The Week in Review 1-7 March, 2026
A roundup of the main developments this past week
Daniela Budu, 07.03.2026, 14:00
Romania and the Middle East Crisis
Romanian authorities announce they are on alert with respect to the conflict in the Middle East. The foreign minister Oana Ţoiu says the repatriation of Romanian nationals from conflict zones is done exclusively based on the emergency criteria defined by consular teams. For now, however, only a few hundred Romanians out of the several thousand who announced their presence in the Middle East after the conflict started have returned to Romania. The foreign ministry promised it is permanently monitoring the situation of Romanian nationals in the area and stays in contact at all times with Romania’s diplomatic missions and consular offices in the region. According to the minister, these are also coordinating with the consular network of other EU states, in order to be able to jointly provide assistance to Romanian and European citizens.
On Thursday, Oana Țoiu discussed with her counterparts in Saudi Arabia and Oman the situation of the Romanians stranded due to the war, their protection and assistance, the opening of airspace, as well as collaboration regarding commercial flights from the area to Romania and Europe. In fact, the foreign ministry announced that options are being sought for the repatriation of Romanian citizens from the Middle East, provided that the airspace is open. In addition, the ministry convened a meeting of the special task force in charge with the issue, and the government convened a meeting on this topic.
The charge d’affaires of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bucharest, Javad Karimi, was summoned to the foreign ministry’s headquarters ‘to be presented Romania’s deep concerns regarding the conduct of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the context of the current crisis in the broader Middle East region’.
Security talks in Warsaw
While in Warsaw for an official visit on Thursday at the invitation of his counterpart Karol Nawrocki, president Nicușor Dan emphasized in his turn that the priority for the authorities is to have the Romanian citizens caught up in the Gulf conflict back home. He mentioned that he will not convene the Supreme Defence Council, as long as the events do not pose an immediate danger to Romania. In fact, since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, the head of state has vowed that ‘Romania is completely safe and is not under any direct threat’.
The talks in Warsaw focused on the situation in the Middle East, but also on the direction in which the European Union is heading. Romania and Poland remain reliable partners and allies within NATO and the EU, Nicușor Dan added. ‘We reaffirmed the sound strategic partnership of our nations. In a complex global context, unity within NATO and the EU and strengthening the Eastern Flank are vital for our common security and for our entire Europe,’ the Romanian official explained.
Romania is the strategic partner of the Republic of Poland, president Karol Nawrocki emphasized in his turn. He said that, as far as security is concerned, the talks focused on the North Atlantic Alliance, the EU and Poland’s cooperation with Romania and the US. Nicușor Dan also discussed with PM Donald Tusk about defence collaboration and ‘the shared responsibility of Romania and Poland for strengthening security on our continent and the future of the European project’.
On the occasion of the Romanian-Polish Solidarity Day, the Romanian diplomacy chief Oana Ţoiu also travelled to Warsaw on Tuesday, and stated that Bucharest wants cooperation in the Romania-Poland-Turkey and Bucharest 9 (B9) formats. “Our collaboration is vital for the region’s priorities to be at the centre of European policies, for transatlantic cooperation and security on the Eastern Flank,” Oana Țoiu said after a meeting with her counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski.
And in Brussels, the Romanian defence minister Radu Miruţă had a meeting with the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who, according to the defence ministry, “reconfirmed the common commitment to strengthening European security and defence, in an international context marked by complex and dynamic challenges.”
Nominations for the major Prosecutor’s Offices
In Bucharest, the justice minister Radu Marinescu made public the nominations for the top posts in the major prosecutor’s offices, after four days of interviews. Nineteen candidates took part in the selection process held between January 8 and March 2.
The head of the Iași Anticorruption Directorate, Cristina Chiriac, was nominated for prosecutor general. One of the current deputies, Viorel Cerbu, has been nominated to take over the helm of the National Anticorruption Directorate, and Codrin Horaţiu-Miron, who currently heads the Timişoara Regional Division, is the nominee for chief of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences.
The candidates will be interviewed between March 10 and 17 by the Higher Council of Magistrates, whose opinion is required under the law. Subsequently, the president of Romania will appoint the candidates to office or reject them, in which case the procedure will be resumed.
New ambassadors in Bucharest
Two new ambassadors have officially begun their terms in office in Romania, after presenting their credentials to president Nicușor Dan.
The US Ambassador Darryl Nirenberg, who was sworn in in February, reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the nearly 30 years of sound bilateral cooperation in the areas of defence, security, intelligence exchange, law enforcement and economic partnership. The US official emphasised that the relationship between the US and Romania is based on shared interests, a firm commitment to the rule of law and a shared vision for a secure and prosperous future.
The head of state also received the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Mîțu, who presented his credentials. The parties stressed that the development of joint projects directly contributes to the modernisation of the Republic of Moldova and to its further European integration. (AMP)
