August 26, 2026 UPDATE

The latest news from RRI

Newsroom, 26.08.2026, 20:00

SAFE – On Wednesday, Romania received its first payment of 2.5 billion Euros through the “Action for the Security of Europe” instrument, known as SAFE. The tranche represents 15% of the total allocation of 16.7 billion Euros, the European Commission announced. The funding will support priority investments in defense and the modernization of military capabilities, and subsequent payments will be made as the established objectives are met. European Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, said that “this payment represents an important milestone for European defense and for a more sovereign Europe.” In his view, the funding “will strengthen Romania’s defense capabilities and industrial base, while also contributing to Europe’s overall security.” Through the SAFE program, Bucharest has already procured infantry fighting vehicles, maritime patrol and diver-response vessels, air defense systems, military drone systems, surface-to-air missiles, transport helicopters, and modern anti-drone defense systems.

Integrity – The Romanian Senate, acting as the decision-making body, adopted the new Integrity Law in a form that includes a controversial provision stipulating that elected officials whom a court has found to be incompatible or in a conflict of interest prior to the new law’s entry into force shall lose their office. The Save Romania Union (USR), the only party that voted against the law, argues that this provision violates the principle of non-retroactivity. Although challenged before the Constitutional Court, it was ultimately declared constitutional. The leaders of the two major pro-European political groups in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s Party, and Valérie Hayer, president of Renew Europe, had warned European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, that the release of the 770 million Euro tranche from the Recovery and Resilience Plam for Romania could contribute to undermining democracy, due to recent legislative changes to the Integrity Law. At the heart of the complaint is the so-called “Fritz amendment,” introduced by a PSD-AUR majority (the Social Democratic and populist, ultra-nationalist opposition). Weber and Hayer emphasize that the amendment was specifically drafted against the mayor of Timișoara and USR president, Dominic Fritz, constituting a blatantly unconstitutional retroactive provision and an exploitation of legal mechanisms for political purposes.

Corruption – The Deputy Secretary General of the Romanian Government, Cristina Trăilă, has resigned from her position following allegations brought against her by anti-corruption prosecutors. The prosecutors have ordered a criminal investigation into Trăilă for complicity in the use of influence or authority to obtain, for herself or for another person, money, goods, or other undue benefits. According to the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), on November 3–4, 2025, Trăilă, in her capacity as deputy secretary general of the government, allegedly supported the efforts of the former head of the PNL Vaslui, Mihai Barbu, to exert influence over the president of the National Sanitary-Veterinary Agency, with the aim of replacing the director of the Vaslui Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate (DSVSA) with a person approved by the administrator of a poultry farming company. Cristina Trăilă stated that she is innocent and expressed her confidence that the matter “will be clarified as early as the criminal investigation phase.” She noted that she submitted her resignation so as not to tarnish the image of the interim prime minister, her party colleague Ilie Bolojan.

Moscow – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest confirms that Romania’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Moscow was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on Thursday. “We assume that this summons comes in response to the diplomatic measures adopted by Romania in reaction to the wave of drone incidents caused by the war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation in Ukraine,” the Romanian ministry stated.  In July, Romania’s ambassador to Russia, Cristian Istrate, was recalled to Bucharest for consultations following incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles that entered Romanian airspace. Bucharest also declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata, while Moscow announced that these actions would receive an “appropriate response.”

Pay law – In Romania, education unions rejected on Wednesday the latest version of the bill on the remuneration of personnel paid from public funds, proposed by the interim government, and believe that the entire annex concerning education demonstrates “disregard” for personnel in this field. Representatives of ministries and political parties, on the other hand, are holding a final round of technical discussions on this bill, but the chances of reaching an agreement are slim, after Tuesday’s political negotiations, organized by the presidency, failed to produce any results. The bill must be adopted, promulgated, and published in the Official Gazette by Monday, August 31, for Romania to receive 770 million Euros from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan warned that all possible compromises with the European Commission have been exhausted, but the unions’ financial demands exceed the budget’s capacity. Also on Wednesday, the Chamber of Deputies adopted the bill on the integration of hydrogen from renewable and low-carbon sources into the industrial and transportation sectors. This initiative is a long-overdue reform, assumed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), on the fulfillment of which the approval of payment request No. 5, totaling 2.84 billion Euros, depends. (LS)