November 13, 2026
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 13.11.2026, 13:55
Summit. The Romanian president Nicușor Dan is today attending the informal summit of the 27 EU leaders held in Dublin. The latter are expected to designate the team that will represent the bloc in negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, alongside representatives from Kyiv, Moscow and Washington. As early as Thursday, during the European Political Community summit, European leaders told the United States and Russia that they would not accept the two major powers negotiating a future security order on the European continent without their involvement. They said that peace cannot be built with a return to the so-called spheres of influence, where great powers dictate what alliances smaller states, or Ukraine, may join. This view was reiterated by the Romanian president, who said that regardless of Russia’s plans or demands, no one will call into question Romania’s membership in Euro-Atlantic structures. He added that, despite negotiations held this week in Abu Dhabi, Moscow shows no sign of truly desiring peace.
Economy. EU and Eurozone economies saw modest growth in the third quarter of this year compared to the second quarter, with Ireland and Romania recording the strongest growth rates among EU member states, according to a preliminary estimate published by Eurostat on Friday. The European statistical office reported that Ireland’s GDP grew by 5.5%. In Romania, the 2.1% increase in GDP during the third quarter follows a period of stagnation in the second quarter and a 0.3% contraction in the first quarter. On an annual basis, Romania’s GDP grew by 0.3% in the third quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025, following a 1.9% drop in the second quarter. Estimates from the National Institute of Statistics in Bucharest cited by AGERPRES on Friday also indicate that Romania’s economy grew by 2.1% in the third quarter compared to the previous one. however, over the first nine months, but the economy contracted by 0.3% over 9 months compared to the same period in 2025. Economic analysts point out that while the growth in the third quarter compared to the second provides a much-needed respite, it should not be mistaken for an economic recovery, as Romania merely made up for what it lost over the last three quarters, going back to the situation it was in a year ago.
Electricity. Unit 1 of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant, in south-western Romania, will be reconnected to the national power grid today and is expected to reach its nominal capacity of 700 megawatts on Saturday. The unit was shut down due to technical faults days after being restarted following a controlled shutdown that lasted over three months, a measure taken due to low water levels in the river Danube. Unit 2 was reconnected to the grid on Wednesday. Both reactors at Cernavodă are expected to be operating at full capacity on Saturday, providing 20% of Romania’s total energy production. This will help reduce energy imports, which are currently high, partly because the two hydroelectric power plants on the Danube are operating at reduced output due to the river’s low flow rate. Hydrologists estimate that by next Thursday, the flow could reach 2,300 cubic meters per second, but this is still well below the long-term seasonal average of 4,700 cubic meters per second.
Film. Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu is heading the Romanian delegation to the 2026 American Film Market, where Romania has been named first-ever country of focus, the Ministry of Culture announced. According to a statement cited by AGERPRES, Cristian Mungiu is attending the event with his latest film, ‘Fjord,’ Romania’s nomination for best foreign film category at the Oscars. Mungiu twice won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, with ‘4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days’ in 2007 and ‘Fjord’ in 2026. The Ministry of Culture said the ‘Country of Focus’ designation brings Romanian cinema to the forefront of one of the most significant international events dedicated to the film industry.
Football. Romania’s national football side will face Poland at home on Saturday and Bosnia-Herzegovina away next Tuesday, in their final Nations League group matches. Managed by the former international Gheorghe Hagi, the national side have had a disastrous run, being defeated in all the other four games played, to rank last in their group. (CM)
