July 22, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 22.07.2026, 19:53
Parliament. The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will meet in an extraordinary session from July 27 to 31. The speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and president of the Social Democratic Party, Sorin Grindeanu, had requested the extraordinary session starting July 27 for the outstanding legislation required under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and proposed a special parliamentary committee should be set up to solve the current political deadlock. This working group would operate until a government with full powers is sworn in. On the other hand, Senate speaker Mircea Abrudean (from the National Liberal Party) called for responsibility so that the outstanding reforms may be completed, and said a new salary law is needed to address inequities. The legislation was halted on Tuesday by the Bucharest Court of Appeals, which suspended the procedure for endorsing the law at the request of trade unions in the healthcare sector. The labour ministry has already announced it will appeal the ruling. Six reforms totalling over 4.5 billion euros should be approved in the coming weeks, otherwise Romania risks losing money under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Vessel. The Department for Emergency Situations announced on Wednesday that a helicopter of the interior ministry’s General Inspectorate of Aviation carried out an aerial reconnaissance mission over the area where a Liberian commercial vessel carrying liquefied gas and which caught fire near the Romanian Black Sea coast is located. Inspections revealed that there were no longer visible flames, although high temperatures persisted in the affected area. Under these circumstances, the Department said the situation needs further monitoring. A new aerial reconnaissance mission is scheduled for Thursday. The tanker was sailing from Egypt to the Ukrainian port of Reni carrying a cargo of over 3,790 tonnes of propane and a crew of 17 sailors. According to the crew, the vessel was struck by three aerial drones while transiting Romania’s exclusive economic zone. The ship sustained major damage and the members of the crew were evacuated.
Flooding. A red code warning for flooding is in place until Thursday afternoon for rivers in Constanța and Tulcea counties (in southeastern Romania). Hydrologists warn that water levels could significantly exceed safe thresholds, potentially requiring the evacuation of people and property, as well as restrictions on the use of bridges and transport routes. An orange code flood warning is also in place for several rivers in the central, southern, and eastern parts of the country. Meteorologists have forecast torrential rains, particularly for the eastern half of Romania. On Wednesday, firefighters were dispatched to pump water out of flooded homes and properties in several localities in Prahova County (south) following a heavy downpour. A violent flash flood carrying logs, stones and sand had previously hit the resort town of Bușteni in the Prahova Valley on Sunday. On Tuesday, a severe storm also struck Craiova (southwest), causing significant material damage. Meanwhile, the recent rains have not led to a significant rise in the Danube’s flow rate, which remains at its lowest level in the last 30 years. According to representatives from the Romanian Waters authority, traffic restrictions on the river will therefore remain in place over the next two weeks.
Heatwave. Europe continues to struggle with the heat spell, with wildfires increasing. According to Reuters, firefighters were battling blazes in Spain and France on Wednesday, with the risk of new fires breaking out remaining very high across almost all of Spain. Meanwhile, a fire that started in the central province of Guadalajara has subsided. In France, where two firefighters lost their lives on Tuesday after their vehicle was engulfed by flames in the southwestern Gironde region, the authorities have warned residents against using barbecues in areas affected by the heatwave, noting that nine out of ten wildfires are caused by human activity, whether accidental or otherwise. Meanwhile, in the Western Balkans, the threat of heatwaves has given way to hailstorms, leaving several people injured in North Macedonia and eastern Kosovo. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and scientists say climate change is intensifying heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires, while also creating conditions for sudden, destructive storms, Reuters reports. The continent has faced three spells of extreme heats so far this year.
Airports. Henri Coandă International Airport and Bucharest Băneasa Aurel Vlaicu International Airport recorded a record 8.46 million passengers in the first six months of this year, up by 5.08% compared to the same period in 2025, the National Bucharest Airports Company announced on Wednesday. According to the company, over 68,300 landings and takeoffs were recorded during the first half of the year. Meanwhile, the Avram Iancu International Airport in Cluj-Napoca has reached the two-million-passenger mark since the beginning of the year, an increase compared to the same period last year. According to its management, the target is to reach 10 million passengers by 2045. (CM)
