March 7, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 07.03.2026, 20:00
Romanians repatriated from the Middle East
A flight with 189 seats from Saudi Arabia to Romania is being prepared by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the institution’s spokesperson. Andrei Țărnea explained that this initiative assists Romanians stranded in Qatar, who will be transferred from the capital, Doha, to Riyadh by land with the support of Romanian consular teams. Țărnea also mentioned that approximately 14,000 Romanian citizens are currently under the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including about 400 people in the United Arab Emirates who have priority for repatriation.
On Friday, 127 Romanians, including 95 students stranded for nearly a week in Dubai due to the war in the Middle East, arrived home. This was the first of five flights announced by Romanian authorities through the European Union 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 areas; 39 citizens from other European countries were also on board. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 1,500 Romanians have returned to the country from the Middle East since the start of the conflict between the USA, Israel and Iran.
USA snubs deal with current Iran leadership
American President Donald Trump stated that the United States will strike Iran “very hard” and threatened to extend strikes to “areas and groups of people that have never been considered targets,” without providing details. In this regard, overseas media reports that the US Navy is preparing to deploy a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
On Friday, Donald Trump said he would not enter into any agreement with the current leadership of Iran, except for an unconditional surrender. In an online message, he explained that after selecting an acceptable leader, the USA and its allies will work tirelessly to pull Iran back from the brink, including stimulating the country economically. 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, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, warned European Union member states intending to join the United States and Israel’s attacks on Iran that they would become legitimate targets for the Iranian armed forces. While France, Greece, and Italy have sent warships to the Middle East, 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 RON, according to the Price Monitor app. A liter of standard diesel sells between 8.57 RON and 8.70 RON. Premium gasoline is sold for slightly over 9 RON, while premium diesel has reached 9.25 RON. However, both products can be purchased at some stations for just under 9 RON per liter.
In this context, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan stated that it is very important for fuel prices not to reach double digits, which is why several options are currently being worked on to prevent such a situation. He explained that the government cannot cap tariffs because it lacks the legal levers for such an intervention.
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.
Victory for the women’s national football team
The Romanian women’s national football team defeated the Cyprus national team 4-0 in a match held on Saturday in Group C5 of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers. The goals were scored by Ioana Bălăceanu in the 12th and 74th minutes, Mihaela Ciolacu in the 40th minute (from penalty kick), and Ana Maria Vlădulescu on minute 58th. On Tuesday, Romania defeated the Republic of Moldova with a score of 1-0 in the first match of the group. Romania will play at home against Cyprus on April 18 and away against the Republic of Moldova on June 5. UEFA has been allocated 11 spots at the final tournament taking place in Brazil, and a 12th European team could qualify following an intercontinental play-off. (VP)
