The Week in Review 25-29.05.2026
The headline-grabbing events of the past week in Romania
Ştefan Stoica, 30.05.2026, 14:00
A serious violation of international law, typical of Russia
On Friday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization condemned what it called ‘Russia’s recklessness’ regarding the Russian drone that exploded on an apartment building in Galați (eastern Romania) and assured that it would continue to strengthen its defense against “all threats.” Bucharest informed its allies and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about the drone incident in Galați and requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania. ‘The Russian Federation continues to be an aggressor state waging an illegal war with serious implications for regional security and the safety of citizens. The Russian Federation bears direct responsibility for these serious and irresponsible actions. Romania will act with the utmost firmness to increase international pressure on the Russian Federation with a view to an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire,’ shows a statement from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Into the early hours of Friday, a drone involved in the bombing of infrastructure in Ukraine crashed in Galaţi, causing a fire on the roof of an apartment building. Two people sustained minor injuries, and the building was evacuated. Airplanes and a helicopter belonging to the Ministry of National Defense were scrambled as soon as the Russian drones appeared on radar. ‘This incident represents a serious and irresponsible escalation on the part of the Russian Federation. Romania will take the necessary diplomatic measures in response to this serious violation of international law and its airspace,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized. A month ago, also in Galați, but on the outskirts of the city, the crash of a Russian drone damaged public and private property.
And more on Russia and its reprehensible actions on the international stage
Romania has joined the European states that reacted promptly and summoned Russian ambassadors following Moscow’s call for foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv ahead of new attacks on the Ukrainian capital. The threat issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry through a press release and social media posts represents a serious and irresponsible escalation, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday. It is a threat that, if carried out, would constitute a war crime against the Ukrainian people, with serious consequences under international law, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized on Platform X. Romania will not be intimidated and maintains its diplomatic presence in Ukraine and in Kyiv. The Romanian side reminded the Russian ambassador that no statement or post suspends Moscow’s legal obligations, including those regarding the respect for international law.
The New Unified Pay Scale Law
One of the rare moments of political consensus in Romania has allowed for the finalization of the new unified pay scale bill. A milestone in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNNR), the bill entered public debate on Monday after the main political forces agreed on key elements: protecting the incomes of public sector employees, fiscal discipline, and sustainability. The new law targets 1.2 million public sector employees and is set to take full effect on January 1, 2027. The law establishes a fair hierarchy of positions across the entire public sector, including local public administration, as well as a single pay scale structure for the entire public sector. Salaries will increase for more than half of public sector employees, while for the rest they will remain at their current levels. The draft law also provides for the reduction of unjustified bonuses. The Acting Labor Minister Dragoş Pîslaru announced that he will travel to Brussels with a mandate from the Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan to ask the European Commission to freeze or spread salary increases for public officials until 2031 as part of the PNRR renegotiation. Officials should not receive the largest pay raises while other categories of employees have limited or no raises, Pîslaru believes. Public sector unions have criticized the bill, which they say will lead to lower incomes.
Another Palme d’Or for Cristian Mungiu
The feature film “Fjord,” directed by the Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, won the Palme d’Or trophy at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. Mungiu thus became the 10th filmmaker in the Festival’s history to win the coveted Palme d’Or twice, 19 years after his victory with the film ‘4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days’. He thus joins an exclusive club that includes filmmakers such as Francis Ford Coppola, Ken Loach, and Michael Haneke. The Romanian filmmaker, who also wrote the screenplay for this film, sets his story in Norway, where a deeply devout Romanian-Norwegian evangelical couple settles with their five children and, at first, seems to integrate seamlessly into a society that proclaims its tolerance and respect for minorities. But everything changes abruptly when suspicions of domestic violence against the children arise. ‘This film is a message for tolerance, for inclusion, for empathy. These are magnificent terms that we all love, but which we should put into practice more often,” said Cristian Mungiu in his acceptance speech for the Palme d’Or. He added that societies are divided and radicalized, and this film represents a commitment against any form of fundamentalism. Is the Oscar next?
A Little About Sports
Bucharest Mayor Ciprian Ciucu announced that, in support of the Romanian Football Federation, he has signed the bid to have Bucharest host the UEFA Europa League final in 2028. He has noted that funds have been allocated in the budget for the necessary renovations. UEFA will announce the host cities for 2028 and 2029 in June. The National Arena in Bucharest previously hosted the Europa League final on May 9, 2012. That match was an all-Spanish contest, won by Atlético Madrid against Athletic Bilbao.
