August 23, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 23.08.2026, 20:00
Parliament to convene in special session
Romania’s bicameral Parliament in Bucharest is convening this Monday for a new, three-day extraordinary session. It comes during the final week in which Romania can still hit its remaining targets under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan agreed with the European Commission. Senators are debating the Hydrogen Law under emergency procedure, a crucial milestone without which the country risks losing a 2.84-billion-Euro payout. In parallel, deputies must re-examine the Integrity Law, modified following objections by the Constitutional Court, alongside new rules for high school entrance exams. Meanwhile, the adoption of the new public sector salary law remains uncertain, another major milestone on which 770 million Euro depend. Although the deadline is August 31, the draft is still being analyzed by political parties following discussions with President Nicușor Dan. So far, only the Liberals have backed the latest version of the proposal, which faces fierce contestation from trade unions.
New measures to restart the Cernavodă NPP
Romanian authorities are taking new emergency measures to restart the nuclear power plant at Cernavodă, located in the southeast of the country along the Danube. The Ministry of Energy and Hidroelectrica are working to increase the river’s flow to ensure the water necessary for cooling the reactors. At the entry point into the country at Baziaș, in the southwest, the Danube’s flow is three times lower than the normal average for this period, measuring just 1,300 cubic meters per second compared to the usual 3,900. Under these conditions, the National Committee for Emergency Situations has already begun releasing large volumes of water from reservoirs along the Olt River. In addition, dredging operations continue. Although Cernavodă has backup deep wells, operating the nuclear reactors at maximum capacity depends on the high flow rate that only the Danube can supply. Currently, Romania is importing electricity daily at high prices.
Romania reports highest EU fuel price spike
Data from Eurostat shows Romania recorded the highest fuel price increase in the European Union over the past 12 months. The largest rate spikes for gasoline and diesel were registered in Romania at 24%, followed by Germany, Lithuania, and Bulgaria at around 22%. At the opposite end, the smallest price increases were recorded in Sweden at 1.2% and Ireland at 3%. The only country where prices dropped year-over-year in July 2026 compared to July 2025 was Hungary, with a slight dip of 0.1%. Looking at month-on-month figures for Romania, Eurostat notes diesel prices rose in July by 4.6% compared to June, while gasoline prices fell by 0.8%.
Romanian firefighters deploy to extinguish wildfires in Serbia
Romanian firefighters have begun operations to extinguish wildfires in neighboring Serbia. So far, the 69 responders from nine Romanian counties have prepared the ground for upcoming interventions, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations announced on Sunday. They met with local authorities, identified water sources, and conducted reconnaissance missions. A Romanian helicopter is also participating in the action, having executed seven water drops over the affected areas since Saturday. The flames are primarily raging in Serbia’s Deliblato Sands reserve, approximately 20 km from Romania, where over 3,500 hectares have been burning for more than a week. Smoke has also reached towns in western Romania as well as the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. Serbia activated the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, leading to the deployment of Romanian and German firefighters, along with helicopters from Romania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
National Bank warns political uncertainty and twin deficits pose risks to the Leu
Uncertainties stemming from the domestic political situation pose a risk to the exchange rate of the Romanian Leu, the National Bank warns in the minutes of its latest monetary policy meeting. According to the BNR, other significant risks stem from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and, above all, Romania’s lingering twin deficits, the budget deficit and the trade deficit, which occurs when a country imports more than it exports. In this context, the Central Bank stresses the importance of political and governmental stability, as well as the need to maintain fiscal consolidation to reduce both deficits. On Friday, during the week’s final trading session, the national currency depreciated against the Euro, with the National Bank calculating the rate at nearly 5.26 lei.
Moldovan Prime Minister swims across the Bosphorus Strait in symbolic race
The pro-Western Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Vasile Tofan, swam across the Bosphorus Strait in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul on Sunday during a 6.5-kilometer race. The Prime Minister is currently on a private visit to Turkey and took part in the event alongside his 14-year-old son. “The race started on the Asian continent and ended on the European one, exactly in the direction the Republic of Moldova is heading”, Tofan wrote, quoted by media outlets in Chișinău. The travel expenses for the Prime Minister, his family members, and his team were fully covered by personal funds. The Istanbul competition reached its 38th edition this year, organized annually by the Turkish Olympic Committee. The intercontinental Bosphorus cross-continental swim is recognized as one of the most spectacular open-water events in the world, drawing over 2,400 swimmers from numerous countries each year. Maritime traffic through the Bosphorus Strait is fully suspended for the duration of the race. (VP)
