Romania

The government has opened its first set of books for 2026, discussing a budget revision that directs more funds to health, labor, and local mayors. While the opposition previously alleged the deficit had reached 9.2%, the administration now claims it has been brought down to 3.8%. In the world of public accounting, one party's crisis is often the next party's prudent adjustment.

Eleven years after the Colectiv nightclub fire killed 65 people, the justice system has missed its own deadline to identify suspects. The case file now runs to 544 volumes, but survivors note that while the paperwork has grown, the promised specialized hospital infrastructure has not. Justice moves slowly in the capital, and the medical system appears to move even slower.

Laura Kövesi has concluded her seven-year term as the first European Chief Prosecutor. She departs with a warning that the office she built could be gradually dismantled. It is a common sentiment among prosecutors: the more successful they are at finding what is hidden, the less their hosts wish to see them stay.