The Week in Review: 11-17 January 2026

A look back at the headline-making events this past week

Corina Cristea, 17.01.2026, 14:00

President’s meeting with foreign diplomats

Romania will continue to have a foreign policy based on three components—the EU, NATO and the Strategic Partnership with the US, Romania’s president Nicuşor Dan said in his speech at the annual meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Bucharest. The Romanian official also listed the country’s domestic goals for 2026, in the context of painful economic measures that had to be taken last year in parallel with sustained efforts to ensure political stability. Mr. Dan stated that Romania is at the beginning of a process of national reconciliation within society and also of reconsolidating the balance of power, and mentioned that strengthening the rule of law and the fight against corruption are the priorities of his term in office. As for Bucharest’s foreign policy, president Nicuşor Dan argued that it must be dynamic and creative, and that Romania must remain a reliable partner on an often chaotic global stage.

Finishing touches on the 2026 state budget

The government of Romania is currently working on the 2026 state budget, and in this context PM Ilie Bolojan had talks this week with his 5 deputies and the ministers in his cabinet. Maintaining fiscal discipline, reducing public administration spending, and carrying on investments are the benchmarks of the draft budget. The bill, which will be passed next month by the government, must take into account a 6.4% deficit and include the 195 projects financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which are critical for the development of the economy and national infrastructure, Ilie Bolojan pointed out. The defence minister Radu Miruţă told a TV station that a decision had been made to have the local and central public administration reform passed in next week’s government meeting. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan is to take responsibility for this reform before Parliament, in an extraordinary session. The reform, expected to ensure a 10% cut in public spending, is a necessity, the PM explained, and added that this bill must be passed before the state budget, because if expenditure or personnel are not cut, the money will go into the black hole of underperforming public administration, instead of being channelled into the investments that local communities need so much.

Funding under SAFE mechanism approved for Romania

The government welcomes the approval by the European Commission of the application submitted by Romania for financing under the SAFE programme for strengthening security. Romania, which submitted 25 Army equipment projects for funding under the European Security Action instrument, benefits from EUR 16.68 billion, the second largest allocation in the scheme. According to an European Commission statement, if the Council also agrees with these plans, the first loans can be granted within four weeks. Based on this financing, the defence industry will be strengthened through investments, transfer of military technology and the opening of new jobs, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan explained.

Data on the Romanian economy

The Romanian economy grew by 0.8% last year, compared to the 1.3% forecast in June 2025 and the 2.1% forecast at the beginning of 2025, according to the latest Global Economic Prospects report released by the World Bank on Tuesday. This year, Romania’s GDP is expected to go up 1.3%, as against the 1.9% predicted in June 2025. In its autumn forecast, the National Strategy and Forecast Commission also said that, in the current scenario, the economic growth rate for 2026 is put at 1%, slightly down compared to the estimates in last summer’s forecast. Data made public on Wednesday by the National Statistics Institute indicate that the annual inflation rate in December 2025 compared to December 2024 was 9.7%. For the whole of last year, the rate was 7.32%, as compared to 5.6% in 2024, with service tariffs increasing the most, followed by non-foodstuffs and food prices.

2026 National Culture Day

Introduced by the Romanian Parliament in 2010, National Culture Day is celebrated on January 15, the birth date of the national poet Mihai Eminescu, both in Romania and in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, in communities around the country and in the diaspora. In Bucharest as well as elsewhere in the world, all offices of the Romanian Cultural Institute opened their doors for concerts, recitals, book launches, and exhibitions. Special cultural events were also scheduled in all major cities in the country. On Radio Romania, National Culture Day was marked by a marathon of news, interviews, reports, events and special shows. January 15, 2026 was also chosen as the launch date for the new version of eteatru.ro, a platform that provides a modern digital experience and real-time access to thousands of productions from the National Radio Drama archive.

David Popovici, best European swimmer in 2025

The Romanian athlete David Popovici has been chosen as the best European swimmer of the year 2025, according to a survey by the relevant continental association, the European Aquatics and the Romanian club CS Dinamo Bucharest announced on Facebook. Popovici won two world titles last year in Singapore, in the 100 m and 200 m freestyle events. The Romanian swimmer also won two gold medals (100 m freestyle, 200 m freestyle) and a bronze medal (50 m freestyle), at the European Under-23 Championships in Slovakia. (AMP)