September 10, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 10.09.2026, 20:00
President Nicuşor Dan meets EU Crisis Commissioner Hadja Lahbib
Romanian President Nicuşor Dan received Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management in Bucharest on Thursday. During the meeting, the President reaffirmed Romania’s strong commitment to enhancing the European Union’s resilience and response capacity in an increasingly complex security environment. The EU official presented President Dan with a letter of appreciation and congratulations for Romania’s dedication to evacuating children and civilians caught in crises and conflicts across the Middle East. The Commissioner’s agenda also included meetings with interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, members of the parliamentary committees for European affairs and State Secretary Raed Arafat.
Oil terminal employees at Constanța Port threaten general strike over salary disputes
Employees at the Oil Terminal in Constanța Port, Romania’s primary entry hub for imported petroleum products, will go on a general strike in a week. Workers held a two-hour warning strike on Thursday following the failure of negotiations over a 6.5% salary increase. Union leader Nicu Andron stated that one-third of activity will be maintained during the protest. He emphasized that the economic consequences of a general strike would be severe for Romania, given that 60% of the country’s petroleum product imports pass through the oil terminal. On Wednesday, the Constanța Tribunal rejected the company management’s request to block the union action, ruling the protests legal, though the decision can be appealed within 10 days.
European Central Bank raises key interest rate to 2.5% amid Middle East tensions
The European Central Bank has raised its key interest rate by 0.25% to 2.5% per year amid mounting tensions in the Middle East. The central bank said the move aims to curb inflation triggered by the US-Iran conflict, which pushed oil prices to record highs, while keeping economic downturn risks under control. The price of Brent crude oil briefly surged past $105 per barrel on Thursday before easing slightly. High oil prices drive up energy costs, directly fueling higher inflation. According to AFP, Eurozone inflation hit 3.3%, its highest level in three years and well above the ECB’s target forecast. This rate hike, the second this year, pushes borrowing costs in the Eurozone to their highest point since April 2025. Although ECB decisions directly apply to euro-area nations, the economic consequences will be felt across all EU member states, including Romania.
Romania wastes 3.5 million tons of food annually amid high poverty risk
Nearly 3.5 million tons of food go to waste each year in Romania, while more than 27% of the population remains at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to data from the Federation of Food Banks in Romania. In 2025 alone, the network rescued over 10,000 tons of food, turning it into 20 million meals for vulnerable individuals. In the first six months of 2026, an additional 8,500 tons were redistributed through partner NGOs to hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries. These figures were released to mark the 10th anniversary of Romania’s first food bank.
INS: Romania’s natural population growth remained negative in July 2026
Romania’s natural population growth remained negative in July 2026, registering a deficit of 5,280 people, according to data published Thursday by the National Statistics Institute (INS). The recorded number of deaths, roughly 18,800, was 1.4 times higher than live births, which stood at nearly 13,500. On the other hand, nearly 12,800 marriages were registered in July, while the number of divorces granted through final court decisions, administrative agreements or notary procedures reached just over 2,000, INS data showed. (VP)
