August 10, 2026
A roundup of news from Romania and the world
Newsroom, 10.08.2026, 13:55
Danube – The Danube’s water level has risen by eight centimeters near the Cernavodă nuclear power plant (southeast), following interventions in the Bala area, and Unit 2 of the plant, the only one currently operational, can continue to operate for at least another nine days, according to the acting transport minister Radu Miruţă. Four barges were sunk in a controlled manner to form two artificial weirs, which redirect part of the Danube’s flow toward the branch that supplies the plant, which provides 20% of the country’s energy needs. However, the authorities warn that the danger has not passed, as strong currents could dislodge the barges and reduce or even cancel the effect of the intervention. The Danube’s flow rate is estimated to remain around 1,400 cubic meters per second until August 12, and is expected to gradually increase to 1,500 cubic meters per second by August 15, according to the forecast by the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management. Due to the low flow of the Danube at its entry into the country, Romania is under an energy alert in August.
Session – Several bills focused on social assistance and administrative issues are on the agenda this week for the extraordinary session of the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest, the third such session this summer. One of these bills provides for various forms of financial support for people with disabilities to enable them to live in the community without being institutionalized. Another bill establishes, among other things, an increase from 40% to 60% in the partial payments made in response to reimbursement claims submitted by electricity and natural gas providers under the cap-and-compensation schemes. Lawmakers will also debate the legislative proposal under which pre-university school administrators may be fully or partially exempted from the teaching load established by law. The acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stated on Friday that, during the two previous extraordinary sessions, some of the milestones in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) were addressed through the adoption of bills in Parliament; however, he noted that an “ad hoc PSD-AUR alliance” (between the Social Democratic and the populist, ultra-nationalist opposition) had formed and proposed amendments that risk creating issues with penalties or being unconstitutional. Romania will be able to access significant European funds only if it meets the milestones and targets set out in the PNRR.
Deficit – In Romania, the trade balance deficit in the first half of 2026 was 16.459 billion Euros, down 2% from the deficit recorded in the same period of 2025, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) published on Monday. In the first six months of the year, exports totaled 49.037 billion Euros, while imports totaled 65.497 billion Euros. During this period, exports increased by 3% and imports by 1.7% compared to the same period in 2025. According to the INS, major shares in the structure of exports and imports are held by the following product groups: transportation equipment (46.8% of exports and 36.5% of imports) and other manufactured goods (27.2% of exports and 27.3% of imports). The value of intra-EU27 trade in goods was approximately three times higher than that of extra-EU27 trade.
Anonimul – In Sfântu Gheorghe, in the Danube Delta, the “Anonimul” International Independent Film Festival is kicking off. The program for the 23rd edition includes outdoor screenings, feature-length and short film competitions, as well as special productions for children. Today, on the first day, the national premiere of the film “Gentle Monster,” starring Catherine Deneuve, will take place. Tuesday evening will be dedicated to Romanian films, featuring Radu Jude’s latest work, “The Diary of a Chambermaid.” Audiences will be able to watch five feature films in the competition for the trophy, including the Romanian production “The End of the World” by director Sebastian Pereanu, presented as a national premiere. All of these films have screened at international festivals such as Venice, Sundance, and Karlovy Vary, and explore themes of inequality, family relationships, freedom, and emancipation. The “Anonimul” Trophy will be awarded based on the audience’s vote. The festival also features Romanian and international short films in competition. Out of more than 150 submitted titles, 14 films were selected to be screened in Sfântu Gheorghe. This year’s edition of the festival will close on Sunday with the film “The Beloved,” starring Javier Bardem in the lead role.
Rating – Moody’s has maintained Romania’s rating at ‘Baa3’ with a negative outlook. The agency’s experts praise the fiscal discipline imposed by the government in Bucharest and estimate that the deficit will fall this year to 5.8% of GDP, a better-than-expected performance. However, Moody’s analysts warn that the coming months will be critical. Political fragmentation could hinder and delay major reforms, such as the unified pay law or the adoption of next year’s budget. Romania also remains vulnerable to geopolitical risks due to its proximity to the war in Ukraine.
Diplomatic relations – Romania’s acting Foreign Minister Oana Ţoiu published an op-ed on Sunday to mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Romania and Montenegro, in which she emphasizes that today’s volatile geopolitical environment demonstrates that solidarity is a strategic necessity, in the context of Russia’s ‘brutal war’ against Ukraine. ‘This year we are celebrating two decades of diplomatic relations between Romania and Montenegro. Today, on the occasion of this anniversary, together with Ervin Ibrahimovic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, we are publishing an opinion piece dedicated to what unites us today: the European and Euro-Atlantic values and vision we share, including with regard to the region’s security and stability, support for Montenegro’s European path, as well as our shared ambitions for the development and prosperity of the citizens of both countries’, Oana Ţoiu posted on social media platform X.
Discussions – Representatives of Romania’s parliamentary parties will be summoned in the coming days for a new round of urgent technical discussions with the head of state, Nicuşor Dan, to unblock the parliamentary process for the draft law on the unified pay scale. This is the final week in which political leaders can reach an agreement on this reform, which is mandatory to prevent Romania from losing nearly 800 million Euros in European funds. The public sector pay reform is a critical milestone and must be adopted and published in the Official Gazette by August 31. However, due to disagreements among political parties and discontent from labor unions, the bill has not yet been brought before Parliament for debate.
Fires – Romanian firefighters stationed in France and Greece carried out operations, including overnight from Sunday to Monday, as part of pre-positioning missions in the two countries, where activities were continuously adapted to the operational situation and the risk of wildfires. According to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, in France, the Romanian firefighters’ activities were primarily operational in nature. The crews responded to extinguish several fires that broke out between the towns of Correns, Montfort, Le Val, and Carces. In Greece, a joint exercise was conducted, along with patrol missions in areas with a high risk of fire.
Athletics – On Sunday, the Romanian athlete Alexandra Ştefania Uţă won the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Eugene (Oregon, USA), setting a new meet record. Daria Vrînceanu won the silver medal in the triple jump. Romania participated with 11 athletes, seven women and four men, and finished the U20 World Championships in 11th place in the medal standings, with one gold and one silver medal. (LS)
