April 6, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 06.04.2026, 20:00
BANKRUPTCY Damen Shipyard in Mangalia, one of the most important industrial naval platforms in Romania and Europe, is going bankrupt, and employees will be left without jobs. This is the result of Monday’s meeting of the creditors, where the Dutch company Damen Shipyards did not approve the company’s reorganisation plan. According to the National Trade Union Bloc, bankruptcy procedures involve the sale of the company’s assets in order to cover debts to creditors. The National Bank of Romania warns that this situation has a major social impact at local level and requires urgent attention from the Romanian state.
FUELS The Romanian government has passed the second set of intervention measures in the fuel market, after the decision to cap commercial markups on petrol and diesel, which came into force on April 1. Excise duties on standard diesel are cut and a solidarity contribution for companies in the oil sector is introduced. The order takes effect on Tuesday, April 7, and will stay in force as long as there is a fuel price crisis, both domestically and internationally. The Romanian government spokesperson, Ioana Dogioiu, explained that only the excise duty on diesel has been lowered because its price had increased the most, as 75% of fuel consumption in Romania is diesel and this price fuels inflation. The government’s measure to cut the excise duty on diesel by RON 0.36 per litre is insufficient, however, believes the head of IMM Romania (SME sector), Florin Jianu. He says there is room for a more consistent decrease, given that Romania has one of the highest excise duties on oil in the European Union.
STATISTICS 70% of resident doctors consider leaving the country, due to the lack of clear professional opportunities, according to a national survey on ‘Career paths in public healthcare and management from residency to employment in Romania’, made public on Monday. While 97.6% of residents say they are satisfied with their professional training, the survey highlights major structural problems, including lack of jobs (43%), uncertainty regarding posts for public healthcare and management professionals, bureaucracy and political influence in the decision-making process. Meanwhile, the total number of children in Romania with both parents working abroad was 7,418 at the end of 2025, 656 fewer than at the end of the previous year, according to data centralised by the National Child Protection and Adoption Authority. Of these, 6,830 were in the care of relatives up to the fourth degree, without protective measures, while the others are placed in foster care, residential services, other families or individuals.
HOLY WEEK Orthodox Christians (a majority in Romania) and Greek Catholics Monday entered the Holy Week, the last before the Easter holiday, in which they commemorate the passions of the Saviour. In churches, believers participate every evening in special religious services, called Denii, in which the last moments of the life of Jesus Christ are remembered, before His crucifixion. The most important are the service of the 12 Gospels on Maundy Thursday and the service of the Lord’s Burial on Good Friday. The Holy Light from Jerusalem will be brought to Romania on a special flight on Holy Saturday, following an agreement reached with the support of the Romanian and Israeli authorities. After arriving in the country, the Holy Light will be distributed to all the parishes of the Patriarchate in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated the second day of Easter on Monday.
BONDS Romanians can invest in Treasury government bonds until May 8. The maturities are 1, 3 and 5 years, and the annual interest rates are 6.50%, 7% and 7.50%. The income is not taxed; government bonds have a face value of 1 leu and are issued in digital format. They can be purchased at Treasury offices, at Romanian Post offices between April 6 and May 6, 2026, and online on the Ghişeul.ro platform, between April 6 and May 7, 2026, but only by individuals who are registered in the Virtual Private Space. Government bonds issued under the Treasury Program are transferable and can be redeemed in advance. The Treasury programme is very popular with the public: in the first quarter of 2026 alone, subscriptions exceeded EUR 1.55 billion.
NATO Romania’s path to NATO was built on the deep desire to be part of a space of democracy, freedom and the rule of law, President Nicuşor Dan said on Sunday, in a message on the occasion of NATO Day in Romania and the 77th anniversary of the signing of the Alliance’s founding document. In turn, PM Ilie Bolojan promised Romania would continue to strengthen its role as a reliable partner on the Alliance’s eastern flank. NATO Day in Romania is marked on the first Sunday of April. (AMP)
