The Romanian government meets on Thursday evening in an extraordinary meeting to adopt the state budget for 2026, after several successive postponements. On the meeting's agenda are both the budget bills and a government decision that provides for an increase in the gross minimum wage for the economy starting on July 1.
The government meets to adopt the 2026 state budget PHOTO: Gov.ro
The meeting was called for 20:15, after the Executive's schedule was changed in the context of the official visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the information provided by the Government, the ministers are to analyze and approve several essential bills for next year's fiscal-budgetary framework. Among them are the draft law for approving the ceilings of certain indicators specified in the fiscal-budgetary framework for the year 2026, the draft law on the state budget for the year 2026 and the draft law on the state social insurance budget for the year 2026.
Two emergency ordinance projects are also included in the meeting. One of them concerns the amendment of the Romanian Citizenship Law no. 21/1991, and the other provides for changes and additions to several normative acts.
On the agenda of the Executive there are also two draft government decisions. One sets the country's guaranteed gross minimum basic wage and the other amends the state aid scheme to offset the increase in excise duty on diesel used as motor fuel.
During the meeting, the government decision by which the gross minimum wage for the economy could increase to 4,325 lei starting from July 1, 2026 would also be discussed.
Criticisms and observations before adoption
The draft budget received the approval of the Fiscal Council, but the institution formulated several observations. Council representatives warn that the budgetary balance on which the Government relies is fragile and depends on a series of internal and external risks.
And the Ministry of Labor sent observations to the Ministry of Finance regarding the distribution of funds. Minister Florin Manole claims that the institution would receive less money in 2026 than last year, which could affect some support programs.
The Social Democrats have announced that they will approve the draft budget in the Government, but intend to submit amendments to the Parliament.
