THE WEEK IN REVIEW August 9-15, 2026
A look at the headline-making events this past week
Ştefan Stoica, 15.08.2026, 14:00
Romania, without nuclear power
Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant in south-eastern Romania was shut down under controlled conditions on Thursday, as the Danube flow has been dropping steadily and substantially. Unit 1 of the plant was also shut down at the end of July, leaving Romania without about 1,400 MW, which accounts for one-fifth of the domestic output. Depending on the Danube River flow going forward, the experts at Cernavoda will decide to reconnect the nuclear units. The authorities had tried to keep Unit 2 in operation, including by detonating a rock and sinking barges in order to ensure sufficient flow in the Cernavoda area.
To make up for the deficit, the energy ministry will restart the coal-fired Rovinari 4 group and, within technical and water resource constraints, will use the additional available capacity of the state-owned company Hidroelectrica. And while water does not help, the wind will: Romania has covered some of its energy demand thanks to wind farms. Even so, it is forced to import energy to fully meet its needs.
At the end of July, a nation-wide state of alert was declared in Romania for the month of August, as a result of a decrease in electricity generation. The authorities have repeatedly called on the public, institutions and businesses to spend electricity responsibly. Bucharest asked the European Commission and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity to assess the available production capacities, cross-border interconnection capacities, as well as the capacity of the electricity systems of neighbouring states to provide support in case the regional situation deteriorates further.
Inflation drops, but the pace slows down
The heat waves and the energy crisis fuelled primarily by the drought, but also by fuel price developments, have slowed the downward trend in inflation, says the National Bank governor, Mugur Isărescu. According to him, geopolitical tensions, the protracted energy crisis, as well as the continued fragmentation of international trade will put pressure on inflation.
Mugur Isărescu announced on Thursday an upward revision of the inflation forecast for the end of 2026, to 6.1%. In 2027, inflation is set to reach 3.4%. On the other hand, the central bank governor does not expect a quick recovery of the economy, and views the absorption of European funding as critical. The trade deficit has been reduced, although industry and exports remain affected by low demand on European markets, the central bank also says. As for the national currency, the leu now has a more flexible exchange rate, and the institution’s interventions in the foreign exchange market were, according to Mugur Isărescu, much smaller than last year. A cut in the key interest rate is not imminent, and the National Bank will start considering lowering the monetary policy interest rate when inflation drops below the current key interest level. Finally, Mugur Isărescu says the recent decisions by the major rating agencies Fitch and Moody’s to keep Romania in the investment-grade zone to be correct.
Legislation under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, on hold
The Constitutional Court has postponed until Monday the complaints against the new integrity law, on whose endorsement the release of almost EUR 800 million under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan depends. Constitutional judges are expected to rule on the appeals filed separately by the Save Romania Union and the National Liberal Party and by president Nicuşor Dan. The complaints concern provisions introduced by the Social Democratic Party and the populist, ultranationalist opposition party AUR, with respect to retroactive penalties for local elected officials ruled to be in incompatibility situations and to the extension of the obligation to declare assets and interests to partners, rather than spouses.
On the other hand, the endorsement of the unified public sector salary law, on which another EUR 800 million under the recovery and resilience facility depends, is also being delayed. The meeting organised this week by the presidency and attended by the relevant political actors, failed to lead to any results. For their part, the education and healthcare trade unions, the most passionate opponents of the bill, still view the salary scales as unacceptable. A last-minute solution is still sought to have this reform implemented and implicitly to save the almost EUR 800 million from the EU, said the interim labour minister Dragoş Pîslaru.
New European title for David Popovici
The Romanian swimmer David Popovici, an Olympic, world and European champion, won the gold in the 100m freestyle on Wednesday at the European Swimming Championships in Paris, with a new competition record of 46.56 seconds. Popovici, who was second after the first half of the race, was followed in the final standings by Russia’s Egor Kornev and Hungary’s Kristof Milak. An unrivalled world swimming star, David Popovici managed to improve the competition record of 46.72 seconds, which he had set in the semis on Tuesday. For David, it is the third consecutive European title in the 100 m freestyle, after those in 2022 and 2024.
In football, the Romanian champions Universitatea Craiova qualified for the Europa League play-offs, after defeating the Finnish team KuPS Kuopio 2-1 at home on Thursday evening. Romania’s champions thus secured their qualification for the main stage of a European competition. Universitatea will play in the Europa League play-offs against Ararat-Armenia. Meanwhile, CFR Cluj left the continental competitions. (AMP)
