May 19, 2026
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 19.05.2026, 13:55
INFLATION The National Bank expects inflation to continue to rise in Q2, falling to 5.5% at the end of the year, higher than previously estimated, Governor Mugur Isarescu said on Tuesday, upon presenting the inflation report. The central bank governor stressed that the inflation trend will depend on what happens in the Strait of Hormuz and on political stability in Romania. As regards the exchange rate of the national currency, Mugur Isarescu said the National Bank has stepped in the foreign exchange market much less recently than in April – May last year, and that the current level seems to be balanced at this time. He also emphasised the importance of investments, especially from EU funding, which can have a positive contribution to economic growth. According to the latest statistical data, annual inflation reached 10.7% in April, the highest level in recent months.
ECONOMY Fitch Ratings warns Romania against risks related to political instability, delays in reforms under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and foreign pressures on economy, and the coming months are decisive, the finance minister Alexandru Nazare said. Fitch warns that the main risk is not short-term budget execution, but rather the lack of predictability regarding the fiscal strategy for 2027 and the next years. The agency’s next report on Romania will be released in July.
INVESTMENT Romania has moved up in a ranking of investment destinations in Europe, and together with Poland it is one of the most attractive markets in the region for international investors, according to the PwC Global CEO Survey 2026 data. Compared to the previous year, Romania has moved from 13th to 9th place on the continent, and from 33rd to 28th globally, as 51% of company leaders around the world say they plan international expansion this year. Romania outranks countries that traditionally attract investors, such as Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium and Greece. According to the cited source, between 2014 and 2024 the combined balance of foreign direct investments in Romania doubled from EUR 62 billion to EUR 125 billion. Romania still has many areas where it needs to catch up compared to other European states, the report also reads. Medium-term goals, including the OECD accession, which could take place this year, and full implementation of the PNRR, will help consolidate Romania’s status as an attractive economy.
CONSULTATIONS President Nicuşor Dan had consultations with the parties in Parliament on Monday, to choose a candidate for the prime minister position, after the Bolojan Cabinet was dismissed following a no-confidence vote. After the talks, he announced he would carry on consultations with the parties until a solid, pro-Western majority is formed, calling for their responsibility in order to reach a common denominator. The Social Democrats rejected a new government led by Ilie Bolojan, and AUR announced that it was willing to take over the government, but also talked about early elections. The Liberals no longer want to govern alongside PSD, and USR party announced it would go into the opposition if the Social Democrats find a parliamentary majority to form the new government. UDMR believes that the former ruling coalition should be restored.
BRANCUSI In the Year of Constantin Brancusi, marking the 150th anniversary of the sculptor’s birth, a sculpture set a new record in the international art market at Christie’s auction house in New York on Monday night. The “Danaide” (1913) was sold for USD 107.5 million, and became the second most expensive sculpture ever purchased in an auction. The previous record for a work by Brancusi was USD 71.2 million paid in 2018 for “Young Sophisticated Girl” (Portrait of Nancy Cunard). To draw public attention on the sculpture and also on the auction, Christie’s relied on an exceptional presence: the actress Nicole Kidman. In a nearly two-minute video, she posed, danced, and admired Brancusi’s “Danaide.”
CANNES “Fjord”, by the Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, Monday night received 12-minute standing ovations, the longest so far in the 2026 Cannes competition. Celebrities including Sharon Stone, Carla Bruni, Demi Moore and Stellan Skarsgard attended. “Fjord,” starring the Romanian-born US actor Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve (Norway), is Cristian Mungiu’s 7th feature film in the Cannes competition. He won the Palme d’Or trophy in 2007 for “Four months, 3 weeks and 2 days,” the award for the best script in 2012 for “Beyond the Hills” and the best director award in 2016 for “Baccalaureate.” (AMP)
