February 17, 2026 UPDATE

The latest news from RRI

Newsroom, 17.02.2026, 20:00

Coalition – The President of Romania, Nicuşor Dan, met on Tuesday in Bucharest with the leaders of the four-party governing coalition – the Presidential Administration announced. On the eve, the party leaders established a series of budgetary changes. The public administration reform and the economic recovery package have reportedly been finalized and are to be adopted by emergency ordinance.

Government debt – Public administration debt (government debt) rose in November 2025 to 1,121 billion lei (almost 225 billion Euros), from 1,116 billion lei in the previous month, according to data published by the Finance Ministry, AGERPRES reports. As a percentage of GDP, government debt increased to 60.2%, from 60% in August. The largest part of this debt was represented by government bonds.

Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea (32 WTA) on Tuesday qualified for the second round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), with total prizes worth over four million dollars, after defeating Linda Noskova (13 WTA) from the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-4. In the round of 16, Sorana will face the winner of the match between Italian Jasmine Paolini (sixth seed) and Filipino Alexandra Eala. Another Romanian player, Jaqueline Cristian, also qualified for the next stage of the tournament in Dubai, after German Ella Seidel retired in the second round, at the score 6-0. In the round of 16, Jaqueline Cristian will face the Russian Mirra Andreeva. In the doubles, Romanians Jaqueline Cristian and Gabriela Ruse qualified for the quarterfinals after winning 6-7, 6-3, 10-7 against Russians Alexandra Panova/Diana Șnaider.

Vaccination – Romania is facing its worst vaccination crisis in decades. The MMR vaccination rate, against measles, mumps and rubella, has dropped sharply, especially for the second dose, which is administered to children at the age of 5, warns the Save the Children Romania organization. And for the first dose, the acceptance rate is below 50%. Studies show that the main causes are the lack of information and false statements circulated on social media platforms, as well as excessive bureaucracy, the lack of material resources, the elimination of vaccination in schools and the lack of transportation. Romania is, by far, in first place in the European Union in relation to the number of people diagnosed with measles, a disease that also caused dozens of deaths at the national level, between 2023 and 2025. According to the Health Minister, Alexandru Rogobete, “misinformation on the topic of measles vaccination can only be combated with complete, correct and continuous information, so that people can understand its benefits”.

Washington – President Nicuşor Dan believes that it is in Romania’s interest to participate in the Washington Peace Council, on February 19, as an observer. The head of state said, in an interview with Radio Romania, that the organization has a Charter that has already been signed by the states that have become members and that it contains provisions that are in contradiction with international commitments that Romania has made. ‘The members of this organization jointly propose to impose sanctions, but Romania has an obligation towards the European Union regarding the sanctions it could impose on a country or an economic operator’ – said the Romanian president. Nicusor Dan specified that Thursday’s Peace Council will discuss exclusively the issue of Gaza. ‘We are interested in an international context of peace in all regions of the globe. We are very interested in maintaining our privileged relationship with the United States of America, which is an important pillar of security for Romania and therefore we participate in this initiative of the United States which currently aims to stabilize an area in the Middle East, which is important in the global economy’, Nicusor Dan also declared.

Talks – Russian, Ukrainian and American negotiators began a new round of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday to end the four-year war in Ukraine, after two recent meetings in the United Arab Emirates failed to produce any decisive progress, AFP reports. The parties are working on the basis of the American plan unveiled several months ago. The possibility of territorial concessions by Kyiv in exchange for Western security guarantees is at the heart of the discussions. According to AFP, the negotiations are particularly deadlocked over the fate of Donbas, the main industrial center in eastern Ukraine: Moscow is demanding that Ukrainian forces withdraw from areas it controls in the Donetsk region, a request that Kyiv refuses to meet. (LS)