July 15, 2026 UPDATE

A roundup of national and international news.

Elena Enache, 15.07.2026, 20:00

SUMMIT – Romanian President Nicuşor Dan reaffirmed, on Wednesday in Kyiv, Romania’s steadfast support for the international recognition of Ukraine’s existing borders and territorial integrity. Addressing the Ukraine – South-East Europe Summit, he emphasised that the Romanian people stand alongside the Ukrainian people in their struggle to preserve their history and national sovereignty. Wednesday also marked Ukrainian Statehood Day, and President Dan stressed that a nation’s authentic history, together with its cultural heritage, is fundamental to safeguarding stable borders and maintaining the international order. The Ukraine – South-East Europe Summit, launched in 2023 in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, serves as a regional platform for supporting Kyiv and for coordinating efforts to address the far-reaching consequences of the conflict. It brings together countries with shared interests in security, economic cooperation, energy and infrastructure connectivity, resilience, and countering hybrid threats. According to Romania’s Presidential Administration, the Romanian Head of State’s participation in the Summit once again underscores Romania’s solidarity with Ukraine and its unequivocal support for the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

COURT – Romania’s Constitutional Court has postponed until 23 September its ruling on an alleged constitutional dispute between the Government and Parliament. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Social Democrat Sorin Grindeanu, contends that the Bucharest Government exceeded its constitutional powers by adopting an emergency ordinance concerning the European SAFE programme after it had been dismissed through a vote of no confidence. He has accused the government led by Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan of abusing its public law powers. The Government has maintained that it had originally approved the SAFE emergency ordinance at its meeting on 4 May, one day before the successful vote of no confidence, but subsequently revised the text to incorporate technical amendments following its dismissal by Parliament. The ordinance was, however, published in the Official Journal on 8 May.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS – Romania’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Ţoiu, is on a working visit to Washington until 17 July. The discussions follow those held at the NATO Summit, as well as bilateral talks in Bucharest, and focus on security, economic cooperation, and the Romania – United States Social Security Agreement, which is due to enter into force on 1 September. “In the year in which the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this relationship assumes even greater significance, demonstrating how democracy and fundamental freedoms underpin a shared vision for strengthening the Strategic Partnership, both within NATO and at the regional level, in order to enhance security, promote economic growth, and create high-quality jobs – key objectives shared by our two countries,” Oana Ţoiu stated.

SALARY – Romania’s average net monthly salary fell by 2.7% in May compared with April, reaching 5,684 lei (approximately €1,100), while the average gross monthly salary declined by 2.6%, according to figures published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The highest average net monthly earnings were recorded in software development and information technology consultancy, at 13,150 lei (around €2,500), followed by the crude oil and natural gas extraction sector. At the other end of the scale, the lowest average net salaries were reported in fishing and aquaculture, at 2,863 lei (approximately €550), and in other service activities.

FIRE – A Romanian national has died and another has been seriously injured following the fire that broke out on Tuesday in central Brussels, Romania’s Embassy in Belgium has confirmed. The Embassy stated that the deceased, who was originally from Chernivtsi, held dual Romanian and Ukrainian citizenship. The second victim sustained burns to approximately 50 per cent of his body and is receiving treatment at a hospital in Brussels. According to the authorities, he is a young man from Bacău, in north-eastern Romania. The two Romanian nationals, who were employed in Belgium under local labour contracts, were caught in the blaze that erupted at a construction site in the Belgian capital. According to the latest official toll, six people lost their lives after becoming trapped in a lift within the building, while two others sustained severe burn injuries.

EU ACCESSION – The European Union held intergovernmental conferences on Tuesday with the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Montenegro and Albania, with all four countries making further progress in their respective accession processes. The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, which submitted their applications for EU membership shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and which opened their first negotiating cluster just one month ago, have now taken a further step by opening Cluster Six. This cluster covers chapters relating to external relations, as well as foreign, security and defence policy. Montenegro, which applied for EU membership in 2008, has provisionally closed two additional negotiating chapters, while Albania, an EU candidate country since 2009, has also provisionally closed a further three chapters. (EE)