September 5, 2026
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 05.09.2026, 13:55
Education: start of the new school year
The school year starting September 7 in Romania brings a series of updates and changes. In primary and lower secondary education, evaluation standards are being introduced, and teachers are encouraged to apply them so that common national criteria are established across three performance levels: basic, consolidated and advanced. The evaluation standards do not replace grades, but are designed to establish common criteria for assigning grades regardless of the school unit. Regarding high school admissions, the provision allowing certain high schools to organize additional entrance exams goes to a final vote in Parliament next week, after senators on the education committee voted unanimously to reject it. Nearly 2.9 million students and preschoolers begin classes on Monday in Romania.
Security: drone fragments in the Black Sea
An aerial drone fragment loaded with explosives, floating in the Black Sea approximately 5 nautical miles east of the entrance to the Sulina branch of the Danube, was neutralized Friday evening by a team from the Romanian Naval Forces. A similar operation took place on Thursday afternoon, when another team neutralized an aerial drone fragment containing explosive payload floating near the central platform. Both situations were reported by commercial vessels via the Regional Maritime Coordination Center. Also on Friday, the wing of a military drone was found washed ashore on a beach in the port city of Constanța. Romanian authorities inspected the object and determined it did not contain an explosive payload. These aircraft are used in the war in Ukraine and frequently enter Romanian territory. Recently, the Romanian Air Force shot down three such devices that violated national airspace.
Politics: government formation deadlock
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, is expected to nominate a candidate for the position of Prime Minister, but efforts to form a new government do not appear to have broken the stalemate of recent months. On May 5, the cabinet led by Liberal Ilie Bolojan was dismissed in a motion of no confidence brought by its former Social Democrat coalition partners, who aligned with opposition parties. “It is time to settle this issue”, president Dan stated recently, though the president has not yet announced official consultations. PSD president Sorin Grindeanu, the party’s nominee for prime minister, said the Social Democrats are prepared to build a majority and that the focus should not be parliamentary vote counts, but Romania’s economic and social situation. On the other side, Liberal MEP Siegfried Mureșan, proposed as prime minister by PNL, USR and UDMR, argued that Romania’s economy functions better without PSD in government, adding that their return would mean a higher deficit, wasted public funds and renewed questions about the country’s international credibility. From the opposition, AUR considers snap elections the solution to the political deadlock and accuses the caretaker government of implementing fiscal policies that harmed the purchasing power of Romanians and local businesses. A minimum of 233 favorable votes is required to invest a government in Bucharest.
Energy: storage capacity and power shortage
Romania’s gap relative to Bulgaria regarding electricity storage capacity can be closed quickly, according to George Niculescu, head of the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE). He stated that energy storage dominated recently approved permits, accounting for over 80% of the total, signaling the direction of the Romanian energy system. Niculescu added that completed projects are still awaiting connection certificates to obtain licensing, calling on transmission and distribution operators to expedite the process. On Friday, ANRE’s Regulatory Committee approved setup permits and operating licenses totaling over 1 GW of electricity capacity. Romania is currently facing an electricity deficit after both reactors at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, which together supply 20% of national consumption, were shut down due to extremely low Danube water levels.
Sports: Sorana Cîrstea powers through to the sweet 16 at the US Open
Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea (WTA 17) will face American Jessica Pegula (WTA 3) in the round of 16 at the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year. Cîrstea, seeded 16th, won her Friday match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini. Meanwhile, Pegula came back from a set down to defeat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. The American player can reach the world no. 1 ranking if she wins the tournament. The match between Sorana Cîrstea and Jessica Pegula is scheduled for Sunday, September 6. (VP)
