Radio România Internațional

Tag: aid

Talks on supporting the hospitality industry

Representatives of the hotel, restaurant and café sector (HoReCa), one of the most affected by the COVID-19 crisis in Romania, discussed with PM Ludovic Orban and the economy minister Virgil Popescu about a state-aid scheme to offset the losses incurred by the companies in this sector.

According to the economy minister, the estimated budget is 500 million euros, and the financing ceiling for a company will be 800,000 euro. Next week at the latest, the Government will come up with a bill approving the mechanism under which hospitality companies and travel agencies will receive these grants.

The state-aid scheme will be implemented after being approved by the European Commission, and the implementation mechanism will be facilitated by a software solution to cut the red tape.

Other measures discussed at the meeting were the granting of furlough payments to employees, and means to implement flexible working hours. The PM believes a 6-month extension of the furlough programme to be necessary for the employees whose activity was affected by the health crisis, and flexible working hours to be useful and meeting the needs of the HoReCa sector.

The talks between the government and industry officials will continue in the coming period. So far, the government has granted tax cuts, continued to pay furlough benefits and paid over 41% of the salaries of employees.

Restaurants are currently closed in Romania over the large number of coronavirus infections, and the cold weather prevents outdoor bars, cafes and restaurants from running at full capacity. According to statistics, 10,000 restaurants have been closed in Romania so far over the pandemic. Moreover, estimates indicate that the next 6 months will be dramatic for the hospitality industry, with 70-80% of the hotels expected to shut down. Business owners say they have lost nearly 80% of their turnout and that almost 100,000 jobs in the sector, accounting for almost half of the total, will be lost by the end of the year.

This is why representatives for the industry request concrete measures to be taken by the government, so that the industry may survive in the forthcoming period. According to entrepreneurs, the industry will not return to normal parameters until 2023, and the hotel industry in another 2 years.

A survey conducted recently at the request of the HORA Romanian Hotel and Restaurant Employers Organisation says that almost 8 out of 10 Romanians believe restaurants should be reopened. (translated by A.M.Popescu)

26 November 2020
November 25, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 President Klaus Iohannis Wednesday had a meeting with Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, Health Minister Nelu Tătaru and the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, to assess and present measures aimed at managing the COVID-19 pandemic. After the meeting, president Iohannis told a press conference that a downward trend in the number of infections has been noted since November 20, as a result of local lockdowns. He added the measures remain in place, and further restrictions will be introduced where necessary. Iohannis also said the authorities are not planning to introduce a nation-wide lockdown after the general election due on December 6. Also on Wednesday, the finance minister Florin Cîţu signed a 12-million euro advance payment to the European Commission for the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine. Romania wants to make sure it will be among the first countries to have access to the vaccine. In other news, the Romanian Red Cross has started a COVID-19 awareness raising campaign. On Wednesday, another 9,700 new COVID-19 infections and 168 related deaths were reported for the last 24 hours. Over 1,200 people are in intensive care.

SURE Romania will receive in the ensuing days a first instalment of 3 billion euros of the loan granted by the European Commission under SURE scheme, the Romanian finance minister Florin Cîţu announced on his Facebook account. The total loan requested by Romania amounts to 4.1 billion euro. The money will cover the deficit generated by measures like furlough or flexible working hours in the context of the pandemic. Apart from Romania, another 15 EU member states have access to this scheme, including Italy, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Belgium. The SURE programme makes available a total 100 billion euros.

INVESTMENTS 46% of the foreign investors in Romania have this year cancelled, reduced or suspended investments, while 51% made no changes to the planned projects, according to a survey made public on Wednesday. 41 out of 100 investors believe Romania will still be attractive after the end of the pandemic, in sectors like agriculture, IT and the automotive and transport industries. On the other hand, the main areas in which Romania should invest in order to increase its competitiveness include education, infrastructure and technology. At the end of last year, the biggest investors in Romania were the Netherlands, Austria and Germany. Another survey, focusing on the state of the national economy, reveals that 58% of the SMEs in the country only have reserves for the next 1-2 months, while 22% estimate their existing funds would be enough for 2-4 months.

MEETING Prime Minister Ludovic Orban and Economy Minister Virgil Popescu Wednesday met with representatives of the hospitality sector, one of the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The talks focused on offsetting the losses incurred by this sector. PM Orban argued in favour of extending furlough for all employees whose activity has been affected by the health crisis and introducing flexible working hours so as to better meet the needs of the hospitality industry. Consultations between the Government and HoReCa operators will continue over the coming period. The Government has so far given tax breaks and continued to pay unemployment benefits to employees in furlough. The Government has also adopted a state-aid scheme whereby hospitality businesses are to receive 20% of the turnover they reported the previous year. All restaurants are currently shut down in Romania due to the high infection rate, and restaurants with outdoor seating have few clients because of the cold weather. Business owners in the sector say their losses amount even to 80%, and expect some 100,000 jobs to be lost by the end the year.

