July 28, 2026
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 28.07.2026, 13:55
Strike. Hundreds of public hospitals in Romania have gone on a general strike from today. Union members from the Sanitas Federation are protesting against a bill, now being debated, on the unified wage system for public sector employees. They are demanding measures to address issues within the healthcare system, such as staff shortages that impact both the work of staff and the quality of patient care, as well as the prospect of cuts to certain salary bonuses. Protesters are also calling for the filling of vacant positions, better working conditions, and a wage law that reflects the responsibility and complexity of work within the healthcare sector. The healthcare ministry said in a statement that it has instructed public health directorates to monitor medical activity at local healthcare facilities in the context of trade union actions and to urgently report any incident or crisis situation that could affect the continuity of medical services for patients.
Nuclear plant. Unit 1 of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant in southeastern Romania has undergone a controlled shutdown and has been disconnected from the National Energy System this morning due to very low levels of the Danube river caused by severe drought, Nuclearelectrica has announced. According to company representatives, these measures are precautionary and aim to safeguard nuclear safety and equipment reliability. Hydrological forecasts indicate that the Danube’s flow rate at the country’s entry point will drop to 1,600 cubic meters per second between July 26 and August 2, well below the multi-year average for July of approximately 4,700 cubic meters per second. According to the Apele Române National Administration, the river’s lowest flow rate to date was 1,400 cubic meters per second, recorded in 1985.
Drones. The Romanian company Oves Enterprise and Edrone, one of Ukraine’s largest drone manufacturers, have signed a strategic partnership laying the foundation for the joint production of military drones in Cluj-Napoca (north-western Romania). “Europe needs its own production capabilities and Romania must build a genuine industrial role within this ecosystem rather than remaining solely a sales market,” said Oves Enterprise in a press statement issued today. In the initial phase, three types of military drone will be manufactured in Cluj-Napoca, namely FPV, interceptor and reconnaissance. The range of products may later be expanded to include up to 27 models. Initial production capacity will be approximately 1,000 units per month, with hopes of increasing this to between 10,000 and 15,000 units monthly.
Firefighters. Romania has extended the mission of the firefighter contingent deployed to southwestern France by another two weeks to assist French and international teams in extinguishing devastating wildfires and forest fires. According to a government statement, the decision reflects Bucharest’s solidarity with its European partners and its commitment to contributing to emergency management within the framework of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron posted a message on X thanking the Romanian firefighters for their assistance in battling the fires.
Drones. Two autonomous Triton maritime systems designed for drone detection and monitoring have become operational today at the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanța. The measure aims to enhance the protection of critical port infrastructure and improve security and safety levels for companies operating within the port grounds. Powered by solar and wind energy, Triton systems have an endurance of over 30 days on the surface and can collect underwater data through autonomous diving. They are equipped for diverse missions, ranging from identifying naval mines and detecting maritime and aerial drones to inspecting subsea cables, monitoring offshore platforms, and overseeing port access.
Fuel. On Monday, the average price of a liter of diesel oil in Romania hit 10 lei, the equivalent of some 2 euros, while petrol is selling for an average of 9.13 lei per liter (around 1.8 euros). This occurred despite a drop in the price of a barrel of oil, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was calling off US strikes on Iran and Kazakhstan’s resumption of crude oil exports via its terminal at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. In response to the significant rise in fuel prices, Romanian senators passed a bill on the progressive reduction in excise duties on fuel based on oil price fluctuations on international markets. They also decided to cap commercial markups.
Parliament. Debates continue in the Bucharest Parliament, which has been in extraordinary session since Monday, regarding outstanding legislation committed to under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Today, deputies on the Legal Committee are voting on a bill concerning public office integrity. Discussions are also underway regarding the Urban Planning Code, a document that clarifies regulations on building permits. On Monday, senators voted to maintain the 9% VAT rate on home purchases until September 30. A decision was also made to introduce a bonus-malus system for inspectors from the National Agency for Fiscal Administration and the Customs Authority: those who exceed collection targets or uncover major fraud will receive financial incentives, while staff with poor performance will face administrative sanctions.
