March 10, 2026 UPDATE
The latest news from RRI
Newsroom, 10.03.2026, 20:00
Budget – With a three-month delay, the Romanian Finance Ministry published on Tuesday the budget bill for this year, with the final form of the law to be adopted this week by the Government and subsequently sent to Parliament. With a deficit target of 6.2% of GDP, the 2026 budget emphasizes reforms and investments, but also fiscal responsibility. According to the Finance Ministry, the proposed investments reach 165 billion lei (about 33 billion Euros), an increase compared to last year, a clear signal that development remains a priority, even in the context of efforts to reduce the budget deficit. The Social Democrats are, however, preparing several amendments to send to the partners in the governing coalition until the approval of the draft budget in the Government. From the opposition, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) also announces that it will submit several amendments to the draft budget for this year, and also that, after the debates in Parliament, it will decide whether or not to submit a motion of censure against the Government.
Defense – The President of Romania, Nicuşor Dan, has convened a meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT) for Wednesday morning. According to the Presidential Administration in Bucharest, the agenda includes topics related to the situation in the Middle East and its implications for Romania and the domestic oil market, as well as the analysis of the temporary deployment of military capabilities on the national territory. The press recalls that, on March 5, President Dan declared that he would not convene the CSAT for the situation in the Middle East, as long as the events do not pose an “immediate danger” for Romania. The previous meeting of the CSAT took place on November 24, 2025, on the topic of the National Defense Strategy.
Visit – The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected in Bucharest on Thursday at the invitation of his Romanian counterpart, Nicuşor Dan. The information was confirmed by political sources for Radio Romania. It will be President Zelensky’s second visit to neighboring Romania since the Russian invasion four years ago, after the visit in October 2023. In addition to the discussions between the two presidents, the visit’s agenda also includes a meeting between Zelensky and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. The two countries share a border of about 700 kilometers, and since February 2022, Romania has received millions of Ukrainian refugees, especially women and children. 200 thousand Ukrainians were in Romania at the end of last year, according to official data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilots are training in Romania, which has also ceded a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine.
Meeting – Romania’s President, Nicuşor Dan, participated, on Tuesday, in videoconference format, in the meeting of the ‘Friends of Competitiveness’ group of European states, for coordination on the internal market and competitiveness, in order to prepare the European Council meeting of March 19-20. On Monday, he had a conversation with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, during which Romania’s priorities in preparing for the meeting of European leaders were addressed. The Romanian president conveyed to the President of the European Council that Romania wants a fully integrated Single Market, as well as a significant simplification of bureaucracy and administrative burden. Another topic raised in the telephone conversation with Antonio Costa was the future European budgetary framework. The EU budget must provide relevant funds for increasing competitiveness, including in the area of the eastern states, of which Romania is part, nations that have a historical gap compared to the level of development of the other member states, said Nicusor Dan.
Bridge – Traffic on the so-called Giurgiu-Ruse Friendship Bridge, which connects Romania with Bulgaria across the Danube, will be completely suspended in both directions on Thursday, March 12, between 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time, due to repair works to be carried out on the Bulgarian side of the bridge – the Romanian Border Police Territorial Inspectorate (ITPF) informed on Tuesday. In order to prevent blockages or delays, the border authorities recommend that drivers and transport companies plan their routes efficiently and consider alternative routes, through the border points in Dolj, Olt, Teleorman, Călăraşi or Constanţa counties.
Ambassador – Romania remains an important pillar for the security of the Black Sea region and for the stability of Southeastern Europe. This is the message conveyed by the new United States Ambassador to Bucharest, Darryl Nirenberg. He met on Tuesday with both the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Sorin Grindeanu, and the Speaker of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean. In this first dialogue, the importance of the strategic partnership between Romania and the United States was reaffirmed, with the two countries set to focus on strengthening security, especially in the context of the conflict in the Middle East. (LS)
