Prime Ministers Ilie Bolojan (Romania), Alexandru Munteanu (Republic of Moldova), and Edi Rama (Albania), Vice-President of the European Commission Roxana Mînzatu, EU rapporteur for the future of the common market, and former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta are among the political leaders who will participate in the high-level regional conference Economist Romania Government Roundtable, organized by The Economist editorial group, for the first time in Bucharest, between March 30 and April 1, 2026.
The event, organized with the support of RCI Holding, aims to create a platform for high-level regional dialogue, where senior officials from countries in the region and European institutions can discuss trends and prospects for the European Union and the region with business leaders in key areas such as infrastructure, energy, digitalization, and AI. Regional and transatlantic security will also be on the agenda.
The three prime ministers will open proceedings on the second day of the conference, March 31, at the Marriott Hotel. In a session moderated by Joan Hoey, editor of the Democracy Index and Europe consultant for the Economist Intelligence Unit, the three heads of government will be invited to talk about how Europe can ensure its security and increase its stability, growth, and cohesion. Other topics on the agenda include regional perspectives on EU defense and security, as well as the status of Moldova and Albania in the EU accession process.
The Vice-President of the European Commission, Roxana Mînzatu, has been invited to speak on March 31 about the European Union’s consolidation solutions for addressing challenges such as geopolitical uncertainty, energy security, economic pressures, migration, and political fragmentation.
Enrico Letta (pictured), the EU rapporteur for the future of the common market, will speak on the first day of the conference, March 30, at the Romanian Athenaeum. In conversation with Alasdair Ross, editor for global affairs, economics, strategy, and risk at The Economist, Enrico Letta is invited to discuss the strategic vision for strengthening the common market, with a focus on financial integration, the provision of affordable and sustainable energy, and the acceleration of innovation, given the need for reforms to increase competitiveness, resilience, and strategic autonomy by 2028.
Agenda change: Professor Daron Acemoglu will speak about the impact of Western democratic transformations on the US and Europe
Enrico Letta’s speech will round off the opening session on March 30, which will feature speeches by Nobel Prize winner in economics Daron Acemoglu, NBR Governor Mugur Isărescu, and Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras.
Compared to the previous announcement, the agenda for the opening session has been slightly modified to allow more time for discussion on the financial and political challenges facing the world today. Thus, NBR Governor Mugur Isărescu and Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras will discuss how international turmoil is affecting business and consumer sentiment in the economies of southeastern Europe. Subsequently, Professor Daron Acemoglu will address the transformation of Western democracies and its implications for the United States and Europe.
Extensive participation
The public can participate by reserving a place at the link: https://the-economist-impact-events.idloom.events/romania-government-roundtable. Places are limited.
The official opening will take place at the Romanian Athenaeum on March 30. Plenary sessions and thematic debates will be held at the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel from March 31 to April 1. The conference agenda can be viewed at this link as it is updated.
Numerous business leaders have confirmed their participation, including: Ömer Tetik, CEO of Banca Transilvania; Alessio Menegazzo, Chief Executive & Country Manager PPC Romania; Iwona Sikora, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Europe & South Africa, Iron Mountain; Robert Hanea, founder, president, and CEO of Therme Group; Ionuț Stanimir, chief brand officer, Banca Comercială Română (BCR); Alexandros Exarchou, president & CEO, AKTOR Group of Companies; Cristian Erbasu, CEO, Erbasu Constructions, president of the Federation of Builders; Volker Raffel, general manager, E.ON Romania; Mehmet Burak Vardan, Chairman of the Board, CCN Holding; Ondrej Safar, Country Manager, Evryo; Nicholas Richard, CEO, ENGIE Romania and President of CCIFER; Georgiana Miron, Member of the Executive Committee, Groupama; Fady Chreih, CEO, Regina Maria; Corneliu Bodea, CEO, ADREM; Răzvan Iorgu, Managing Director, CBRE; Radu Vasile, CEO, Eximprod Engineering; Manolis Sigalas, President Europe, Hill International; Mihaela Bîtu, CEO, ING Bank; Marcel Cobuz, CEO, TITAN Group; Bogdan Badea, CEO, SPEEH Hidroelectrica; Cosmin Ghiță, CEO, SN Nuclearelectrica; Răzvan Popescu, CEO, SNGN Romgaz; Alexandru Chiriță, CEO, Electrica.
Economist Impact Events in SE Europe, officially represented by Hazlis & Rivas Group, has been organizing high-level government roundtables and landmark summits throughout the South-East European region since 1996 , bringing together heads of state, opinion leaders, Nobel Prize winners, business leaders, and international institutions for relevant and in-depth debates on a wide range of topics. The Economist Impact Events, through its official representative Hazlis & Rivas, is active on both sides of the Atlantic, organizing international events in New York, London, Berlin, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, and Vienna, as well as regionally, holding summits in Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia, under The Economist’s trusted global brand and editorial integrity.
The Economist Romania Government Roundtable 2026 is organized in partnership with RCI Holding, the official partner for Romania and Moldova.
Founded in 2000, RCI Holding is a multinational group headquartered in Bucharest with operations in over 20 countries. The group includes 21 companies active in critical infrastructure, energy markets, consulting, technology, and digital services, managing over €25 billion in CAPEX, delivering over 3,000 projects, and generating an annual turnover of €75 million.
Event organized with the support of:
Founding sponsor: Banca Transilvania
Platinum Sponsors: Iron Mountain, PPC, Therme Group
Gold Sponsors: BCR Romania, AKTOR Group of Companies, Construcții Erbasu
Silver Sponsors: E.ON Romania, CCN Holding, Distribuție Oltenia parte din Evryo Group, ENGIE Romania, Eversheds Sutherland, Groupama, Regina Maria, UniCredit Bank, KiriarchosNet, ADREM, CBRE Romania, Eximprod Group, Hill International, ING Bank Romania, TITAN
Silver Partners: Hidroelectrica, Nuclearelectrica (SNN), Hagag Energy
Bronze Sponsors: AVAX, Black Sea Oil & Gas, Enexus, Garanti BBVA, Ijdelea & Associates, Red Point Software Solutions, Renovatio Solar
Contributors: Exim Banca Romanească, Romgaz, Electrica
Media partners: Energynomics; Profit.ro; News.ro; HotNews.ro; Cotidianul.ro; Prima News; RFI Romania
Support organizations: AHK Romania, Camera Franceză de Comerț, Industrie și Agricultură în România (CCIFER), Camera Italiană de Comerț pentru România (CCIpR), FIC
Logistics provider: DHL Express
Telecommunications provider: Nova
Supporters: Lino 3D, Artecniko, Hanikian Law Firm, GLOA Design & Marketing Services
Press contact: Oana Marinescu – [email protected]; +44 741278737