February 4, 2026
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 04.02.2026, 13:55
DEFICIT – Romania’s total trade deficit reached almost 30 billion euros in the first 11 months of 2025, of which almost 4 billion came from the food and livestock industry, according to a study conducted by a large chain of stores and the Academy of Economic Studies. According to the study, the imbalance is fueled by a structural problem, namely, the fact that Romania exports cheap raw materials and imports processed products with high added value. The largest imbalances are concentrated in five strategic sectors – meat, dairy, sweets and snacks, canned vegetables and fruits. According to analysts, Romania needs to boost the formation of farmer collectives, increase investment in processing, access to financing, legislative predictability and upskilling the staff.
ENERGY – In times of war, we should not build fences, we should build bridges, and energy bridges are vital and essential, especially in terms of cooperation in the Black Sea region, said on Wednesday the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Moldova, Dorin Junghieţu, at Energy Week Black Sea 2026. According to him, the fragility of the Ukrainian energy system and the constant attacks of the Russian Federation against it weaken the energy infrastructure daily. “The Republic of Moldova is extremely grateful to Romania and Ukraine for their close cooperation. (…) Moldova’s energy system is not isolated, it is not independent. It is interconnected with Romania, it is interconnected with Ukraine and we should function as a unitary system,” Junghieţu also said. Energy Week Black Sea 2026, a regional event dedicated to energy transition and investments in the Black Sea area, brings together, on Wednesday and Thursday, in Bucharest, policymakers, utility companies, developers, investors, financers and corporate energy buyers from Romania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Turkiye, Georgia and wider European markets.
UNIONS – Romanian education unionists are resuming their protests today in front of the Government offices. They denounce the measures adopted by the Government, being 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 simulations for the National Evaluation and the Baccalaureate, scheduled for March. Student organizations have announced their solidarity with the Education unionists. Students do not agree 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.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS – A Romanian delegation led by Foreign Minister Oana Ţoiu is participating today in Washington in the first ministerial meeting dedicated to critical minerals, at the invitation of 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 US 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 Executive this year and of increasing the country’s positioning as a key European actor for strategic autonomy in the essential field of rare minerals.
BLACK SEA – Energy Week Black Sea 2026, a regional event dedicated to energy transition and investment in the Black Sea region, brings together policymakers, utilities, developers, investors, financiers and corporate energy buyers from Romania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia and wider European markets in Bucharest, on Wednesday and Thursday. The event, organised by Invest In Network, now in its sixth edition, will focus on accelerating renewable energy deployment, strengthening cross-border grids and interconnectors, stimulating investment and increasing regional energy security. The agenda also includes debates on infrastructure and data centers powered by artificial intelligence, as emerging drivers of clean energy demand.
LAW – The complaint of the President of Romania, Nicuşor Dan, regarding the law that requires that a minimum of 40% of the athletes who play in a team in official national competitions be Romanian is, today, before the Constitutional Court. The Head of State believes that the normative act violates the principle of non-discrimination and the free movement of workers, enshrined both in the Constitution and in the European treaties to which Romania is a party. In addition, the President claims that the law affects the right to work, by limiting the access of European athletes to national competitions.
DISEASE – Nearly 70 iconic buildings and monuments in Bucharest and dozens of other localities in Romania will be illuminated in orange tonight, on World Cancer Day. Approximately 100,000 Romanians are diagnosed with cancer annually, and specialists warn that, in the absence of effective prevention and early diagnosis programs, the number of cases will continue to increase in the coming decades. A study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that in Europe, in the last 25 years, the number of cancer cases has increased by 30%. (EE)