MARADONA World football legend Diego Armando Maradona, 60, died of a heart attack on Wednesday, international news agencies report. Maradona was struggling with depression and an alcohol addiction. Early this month he was hospitalised for routine checks, but 3 weeks ago he underwent emergency surgery for a blood clot in his brain. Diego Armando Maradona will be remembered as the footballer who scored some of the greatest goals in history. He played for Argentina for 17 years (1977-1994), scored 50 goals in 115 games and won his country its second World Cup in 1986. He retired from football at the age of 37. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

25 November 2020
November 23, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 President Klaus Iohannis announced Monday that the anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign will be endorsed by the Supreme Defence Council in the forthcoming period. On Monday Iohannis had talks with ministers of Defence, Healthcare and Interior Affairs to discuss the campaign. Under the strategy, priority groups will include healthcare staff, vulnerable people, and personnel in key sectors. Klaus Iohannis emphasised that once approved by relevant international bodies, the vaccines will be safe, efficient and are the only viable solution to end the pandemic. Romania will receive 10.7 million anti-COVID-19 shots from the European Commission in several batches. On Monday another 4,207 new infections with SARS-CoV-2 and 130 related deaths were reported in Romania. The national death toll has reached 10,177. Since the beginning of the outbreak, 422,825 people got infected with coronavirus, over two thirds of whom have recovered.

ELECTION Citizens living in quarantined areas will be able to vote in the December 6 legislative election. On Monday Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said there will be no restrictions in this respect, adding that citizens infected with COVID-19 and those in quarantine or home isolation will be able to vote with the help of mobile ballot boxes. More and more towns and villages across Romania are going into lockdown as the infection rate continues to grow.

CoD Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu Monday opened the 32nd meeting of the Council of Democracies (CoD), held online this year. Aurescu reiterated Bucharests firm commitment to promoting the principles of the Warsaw Declaration, and its support for countries undergoing democratic transition processes. Romania is holding the Council presidency until September 2021. Founded in 2000 and totaling 106 member states, the Council of Democracies is the widest platform for exchanging views and know-how in the field of global democracy.

AID The European Commission approved a nearly 4.4 million EUR aid scheme for Romanian regional airports, to cover net losses incurred because of the pandemic between March and June this year. The scheme is open to Romanian airports with 200,000 to 3 million passengers per year.

TELEWORK Almost half (48%) of the Romanians currently working from home say they appreciate no longer wasting time in traffic, but over 26% say their emotional state is worse, according to a survey made public by Reveal Marketing Research on Monday. Among the advantages of teleworking, 45% of the interviewees list the flexible working hours and 42% the time spent with their families. Also, although 79% of Romanians believe they are as efficient or even more efficient than they were at the office, 44% say they are now working more. The survey was conducted this October, and included 600 people from big cities who are working fully or partly from home.

POLLUTION In Europe, better air quality led to a drop in the number of premature deaths between 2009 and 2018, but Europeans are still affected by air pollution, reads a European Commission report released on Monday. Six EU Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland and Romania) exceeded the ceiling for fine particulate matter in 2018. According to the report, there remains a gap between EU’s legal air quality limits and WHO guidelines, an issue that the European Commission seeks to address with a revision of the EU standards under the Zero Pollution Action Plan. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

23 November 2020
August 10, 2020

COVID-19 In Romania, the total number of COVID-19 infections is now over 62,500, with 779 new cases reported on Monday and with the death toll standing at 2,729, of which 29 in the last 24 hours, according to the Strategic Communication Group. As many as 476 patients are in intensive care units, and over 30,311 have recovered. The largest numbers of SARS-CoV-2 cases are reported in Bucharest and in the counties of Suceava (north-east) and Arges (south). Healthcare experts once again urged citizens to observe protection rules. They warned that private parties or family gatherings do not eliminate infection risks even if they take place outdoors. Today, the National Public Health Institute decided to include Spain in the yellow risk area. As of Tuesday, all those who travel from Spain to Romania must self-isolate for 14 days, and all flights from Spain to Romania are cancelled. Meanwhile, Italy has extended its self-isolation requirement for all people having stayed or transited Romania up to 14 days before arriving in Italy. The measure will be in place until September 7.

PANDEMIC Around the globe, some 20 million cases and 730,000 deaths have been confirmed so far. The US and Latin America are severely affected, in Asia the worst hit country is India, with over 43,000 deaths, while in Africa the worst situation is reported in South Africa. The Gulf region is also severely hit, with over 600,000 cases confirmed in Iran and Saudi Arabia alone.

