May 11, 2026

A roundup of local and world news

Newsroom, 11.05.2026, 13:55

Summit

A summit of the Bucharest 9 (B9) Format and the Nordic Countries will take place this Wednesday in Bucharest, co-chaired by the presidents of Romania and Poland. The meeting will focus on strengthening the security and defense of NATO’s Eastern Flank, as well as preparations for the NATO summit scheduled for July in Ankara. Alongside Romanian President Nicușor Dan, the list of participants will include NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and leaders from B9 member states and Nordic countries. The United States will be represented by Thomas DiNanno, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

The Bucharest 9 format, initiated in 2015 by Romania and Poland, brings together countries on NATO’s Eastern Flank. The last B9 summit held in Bucharest took place in 2022.

Consultations

New consultations are expected in Bucharest between political parties and President Nicușor Dan regarding the structure of a new government. Meanwhile, parliamentary parties are examining solutions to end the political crisis.

Last week, the minority Bolojan government, made up of PNL, USR and UDMR, was dismissed via a motion of no-confidence initiated by former governing partner PSD and the populist, ultra-nationalist and self-styled “sovereignist” party, AUR. The Social Democrats (PSD) have launched an appeal to all MPs to form a new pro-European majority. PNL and USR are reluctant to resume cooperation with PSD, though some Liberals are discussing an alliance between the two. Other voices within PNL argue that the party’s decision to move into opposition was made too hastily. For its part, UDMR expressed readiness to contribute to a swift solution, warning that a prolonged political crisis negatively impacts the economy. Meanwhile, AUR believes it can propose a Prime Minister capable of correcting the errors of Ilie Bolojan’s administration.

Interim government priorities

The interim government in Bucharest will continue to focus on major projects concerning the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the SAFE program and the absorption of European funds. Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stated that August 31 is the deadline by which the investments and reforms committed to by Romania must be finalized to remain eligible for PNRR reimbursement. Otherwise, the country risks losing access to these investment funds or being forced to return the sums already received. Regarding the European SAFE program, the interim Prime Minister noted that the transport and defense sectors are particularly important in the coming period. He emphasized that the absorption of European funds must be accelerated, specifically for highways, water and sewage systems, energy, digitalization, hospitals, education, social inclusion, SMEs and regional development.

Survey

On Europe Day, most Romanians believe the country has gained from joining the Union. A survey conducted across all 27 member states shows that 69% of Romanians are convinced the country has benefited from EU membership. Overall, an increasing number of Europeans view the Union as a source of stability in a complicated world and show unprecedented support for a common defense and security policy. Politicians in Bucharest believe that EU membership has brought modernization and an increase in the standard of living.

Stock market news

The Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) gained over €5.1 billion at the end of last week, according to BVB data. Consequently, market capitalization approached a total of €115 billion, with a weekly turnover of €71.5 million. The most liquid stocks were Banca Transilvania, OMV Petrom and Romgaz. On the other hand, the sale of state-owned shares in national companies, credit institutions or any other entity where the state is a shareholder will be prohibited or suspended until December 31, 2027. This follows a legislative project initiated by PSD and already adopted by the Senate. The bill now awaits a final vote in the Chamber of Deputies.

FAC meeting

European Foreign Ministers are today meeting in Brussels, with the war in Ukraine, developments situation in the Middle East, relations with the Western Balkans and new assessments of threats to European security on the agenda. The meeting is chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. Romania is represented by interim Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu. Also today in Brussels, the first high-level political dialogue between the EU and Syria is scheduled, with the stated goal of moving toward normalizing relations between the two parties, according to Consilium.europa.eu.

Iran

US President Donald Trump has firmly dismissed the latest Iranian peace proposal which, according to the White House leader, contains a series of unacceptable demands for Washington. Iran is seeking war reparations, the recovery of assets frozen due to US sanctions, recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and an end to the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, where its ally Hezbollah is fighting Israel, according to Tehran state media cited by CNN.

It is worth noting that the ceasefire agreement between the USA and Iran was repeatedly violated, including last week when clashes occurred in the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is currently under a double blockade: an Iranian one since the war began, and an American one since last month. Meanwhile, London announced on Sunday that the British and French Defense Ministers will co-chair a video conference on Tuesday with counterparts from countries ready to contribute to a mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz to discuss “military contributions” from each participant.

Sports news: Rome Masters

Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea is playing Czech player Linda Noskova today in the round of 16 of the WTA 1,000 tournament in Rome, which features total prize money exceeding €7.2 million. On Saturday, the Romanian defeated the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 7-5) during the third round of the tournament. On Sunday, the pair made up of Sorana Cîrstea and Jaqueline Cristian advanced to the round of 16 in the doubles after a 6-4, 6-4 win over Tyra Caterina Grant and Jennifer Ruggeri of Italy. In the next round, the Romanians will face the winners of the match between Hailey Baptiste (USA)/Alexandra Eala (Philippines) and the pair Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic)/Taylor Townsend (USA). (VP)