February 8, 2026
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 08.02.2026, 14:00
Fiscal measures
The Government in Bucharest is expected to adopt the third package of fiscal and budgetary measures next week, which will then be passed by assuming responsibility in Parliament. It contains two major projects: the public administration reform and the first economic recovery measures.
According to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, implementing the administration reform will create the necessary conditions to move forward with economic recovery. During Friday’s discussions on this topic with social partners, the Prime Minister outlined the pillars of this year’s draft budget, the adoption of which depends on the approval of the new fiscal package. These pillars include a reduced budget deficit of 6.2%, investments standing at 7% of GDP, the finalization of National Recovery and Resilience Plan projects by September, and an inflation target of 4% by year-end.
According to the Government, the economic recovery project’s main goal is to boost investments and contains two essential components: one fiscal, and another providing support schemes for businesses.
Parliament’s agenda for next week
The Senate in Bucharest will debate and vote on three simple motions submitted by the opposition on Monday.
The first motion criticises the Government for how it presented Romania’s interests in the European decision-making process concerning the Mercosur Agreement, allegedly without analysis and against the country’s own interests, as stated by its initiators.
In the second document, Minister Radu Miruţă is accused of compromising the credibility of defence policy through irresponsible statements and a lack of strategic analysis.
In the motion regarding the situation in education, the opposition states that education has entered a dangerous zone of austerity, without protection or any form of support.
Separately, also on Monday, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan is invited to the Chamber of Deputies for ‘Government Hour’, for debates requested by USR. Also on the deputies’ agenda is the draft law on femicide, which proposes prison sentences of up to 25 years or life imprisonment for gender-based killings, as well as clear obligations for prevention and support from the relevant institutions.
Oana Țoiu at the meeting on critical minerals
Romania is assuming a strategic responsibility as the largest producer of natural gas in the European Union and has the mission to increase production to lower domestic prices and help protect the region against the use of energy prices as a tool for political blackmail, Romania’s Foreign Minister, Oana Ţoiu, said in Washington. According to a release issued on Saturday by the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, the official was invited to attend the public event ‘Davos to the Arctic: Forging Transatlantic Unity – A Romanian View,’ hosted by the American think-tank, the Hudson Institute.
“Our Romanian friends constantly and rightly remind us of the importance of the Black Sea region. Work continues to transform the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in southeastern Romania into NATO’s largest such facility”, Joel Scanlon, Executive Vice President of the Hudson Institute, said on the sidelines of the event.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Oana Ţoiu explained how Romania’s economic success (an economy that has grown tenfold in a single generation) now coincides with the need for resilience of the entire transatlantic bloc. The event took place on the sidelines of the Romanian minister’s participation in the first Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Children’s access to social media
Save the Children Romania recommends a total ban on access to social networks for children under 13, and parental control access for those under 15. The NGO calls for sanctions against platforms that allow accounts without age verification and warns that online games expose children to risks similar to social media.
According to a 2024 World Health Organization study, 2 in 10 Romanian children aged 11-15 exhibit symptoms of psychological withdrawal when access to mobile devices is interrupted, with specialists stating these manifestations indicate the onset of addiction.
We recall that on Friday, the European Commission announced the result of an investigation targeting the activity of the Chinese company TikTok, one of the conclusions being that its online interaction design is addictive. The Commission had specifically requested the introduction of parental controls, given that TikTok reaches 170 million users in the EU, the majority being children aged 13-18. In a statement, TikTok said it will take all necessary measures to challenge these conclusions by all means at its disposal.
Romanian athletes at the Winter Olympics
Romanian athletes are competing in luge and cross-country skiing on Sunday at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are taking place over February 6-22. Romania is represented by 29 athletes across nine disciplines in the 25th edition of the competition. Mihai Covaliu, the president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, believes only the men’s bobsleigh team could realistically aim for a medal, given that Romania is not traditionally a powerhouse in winter sports. The first Romanians entered competition at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Saturday in cross-country skiing, luge and ski jumping. On the eve of the opening ceremony, the sport personalities designated to carry the Olympic torch on the final leg of the relay included the head coach of the Inter Milan football team (the current Serie A leader), Romanian Cristian Chivu. (VP)
