March 7, 2026
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 07.03.2026, 13:55
Romanians repatriated from the Middle East
127 Romanians, including 95 students stranded for nearly a week in Dubai due to the war in the Middle East, arrived home on Friday. This was the first of five flights announced by Romanian authorities, organized via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The aircraft took off from Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, and landed in Bucharest. Romania and other European states activated this mechanism to repatriate their citizens from conflict-affected zones – 39 citizens from other European countries were also on board. In total, since the outbreak of the conflict in Iran, over 1,000 Romanians affected by the war have managed to return to Romania via commercial or evacuation flights organized by the Bucharest authorities.
USA snubs deal with current Iran leadership
US President Donald Trump said he would not conclude any agreement with the current leadership of Iran, other than unconditional surrender. In an online message, Trump said that after selecting an acceptable leader, the US and its allies would work tirelessly to pull Iran back from the brink, including by providing economic stimulus to the country. The American leader’s message comes after his counterpart in Tehran, Masoud Pezeshkian, claimed that certain countries have begun efforts to mediate the conflict.
In turn, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi warned EU member states intending to join the US and Israeli attacks on Iran that they would become legitimate targets for Iranian armed forces. France, Greece and Italy have sent warships to the Middle East, though most EU countries have called for an end to the conflict and a diplomatic solution.
War in Iran drives up fuel prices
International fuel prices remain high amid tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude, primarily extracted from the North Sea, was quoted on Friday at $94 per barrel, the highest level in three years. The effects are also being felt in Romania. In the capital, Bucharest, a liter of standard gasoline sold between 8.16 and 8.31 Lei, according to the Price Monitor app. A liter of standard diesel sells between 8.57 Lei and 8.70 Lei. Premium gasoline is sold for slightly over 9 Lei, while premium diesel has reached 9.25 Lei. However, both products can be purchased at some stations for just under 9 Lei per liter.
Protests announced in education
Teachers in Romania will boycott the national and Baccalaureate mock exams, Marius Nistor, leader of the “Spiru Haret” Education Trade Union has announced. The announcement comes amid accumulated dissatisfaction with the austerity measures adopted by the government and a lack of real dialogue with the authorities, Nistor claims. He stated that teachers voted overwhelmingly in a referendum against taking part in these exams.
If the mock exams are not held during the originally announced period, they will be rescheduled. On the other hand, the Education Ministry stated that it understands the teachers’ grievances and expresses its confidence that everyone involved will act in the best interest of the students. The national mock exams are scheduled for March 16–18, while the Baccalaureate exams are scheduled for March 23–26.
Record-high solar energy production
Romania recorded a record solar energy production on Friday. At midday, photovoltaic parks generated over 2,000 Megawatt-hours, providing nearly 30% of total nationally produced energy. The abundance of power led to spot market prices hitting 0 RON for six hours, a first for a weekday in 2026. Simultaneously, the massive surplus turned Romania into a net exporter, sending over 2,600 Megawatt-hours to neighboring grids. With a 45% increase in installed capacity in the last year alone, Romania holds the top position in Europe for the pace of solar panel expansion.
Growing tensions between Ukraine and Hungary
Tensions are escalating between Ukraine and Hungary. Kyiv secured the release of 7 employees of a Ukrainian bank in Budapest who were transporting valuables from Austria to Ukraine in two armored vehicles. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Hungary of taking the 7 hostage, claiming that the transport was in compliance with international regulations and applicable European customs procedures.
Conversely, Hungarian tax authorities confirmed the opening of a money laundering investigation, and the Hungarian Foreign Minister hinted that it might involve money from the “Ukrainian war mafia”.
The latest episode comes in a context where Budapest accuses Kyiv of refusing to resume Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline. A portion of this pipeline, which crosses Ukraine, was damaged by a Russian attack in January. In retaliation, Hungary is blocking the European Union’s €90 billion loan to Ukraine and the adoption of a new package of sanctions against Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the oil flow will not be restored, as it represents a source of income that Moscow uses to fund military aggression against Ukraine. Meanwhile, 7 people were killed last night in Russian drone and missile attacks targeting several regions of Ukraine. (VP)
