Romanian President attends monastery for Navy Day, skips Constanța ceremony for second year

Romanian President Nicușor Dan marked Navy Day on August 15 by visiting Dejani Monastery in Brașov County, located at the foothills of the Făgăraș Mountains. This choice signifies his second consecutive year absent from the official Navy Day ceremony held in Constanța.

Dan attended the monastery with his partner, Mirabela Grădinaru, and their two children. His presence at Dejani explains his absence from the Constanța event, where he was represented by presidential advisor Marius Lazurca, who conveyed Dan's message. The Constanța ceremony also saw the presence of the dismissed Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, who was reportedly booed by some attendees.

This is not the first time Dan has missed the Constanța event. His absence in 2025, shortly after taking office, was considered unusual, marking the first time in over a decade that the President of Romania, in his capacity as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, did not participate in Navy Day events. The last president to miss the Constanța ceremony was Traian Băsescu in 2011, who cited his wife's birthday as the reason, noting he was familiar with the program from previous years.