November 4, 2026 UPDATE
The latest news from RRI
Newsroom, 04.11.2026, 20:00
Visit – On Wednesday in Bucharest, President Nicuşor Dan discussed security in the Black Sea region and the need for joint transatlantic action to address threats with U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Defense Policy Elbridge Colby. Colby, the Pentagon’s second-in-command, is one of the key figures overseeing the review of the U.S. military posture in Europe. The Romanian head of state has reiterated that Bucharest remains fully committed to the Strategic Partnership with the United States, as an indispensable and reliable ally, contributing to regional deterrence and the projection of U.S. power in the Black Sea region and beyond. Nicuşor Dan has noted that Romania faces “the full spectrum of hybrid threats,” ranging from cyber attacks and acts of sabotage to incursions by aerial and maritime drones, provocations, and intense disinformation campaigns. He emphasized that Romania counts on the continued commitment of the United States and its allies.
Nuclearelectrica – The state-controlled Romanian nuclear power producer Nuclearelectrica announced on Wednesday that it would reconnect one of its two reactors to the national grid on November 6 and bring it up to full capacity by the following day. Record-low water levels in the Danube, which is used to cool the reactors, led to the shutdown of the two units at Cernavoda (southeast) in late July and early August, respectively. The two units account for one-fifth of Romania’s electricity production.
Statistics – The average purchasing power per capita in Europe has risen to 21,153 euros in 2026, while in Romania it stands at 11,283 euros, the country thus falling from 31st to 32nd place in the European rankings, according to a study published today. Residents of Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Iceland have significantly higher incomes than those in the rest of Europe, while at the opposite end are the inhabitants of Ukraine, Kosovo and the Republic of Moldova. In many European countries, purchasing power remains concentrated in capital city regions. In Romania, residents of the Bucharest region have a purchasing power more than twice the national average. Purchasing power represents disposable income, the amount remaining after the deduction of taxes and mandatory contributions, and also includes state-provided benefits.
Protest – Representatives of the National Institute of Statistics (INS) union protested on Wednesday in front of the Romanian Finance Ministry, expressing their dissatisfaction with the authorities’ refusal to pay the salary entitlements earned by INS employees through final court rulings. They pointed out that this attitude, combined with budgetary policies adopted without an objective analysis of the institution’s actual situation, contributes to exacerbating the problems the NIS has been facing for a long time. These problems affect the stability of the workforce, institutional capacity, and, consequently, the quality of the statistical data produced and the INS’s relations with similar institutions in the European network, particularly Eurostat, according to INS employees.
Washington – World leaders have reacted to the decisive victories won by U.S. Democrats in the midterm elections. The international press notes that it is not at all surprising that some leaders, who have been criticized by Republican President Donald Trump, welcomed the Democratic Party’s results. Spain’s Socialist prime minister stated that Americans voted against hatred, climate change denial, and the privileged elite. His counterpart in Norway, a country Trump has vehemently criticized in recent weeks for not awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize, noted that voices in America are now being heard that are more in line with the principles championed by Oslo. From Brussels, Christel Schaldemose, Vice President of the European Parliament, said she is cautiously optimistic and that the result could mean greater support for Ukraine, while MEP Siegfried Mureşan noted that Romania must strengthen its partnership with the United States, as the election results directly affect the country’s security. On Tuesday, the Democrats secured majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the midterm elections, scoring sweeping victories that penetrated deep into Republican strongholds, according to Reuters. This wave of support for the Democrats highlighted voters’ deep frustration with Trump’s handling of the economy, as well as with his decision to launch a war against Iran in February, a move that led to higher gas prices, according to Reuters.
Motion – AUR (the nationalist opposition) has submitted a simple motion to the Senate in Bucharest titled “The State Budget at the Moment of Truth,” which targets the work of Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare, an independent, in the PSD-led majority government. The document, signed by 34 senators, will be debated and put to a vote next week during Wednesday’s plenary session. Previously, Nazare had stated that public investment in Romania had increased by nearly 49% in the third quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025, and that the budget deficit had remained below the projected level, at 1.81% of the Gross Domestic Product. Regarding budget execution in the first nine months of the year, the deficit fell to 3.81% of GDP, down from 5.31% recorded during the same period last year. Nazare warned, however, that meeting the year-end deficit target depends on receiving the final tranches from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, agreed upon by the government in Bucharest with the European Commission, which total more than 4 billion Euros.
Football – Romania’s football champion, Universitatea Craiova (south), will play at home on Thursday evening against the Albanian team KF Egnatia in the third round of the Conference League. After two rounds, Universitatea has 4 points and is in 11th place, while Egnatia has 2 points. In their first two matches, the Romanians drew 1-1 at home against Spain’s Getafe and won 3-1 in Andorra against Inter Club d’Escaldes. (LS)
