February 4, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 04.02.2026, 17:10
Romania attends critical minerals meeting
A Romanian delegation led by Foreign Minister Oana Ţoiuis attending the first ministerial meeting dedicated to critical minerals in Washington, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting aims to strengthen international cooperation to provide for secure and diversified supply chains between Romania and the USA, and also between the European Union and the United States, according to the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest.
The meeting aims to develop a strategic approach to the field, with proposals for commercial partnerships to be discussed throughout the year, based on a technical working group at the level of the Romanian Government, to facilitate strategic investments in the field. Strengthening the economic dimension of the Romanian-American strategic partnership, as well as developing opportunities for joint investments, are among the key objectives of the Romanian Government this year and of increasing the country’s positioning as a key European actor for strategic autonomy in the essential field of rare minerals.
Brussels rejects US allegations of content censorship
European officials have rejected allegations of censorship detailed in a report by experts from the US House Judiciary Committee. The document claims that the Brussels executive exerted pressure on major online platforms, such as TikTok Meta, and Google, to remove or restrict certain types of political content.
The report’s authors assert that these actions impacted public debate and electoral processes in several EU member states, including Romania.
In response, the European Commission stated that EU legislation on digital services (the Digital Services Act) mandates that major platforms combat disinformation, undisclosed electoral advertising, coordinated manipulation, and illegal content. However, the Commission emphasized that decisions regarding elections remain the exclusive remit of member states and that the Union’s duty is to protect democratic processes, not to influence them.
It should be noted that the European Commission’s investigation into TikTok regarding the 2024 annulled Romanian elections is currently ongoing. This exchange of words occurs amid long-standing tensions between the European Union and a segment of the American political class—specifically President Trump’s Republicans—concerning internet regulation, freedom of speech, and the role of digital platforms in elections.
President Nicușor Dan defends 2024 election annulment
The decision to annul the 2024 presidential election in Romania was an internal legal act aimed at protecting the constitutional order, the country’s president, Nicușor Dan, said.
The ruling by the Constitutional Court of Romania was based on documents that unequivocally indicated the distortion of equal opportunities between candidates and the massive corruption of the electoral campaign by a single candidate. This was carried out through the non-transparent and illegal use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as through undeclared campaign financing, including in the online environment, the Romanian president added in a social media post.
Dan emphasized that the TikTok platform itself admitted to identifying several covert influence networks, preventing and removing tens of thousands of fake accounts and interactions, and banning hundreds of accounts that impersonated presidential candidates. At the same time, he specified that Russian interference in the electoral processes of European countries, including Romania, has been highlighted by official reports from NATO, the European Union, and the UK government.
Romania’s state budget for 2026
Romania’s state budget for 2026 is built on a 6.2% deficit target and an end-of-year inflation rate of 4%, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced. He stated that discussions on the budget law will conclude next week, with the project expected to be sent to Parliament for adoption around February 20.
According to the Prime Minister, the primary objectives are meeting the deficit target agreed upon with the European Commission and the absorption of European funds, as over €10 billion from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) must be used by August.
Additionally, the head of the Romanian executive noted that the administrative reform package has entered the governmental approval circuit and is set to be adopted next week. Ilie Bolojan further specified that this will be achieved through a Government assumption of responsibility (a constitutional procedure that bypasses standard parliamentary debate).
Education trade unions stage protest in Bucharest
Romanian education unionists on Wednesday staged a new protest in front of the Government building in Bucharest. They criticize the measures adopted by the Government, especially dissatisfied with the increase in teaching standards and the decrease in the amounts for the so-called hourly payment.
The protesters are also considering organizing a strike, which would take place during the mock testing for the National Evaluation and the Baccalaureate exams, scheduled for March.
Student organizations have announced their solidarity with the Education unionists. Students disagree with the austerity measures adopted last year, which led to the decrease in the scholarship fund and the elimination of certain discounts on local and rail transport. (EE&VP)