INVESTIGATION The Bucharest Court of Appeals is today analysing the request of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences (DIICOT) to reopen the investigation against senior gendarme officials with respect to the anti-government protests of August 10, 2018. Last week, the Court of Appeals postponed the request. On Tuesday the chief prosecutor of DIICOT, Giorgiana Hosu, dismissed the decision to close the case and ordered the recommencement of prosecution against the former officials of the Romanian Gendarme Corps. The case had been closed in late June, when the case prosecutor decided that there was neither evidence of an attempted coup, as gendarme officials had claimed at the time, nor evidence that the crackdown on the protests had been planned beforehand. The reopening of the case must be approved by a judge, and then the investigation will be taken over by the Military Prosecutors Office. The former gendarme chiefs will be probed into, among others, for abuse of office and improper participation in misrepresentation, abusive conduct and fraud.

DEFICIT Romanias trade deficit for the first 6 months of the year stands at 8.665 billion euros, up 935.7 million euros since the level reported for the first half of 2019, the National Statistics Institute announced on Monday. Between January 1 and June 30, Romanias exports totaled 28.590 billion euros, and imports 37.255 billion euros. During the same period, exports dropped by 18.1%, while imports went down 12.6%, compared to the corresponding period of 2019.

LEBANON Nearly one week after the devastating blast in Beirut, which killed 158 people and injured 6,000, the international community put together an emergency aid package of nearly 253 million euros for Lebanon, and promised it would reach the Lebanese people directly. The money was pledged at a virtual donor conference hosted by France. An investigation is underway to clarify the causes of the disaster, and leaders around the world have asked for a transparent inquiry. Meanwhile, in Beirut, protests are growing, having already led to the resignation of 2 cabinet ministers. For 2 days in a row, protesters demanded the government should step down, and accused politicians of incompetence and corruption. Clashes have been reported between the protesters and the police, with 250 people wounded and 65 hospitalised according to the Lebanese Red Cross. One policeman was killed.

ELECTION The incumbent president of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, won a new term in office with 80.23% of the votes cast in Sundays election, according to preliminary results. Viewed as Europes last dictator, Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994. Svetlana Tihanovskaia, a former English teacher turned Lukashenkos main challenger in the presidential election, got 9.9% of the votes. The results were challenged by protesters who took to the streets on Sunday. Clashes with the police were reported, with at least one person dead and scores of others injured. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

10 August 2020
August 9, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 In Romania, another 1,145 coronavirus infections were reported, taking the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 61,768. More than 30,000 patients have recovered. The Strategic Communication Group announced that 458 patients are still in intensive care. The death toll of the pandemic in Romania is 2,700. Romania requested 10 million vaccine doses, when one is available, the health minister Nelu Tătaru announced. He added the vaccine will primarily be given to healthcare staff, to the elderly and people with previous conditions. Tǎtaru also warned that many cases are confirmed among tourists returning from their holidays, and reminded that the number of cases depends to a great extent on peoples compliance with face covering and distancing requirements. Apart from tourism, the health minister added, a number of other major risks have been identified, including business activities and regional commuting and transport. Tǎtaru expects a steady number of new cases rather than an increase, but warned that the situation depends entirely on people observing protection rules. Meanwhile, Italian authorities extended the self-isolation requirement for all people having stayed or transited Romania up to 14 days before arriving in Italy. The measure will be in place until September 7.

PANDEMIC Meanwhile, in spite of international and local efforts, the covonavirus continues to spread. worldometers.info reports some 20 million cases worldwide, over 729,000 deaths, and at least 12.7 million patients recovered since the first case was reported in China 7 months ago. The worst hit country is the USA. Many countries are stepping up efforts to create a vaccine. Singapore is starting trials on 100 patients next week, in a first stage that would take until October. In Israel human trials will also begin soon. The US has recently increased investments to support a potential vaccine currently in the final stage of clinical trials. Pharmaceutical companies around the world have signed contracts with countries like Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands for experimental COVID-19 vaccines.

GOVERNMENT The interim Senate speaker Robert Cazanciuc presented in a press conference on Sunday the “black book of the Liberal government, which will be the foundation for a no-confidence motion announced by the Social Democratic Party against Ludovic Orbans cabinet. The largest opposition party in Romania says that under the Liberal government the healthcare situation is out of control, and the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks proves that the government has failed to properly handle the epidemic. The Social Democrats also believe the Liberal government backed by the President of Romania has fumbled all economic recovery attempts, failing to properly implement any measure. According to the Social Democrats, these are the results of a government only interested in elections and in quick gains for party clients.

