October 22, 2026 UPDATE

The latest news from RRI

Newsroom, 22.10.2026, 20:00

CSAT – The Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) met on Thursday, the first session attended by Prime Minister Luca Niculescu and the new ministers of the Cabinet that took office on Tuesday. According to the Presidential Administration, discussions focused primarily on the escalation of maritime incidents, specifically involving violations of national airspace and drone strikes against commercial vessels within or in the immediate vicinity of Romania’s territorial waters. CSAT members assessed the measures required to further strengthen national surveillance, prevention, and response capabilities, with the aim of defending territorial waters and critical infrastructure, as well as ensuring the security of commercial navigation. Furthermore, the Council members examined ways to enhance coordination within NATO, including the strengthening of the deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank. In conclusion, the CSAT members emphasized that security in the Black Sea region constitutes an essential component of both national and Euro-Atlantic security, the Presidential Administration stated.

Resolution – In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the European Parliament (EP) calls on the EU to consider deploying a naval operation in the Black Sea and to accelerate the operationalization of the Black Sea Maritime Security Centre in Romania and Bulgaria. In the resolution, the EP firmly condemns the recent attacks, which resulted in casualties, off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, as well as the repeated violations of Romanian airspace. Furthermore, the EP holds Russia responsible for attacks on civilian vessels and for the escalation of its war of aggression against Ukraine in the western Black Sea. In another development, the MEPs urge EU member states, in cooperation with NATO, to support Bulgaria and Romania in the early detection and tracking of hostile drones that threaten maritime shipping in the Black Sea. The resolution, adopted with 432 votes in favor, 52 against, and 88 abstentions, follows a debate on the subject held in the EP on Tuesday, which was attended by the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.

Visit – On Thursday, Prime Minister Luca Niculescu received the U.S. Ambassador to Bucharest, Darryl Nirenberg. The two discussed, primarily, the importance of the American military presence in Romania, cooperation in the field of defense, including projects for modernizing and equipping the Romanian Armed Forces, as well as the economic dimension of the bilateral partnership. “For the Government I lead, and for me personally, the relationship with the United States represents a fundamental priority,” Luca Niculescu stated on this occasion. Furthermore, the Romanian Prime Minister commended Ambassador Nirenberg for the dynamism with which he promotes Romanian-American relations across numerous sectors, and for his close collaboration with the Romanian authorities.

Moldova – Romania’s new Prime Minister, Luca Niculescu, will pay an official visit to the Republic of Moldova (a former Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population) on Tuesday, October 27, the Bucharest government announced. According to a statement from the institution, the Romanian official’s agenda will include meetings with President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, and the Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu. The discussions will focus on joint projects and cooperation between the two states, within the context of the consistent support that the Government of Romania provides to the Republic of Moldova, the statement notes.

Forum – On Thursday, the Romanian Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare attended the international forum “Reconstruction of Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investments” in Bucharest. In his remarks, the Minister emphasized that the reconstruction of Ukraine will require investments of nearly 600 billion dollars over the next ten years, and that Romania intends to participate in this process through infrastructure and energy projects, as well as economic partnerships. According to Nazare, Romania can leverage its geographical position and European experience to become a central pillar in regional reconstruction and in trade with neighboring Ukraine. Road, rail, and maritime links, facilitated by the Port of Constanța and the Danube, are vital for maintaining trade flows, Alexandru Nazare added.

Talks – On Thursday, in Bucharest, the Romanian Defense Minister Ştefan-Radu Oprea and the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, met with the Chairman of the EU Military Committee (EUMC), General Sean Clancy. The discussions focused on developments in the regional security environment, with an emphasis on threats stemming from the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, drone-related incidents in the Black Sea region, and the need to strengthen European defense capabilities. On this occasion, Minister Oprea underscored the importance of developing surveillance, early warning, and air defense capabilities, as well as enhancing EU-NATO cooperation. The EUMC is the highest military body established within the Council of the EU, composed of the Chiefs of Defense from the member states.

Strasbourg – The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled in favor of the Romanian Government in a case concerning the staggered payment of salary arrears awarded to magistrates by domestic courts. The case was brought before the ECHR by several judges and prosecutors, who accused the Romanian state of violating their rights by failing to execute the judgments in full. The ECHR judges ruled unanimously that these complaints were unfounded and that Romania may continue to stagger the payments. The Strasbourg-based court found that the failure to make immediate payments, and the decision to stagger them, were necessitated by exceptional circumstances, as well as the country’s economic and budgetary situation. The Court further noted that the domestic rulings in Romania appear to have been issued under a conflict of interest, and that the domestic courts exceeded their authority. Today’s ECHR decision is final. The total amount the Romanian state is required to pay the magistrates reaches 5 billion lei, equivalent to nearly one billion Euros. (LS)