Romanian parliament appoints interim heads for TVR and Radio România following cross-party vote

Parliamentary vote and leadership appointments

On 8 September 2026, the Joint Permanent Bureaus of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies and Senate approved interim leadership appointments for the country's public broadcasting institutions. Journalist Sorina Matei was named interim director general of Romanian Television (TVR), replacing Adriana Săftoiu. Under the same procedural package, Răzvan Dincă was appointed interim director general of Romanian Radio (Radio România), replacing Robert Schwarz. Both interim appointments carry a mandate of 60 days. The vote occurred after the Constitutional Court of Romania invalidated an earlier parliamentary decision regarding the management of TVR. The appointments passed with the combined votes of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), and SOS Romania.

We knew it would pass, and we also voted for their man at Radio.

Opposition reaction and coalition criticism

The appointments drew immediate criticism from the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Save Romania Union (USR), who accused PSD of establishing a political arrangement with AUR. PNL representatives stated that TVR is funded by Romanian taxpayers and argued that public media control should not become political currency. PNL deputy Raluca Turcan noted that the two parties had divided public posts through parliamentary votes for the second time in a week. USR similarly accused PSD of granting extremist figures direct access to state media leadership, comparing the situation to public media shifts under Viktor Orbán in Hungary. Both opposition parties argued that placing TVR leadership with an AUR nominee creates risks for state institutions, strategic partnerships, and European integration.

It is not a simple appointment. It is the result of a political agreement between PSD and AUR, through which the Social Democrats decided to hand over one of the most important information institutions in Romania to an extremist party.

Editorial goals and internal audit plans

Following her appointment, Sorina Matei stated in an interview with Gândul that her priority during the two-month interim term is to restore journalistic standards and evaluate institutional finances. She noted that public television has frequently experienced political patronage and public perceptions of party interference. Matei announced plans to conduct an immediate review of existing contracts and budget administration at TVR. She ruled out immediate personnel purges among newsroom staff, stating that she intends to emphasize the work of established field journalists who have previously faced marginalization.

First of all, I want journalism to come first. I am interested in the financial situation of Romanian Television, I am interested in having balanced content and putting much more emphasis on journalism. I want it to be equidistant and impartial.

Media record and next steps

The appointment also drew commentary regarding past media conduct during national election campaigns. Lawyer Gabriel Biriș criticized the decision on 8 September, recounting a televised campaign debate in autumn 2012 on România TV that Matei had moderated. Biriș argued that political broadcasting in Romania has often favored superficial controversy over programmatic discussion. Meanwhile, at Radio România, Răzvan Dincă returns to the position he previously occupied between 2021 and 2025. The 60-day interim terms for both broadcasting institutions will require permanent parliamentary resolutions once the transitional period concludes.