May 13, 2026

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 13.05.2026, 14:43

B9 – Romania’s President, Nicușor Dan, together with Poland’s President, Karol Nawrocki, are chairing today in Bucharest  the 11th edition of the Bucharest Nine (B9) Summit, which brings together leaders from NATO’s Eastern Flank countries alongside Nordic allies, the United States, and Ukraine under the theme “Delivering More for Transatlantic Security.” Nicușor Dan stated at the opening that the meeting aims to consolidate and articulate the region’s vision for the future of the North Atlantic Alliance, emphasizing the need to increase defense spending. He underlined that the B9 Summit offers a moment to assess how NATO commitments are being implemented and to reaffirm support for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Karol Nawrocki, in turn, called for a robust allied presence in Europe and for “credible” investments in defense. He welcomed the participation of the Nordic states, noting that their involvement “fundamentally” strengthens the security architecture of Northern and Eastern Europe. Attending the summit in Bucharest are NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky, and leaders from the B9 member states – Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Hungary – along with representatives of the Nordic countries. The United States is represented by Thomas DiNanno, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. The summit will conclude with the adoption of a joint declaration addressing several key regional issues.

GDP – Romania’s Gross Domestic Product fell by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, according to figures released today by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Year on year, GDP declined by 1.7%, indicating that the Romanian economy has entered a technical recession, following two consecutive quarters of contraction. The INS also reported that the annual inflation rate rose to 10.71% in April, up from 9.87% in March. Over this period, services became more expensive by 13%, non food goods by 12%, and food products by nearly 7.4%. In February, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) revised its inflation forecast for the end of the year from 3.7% to 3.9%, and projected a decline to 2.7% by the end of 2027.

NATO – Romania remains firmly oriented toward Europe, maintains its partnership with the United States, and upholds a responsible posture within NATO. President Nicușor Dan made this clarification on Tuesday while attending an international forum dedicated to security issues. The head of state stressed that a stronger Europe also strengthens the North Atlantic Alliance. He added that, in a period marked by numerous challenges, countries sharing similar views on security and defense must work together.

SECURITY – Regional security, joint infrastructure projects, and economic cooperation were the main topics discussed in Bucharest during the meeting between Romanian President Nicușor Dan and Igor Grosu, Speaker of the Parliament of the neighboring Republic of Moldova. Igor Grosu emphasized that the Republic of Moldova and Romania share a special relationship and a solid partnership

OMBUDSMAN – Romania’s Ombudsman, Renate Weber, has filed a challenge with the Constitutional Court of Romania against the emergency order issued by the interim government led by Ilie Bolojan, which includes provisions related to the European SAFE program for military equipment. Weber argues that the ordinance was published in the Official Journal on May 8, three days after the government had been dismissed through a motion of censure and was therefore operating with limited powers. She also noted that the final version of the document lacked the Legislative Council’s approval, and stressed that an interim cabinet is prohibited from adopting emergency orders that affect fundamental rights and freedoms. In contrast, Senate President Mircea Abrudean stated that he sees no constitutional issues regarding the order on the SAFE program.

FOOTBALL – The teams ranked in the first two places in the Romanian football championship, Universitatea Craiova and Universitatea Cluj, play tonight, in Sibiu (center), the final of the Romanian Cup. Universitatea Cluj has won the trophy only once, in 1965, but has played in 5 other finals, all of which they lost. On the other hand, Universitatea Craiova is facing final number 9, but has already won 7 Romanian Cups, the last time in 2021. We remind you that the two teams will also meet on Sunday, May 17, in a match that could determine the new Romanian football champion. (EE)