September 23, 2026
A roundup of national and international news.
Newsroom, 23.09.2026, 13:55
PM – The designated Romanian Prime Minister, Liberal MEP Siegfried Mureşan, said he has the support of the PNL, USR and UDMR and that he will hold talks with representatives of the national minorities in Parliament. He announced that he will also have a dialogue with PSD president Sorin Grindeanu, whose party has decided not to support the cabinet Mureşan will propose. The parties supporting the designated prime minister do not have the 233 votes required for the government to be invested. Siegfried Mureşan said that the governing programme aims to achieve economic growth exceeding the growth of public debt. He also said that his government will reform state-owned companies and reduce energy bills for households and businesses. Mureşan also promised that there would be no increases in taxes and duties during his term in office. According to the established timetable, on Monday, the candidates for ministerial posts will be heard by the relevant parliamentary committees, while on Tuesday Parliament will hold a joint plenary vote on the composition of the government and its governing programme. We recall that the Romanian government led by Liberal Ilie Bolojan, formed by the PNL, USR and UDMR, was dismissed in May through a motion of no confidence initiated by its former partner, the PSD, and AUR, the populist, ultranationalist opposition. President Nicuşor Dan designated Siegfried Mureşan last week to form a government, after two previous nominations ended in failure. If the government formed by Siegfried Mureşan is rejected by Parliament, Romania could enter a scenario of early elections.
PRESIDENCY – President of Romania Nicuşor Dan will present today, at the UN Security Council, the immediate consequences of the war in Ukraine and will deliver Romania’s national statement at the UN General Assembly in New York. In an interview with CNN, the head of state denounced the disinformation campaign, hybrid attacks and attacks on critical infrastructure through which Russia is trying to undermine public confidence in the authorities and in the European Union’s support for Ukraine. He outlined what this support from Romania consists of – contributing to Kyiv’s military effort to defend itself, supporting refugees and facilitating the transit of grain. Nicuşor Dan called for continued assistance to the neighboring country and tougher sanctions against Moscow. Unlike other allied officials, he expressed doubt that Russia would attack a NATO member state over the next two years, but stressed that the Alliance must be prepared. The head of state also spoke about incidents involving Russian drones, recalling those in Romania, which, he said, has made progress in its defence capabilities.
UN – The security of the Black Sea region, energy security and the strategic partnership with the United States were on the agenda of Romania’s interim Foreign Minister, Oana Ţoiu, in the context of her participation in the United Nations General Assembly from September 21 to 25. According to a statement from Romania’s Foreign Ministry, the official also held, among other things, meetings with UN officials, bilateral meetings with representatives of the US Congress, and attended the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers, which was also attended by counterparts from Australia, India, South Korea and Japan.
ENERGY – Romania must focus on energy production from renewable sources, as well as on expanding storage capacity, says State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy Cristian Buşoi. He also says that the current systems proved insufficient during the hot summer months, leading to costly imports during peak hours. The Ministry of Energy is targeting the development of storage capacity financed through the Modernisation Fund.
INFLATION – In Romania, inflation slowed its pace of growth last month, but the cost of services continued to rise at a double-digit rate, as a result of higher energy and fuel prices. Although the annual inflation rate fell by almost two percentage points in August, to just over 6%, services continued to become more expensive at a much faster pace, rising by nearly 11.3% over the year. By comparison, non-food goods increased by around 6.4%, while food prices rose by just over 2.6%. The effect is stronger for lower-income households, as spending on utilities, transport and healthcare accounts for a larger share of their budgets.
SECURITY – An aerial target flying northeast of the town of Vylkove, in Ukrainian territory, near the border with Romania, was detected on Tuesday evening by the radar surveillance system of the Romanian Ministry of National Defence. Two F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force were scrambled to monitor the situation. Meanwhile, residents in northern Tulcea County, along the Danube, received a RO-ALERT message. (EE)
