FUEL PRICES \u2013 The average price of fuels and lubricants for personal transport in the European Union rose by 16.9% in July 2026 compared with July 2025, with Romania recording the largest annual increase among EU member states, according to data released by Eurostat on Friday. The sharpest increases in fuel and lubricant prices were recorded in Romania, at 24.2%, followed by Germany and Lithuania, both at 22.9%, and Bulgaria, at 22.2%. At the other end of the scale, the smallest increases were recorded in Sweden, at 1.2%, and Ireland, at 3.2%. Hungary was the only EU country where prices in July 2026 were lower than a year earlier, falling marginally by 0.1%. On a monthly basis, EU consumers saw diesel prices rise by an average of 4.3% in July, while petrol prices increased by 4.7%. In Romania, diesel prices rose by 4.6%, while petrol prices fell by 0.8% in July 2026 compared with June, according to Eurostat.<\/p>\n
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UN \u2013President Nicu\u015for Dan will lead Romania’s delegation to the high-level segment of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Presidential Administration said on Friday. The central theme of this year’s session is: \u201cRestoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.\u201d The president is due to deliver Romania’s national address to the General Assembly on 23 September. He will highlight Romania’s efforts to support the reform of the United Nations and the country’s contribution to maintaining international peace and security and a rule-based international order, the Presidential Administration said. On the sidelines of the high-level segment, Nicu\u015for Dan will hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state and government, including talks aimed at supporting Romania’s candidate for the leadership of the International Organisation of the Francophonie. Former prime minister and European commissioner Dacian Ciolo\u015f is Romania’s candidate for secretary-general of the organisation.<\/p>\n
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SAVINGS \u2013 Less than half of Romanians manage to save money regularly, while 46% say they put aside no more than 500 lei a month \u2013 less than \u20ac100 \u2013 according to a survey conducted by a private bank and published on Friday. The survey found that Romanians’ ability to save remains limited and vulnerable to growing pressure on monthly household budgets. Rising living costs are steadily reducing the amount of money available after essential expenses have been covered. More than 22% of Romanians currently do not save at all or have been forced to draw on savings accumulated previously. The findings suggest that, for many Romanians, saving remains more a matter of maintaining a fragile balance at the end of each month than following a consistent financial plan. Financial priorities for 2026 are focused mainly on strengthening savings and maintaining personal financial stability, amid concerns particularly over health and income, the study found.<\/p>\n
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EDUCATION \u2013 Romania’s major education trade unions are calling on all parliamentary political parties not to support the proposed public-sector pay law if it is submitted to parliament. The unions say the latest draft put forward by the government represents a direct affront to education workers because it fails to take into account legislation adopted and commitments made by the Romanian state following the nationwide education strike in 2023. They warn that passing the bill in its current form would dramatically deepen the staffing crisis in education, with consequences for children, pupils and students and for the country’s future. Discussions between political leaders and President Nicu\u015for Dan over the public-sector pay bill are due to continue next week after Thursday’s talks ended without an agreement. Participants were given a new version of the draft for review, with the government seeking to take into account Romania’s fiscal requirements and commitments.<\/p>\n
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DRONE \u2013A maritime drone carrying an explosive payload was hit by the Romanian military on Thursday using the onboard cannon of a Romanian F-16 fighter jet near the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea. The drone was not completely destroyed, and military specialists subsequently neutralised it safely, according to Romania’s Ministry of National Defence. President Nicu\u015for Dan strongly condemned what he described as an intensification of such irresponsible incidents by Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also responded, saying the incident was part of a hybrid war and stressing that the European Union could respond to such threats with speed, unity and determination. NATO is prepared to respond at any time to any potential threat, an alliance official said.<\/p>\n
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WEATHER \u2013The heatwave is intensifying across Romania, with western and north-western regions under an orange heat warning expected to see maximum temperatures approaching the highest records ever recorded for August. Heat discomfort will be particularly severe, with the temperature-humidity index expected to reach or exceed the critical threshold of 80 in lowland and plateau areas. Maximum temperatures will range from 26C to 40C, with the highest readings expected in parts of the Western Plain. Hot weather and high thermal discomfort are also forecast in Bucharest, where temperatures are expected to reach 37C. The heatwave is expected to persist across most of the country until Monday. (EE)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FUEL PRICES \u2013 The average price of fuels and lubricants for personal transport in the European Union rose by 16.9% in July 2026 compared with July 2025, with Romania recording the largest annual increase among EU member states, according to data released by Eurostat on Friday. The sharpest increases in fuel and lubricant prices were […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":731782,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[152000,36563,30712,35526,29724],"coauthors":[116091],"class_list":["post-1050362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsflash","tag-drone-2","tag-fuel","tag-report","tag-savings","tag-un"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n