two countries' Governments is expected for September.

Meanwhile, the Bucharest City Hall (PMB) returned with a new bond issue on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The bonds issued by the municipality are now traded on the Main Market of BVB in the sixth issue since 2015. In April of this year, the municipality successfully completed the private placement of the municipal bond issue with a total nominal value of RON 555 million to refinance the municipality's bond issue from 2015, maturing on May 4, 2022. The bonds will mature on April 19, 2032. Mayor Nicușor Dan, pictured here alongside BVB president Radu Hanga, rang the opening bell on April 29 to mark the occasion.

The last weekend of the month meant the start of this year's Open Streets - Bucharest, Urban Promenade event. As part of the project, several venues and streets in Bucharest are closed for car traffic during the weekends until mid-October. Several pedestrian areas have been established in the downtown area of the city, namely Calea Victoriei and adjacent streets, George Enescu Square, Universitatii Square, Unirii Boulevard and Kiseleff Road. Other streets in each of the six districts could also join the project. The new, pedestrian-only zones host outdoor theatre performances, shows and activities for children, exhibitions, or sports activities. More than 15,000 people attended the events this past weekend, Arcub, a cultural center of the Bucharest City Hall, said in a release.

In Braşov, Parada Junilor, a cavalcade traditionally held on the Sunday of Thomas, returned to the city after a two-year break imposed by the pandemic. Tens of riders paraded through the city's old town, from Unirii Square to the iconic Piața Sfatului and to the place called La Pietrele lui Solomon, where a party is held at the end of the event.

(Opening photo: Bogdan Palici, courtesy of ARCUB)

simona@romania-insider.com