November 14, 2026
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 14.11.2026, 13:55
Diplomacy: Romania backs Dacian Cioloș at Francophonie Summit
President Nicușor Dan will participate tomorrow and Monday in Cambodia at the 20th Francophonie Summit. For Romania, a Francophone and Francophile nation, the most important stake of the meeting is building consensus around the candidacy of Dacian Cioloș, former Prime Minister and former European Commissioner, for the position of Secretary-General of La Francophonie for the 2027–2030 term.
According to the Presidential Administration, Cioloș puts forward a credible and ambitious vision for relaunching and developing the Francophone community. A successful bid would allow Romania to strengthen its influence within the Francophone space, consolidate its relations with member states and secure benefits in key areas of interest. The decision regarding the appointment of the new Secretary-General will be made by the leaders of the 53 full member states during the November 16 session.
In the context of the 20th Francophonie Summit, from November 13 to 17, Romania is also represented at the Village de la Francophonie with a cultural and institutional program aimed at boosting the visibility of Romanian culture in the Francophone world and developing new opportunities for international cooperation.
Legal & economy: Romania wins final Roșia Montană arbitration case
Romania won a final victory on Friday in the international arbitration dispute over the Roșia Montană gold mining project in the center of the country, in which the Canadian company Gabriel Resources was seeking $6.5 billion in damages.
“It is an important victory for Romania, showing that the Romanian state has the capacity to defend its interests, national resources and public money, while simultaneously respecting its commitments to good-faith investors”, Prime Minister Luca Niculescu reacted on Saturday on Facebook. In turn, the Ministry of Finance stated in a press release that the outcome confirms the Romanian authorities’ decisions regarding environmental protection, cultural heritage and the interests of local communities were fair and lawful.
In 1999, Gabriel Resources obtained an operating license for the Roșia Montană gold mine project, which would have become the largest gold mine in Europe. In 2013, however, the government in Bucharest decided not to approve the mine’s exploitation after thousands of people took to the streets, arguing that the use of cyanide in the gold extraction process would destroy the area. Dissatisfied, Gabriel Resources claimed that Bucharest had violated bilateral investment promotion and protection treaties concluded with Canada and demanded massive compensation.
Meanwhile, in 2021, Roșia Montană was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. The area houses the most significant, extensive and technically diverse underground Roman gold-mining complex dating back to antiquity.
Energy: Cernavodă NPP returns to full capacity
Both reactors of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Romania are scheduled to operate at maximum capacity starting Saturday. The plant will thus supply approximately 20% of the country’s domestic electricity production to the national grid, allowing for a reduction in energy imports.
The restart of the reactors—which had been shut down for more than three months due to the Danube’s low flow—was made possible after water levels rose. Hydrologists estimate an increase of up to 2,600 cubic meters per second next week, though the level still remains below the November average.
Business & trade: Romanian economic delegation heads to Qatar
Romania is seeking partners in Qatar for projects in energy, port infrastructure, tourism, transport and digitalization. A delegation led by the Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Daniel Zamfir, will pay a visit to the State of Qatar from November 15 to 18 to identify business and investment opportunities in these strategic sectors.
The delegation includes eight Romanian companies from both the public and private sectors. The agenda includes, among other engagements, meetings with representatives of the Qatar Investment Authority, the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Qatari Businessmen Association, as well as the Barzan Holdings group, which operates in the defense and security industry.
Sports: Romania faces final Nations League group matches
Romania’s national football team faces Poland at home today, and Bosnia-Herzegovina away on Tuesday, November 17, in the final matches of League B, Group 4 of the UEFA Nations League. Under the management of former international star Gheorghe Hagi, the national side has had a disastrous campaign, having lost all four of its previous matches. Romania currently sits at the bottom of its group. (VP)