ECONOMY Romania will avoid technical recession and its economy will shrink by less than predicted by rating agencies, the European Commission, the IMF and the banking sector, thanks to a prompt and efficient package of economic policies, the Romanian finance minister Florin Cîţu says. In a Facebook post, he says the countrys economic recovery will begin in the 3rd quarter, which means positive economic growth in 2021. Florin Cîţu argues that the fiscal policy gave an “immediate, strong and, more importantly, targeted response to the challenges entailed by the pandemic.

LEBANON The French president Emmanuel Macron has called for quick and effective action to ensure the international aid reaches the Lebanese people, in the wake of the massive explosion that ravaged Beirut. In a virtual international donor conference on Sunday, Macron also called on the Lebanese authorities to respond to the demands legitimately voiced by people in the streets with adequate political and economic reforms. The French official pleaded for an impartial, credible and independent inquiry into the causes of the disaster on August 4. Fifteen heads of state and government, including the US president Donald Trump, took part in the conference co-hosted by France and the UN and attended by representatives of some 30 countries and international organisations. Romania has already joined the international relief effort. Nearly 8 tonnes of medical materials and pharmaceuticals were donated and shipped on Saturday from Romania to Lebanon. At least 158 people died, 6,000 were injured and 300,000 lost their homes in Beirut when a warehouse storing more than 2,000 tonnes of amonium nitrate caught fire. The blast came amid the already unfolding COVID-19 crisis, a deep economic crisis and anti-governmental discontent among the Lebanese people. (Translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 August 2020
August 9, 2020

COVID-19 In Romania, another 1,145 coronavirus infections were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 61,768. More than 30,000 patients have recovered. The Strategic Communication Group announced that 458 patients are still in intensive care. The death toll of the pandemic in Romania is 2,700, with 41 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The first COVID-19 case in the country was confirmed on February 26. The authorities urge citizens to get information from official sources only. Romania requested 10 million vaccine doses, when one is available, the health minister Nelu Tătaru announced. He added the vaccine will primarily be given to healthcare staff, to the elderly and people with previous conditions. Tǎtaru also warned that many cases are confirmed among tourists returning from their holidays, and reminded that the number of cases depends to a great extent on peoples compliance with face covering and distancing requirements. Apart from tourism, the health minister added, a number of other major risks have been identified, including business activities and regional commuting and transport. Tǎtaru expects a steady number of new cases next week, rather than an increase, but warned that the situation depends entirely on people observing protection rules.

PANDEMIC Meanwhile, in spite of international and local efforts, the covonavirus continues to spread. worldometers.info reports at least 19.8 million cases worldwide, over 729,000 deaths, and at least 12.7 million patients recovered since the first case was reported in China 7 months ago. The worst hit country is the USA, which currently has over 5.1 million cases and over 165,000 deaths. Problems are still reported in Europe, with Britain still the worst affected (46,000 deaths), followed by Italy (35,000), France (30,000) and Spain (28,000). Many countries are stepping up efforts to create a vaccine. Singapore is starting human trials next week, in a first stage that would take until October. In Israel trials will also begin soon, while Russia announced it was producing 2 vaccines to be distributed this month—an announcement received with reserve by the World Health Organisation. The US has recently increased investments to support a potential vaccine currently in the last stage of clinical trials. Pharmaceutical companies around the world have signed contracts with countries like Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands for experimental COVID-19 vaccines.

TIFF Today brings the last screenings as part of the Transylvania International Film Festival in Cluj-Napoca. On Saturday night, the winners of this years edition were announced, in an event where the director Cristi Puiu caused a stir when he urged people to take off their protection masks. At the opening of his latest movie, “Malmkrog, Puiu argued that it is “inhuman to have people watch a 200-minute long film with their faces covered. The Transilvania trophy went to ”Babyteeth, the debut feature of the Australian director Shannon Murphy. The award gala was held for the first time outdoors, in the Union Square in Cluj-Napoca, as were all the around 140 film screenings this year.

LEBANON The leaders of the worlds most powerful states are discussing today, in a conference call initiated by France and the UN, means to raise aid for Lebanon, after the massive explosion that ravaged Beirut. The US president Donald Trump said he planned to join the call. Several countries promised millions of US dollars in aid and sent vessels, healthcare workers and materials to help. Romania has joined the international relief effort. Nearly 8 tonnes of medical materials and pharmaceuticals were donated and shipped on Saturday from Romania to Lebanon. Authorities estimate the blast caused losses of up to 15 billion dollars. At least 158 people died, 5,000 were injured and 300 lost their homes. On Saturday several thousand people took to the streets, and clashes with the police were reported. Lebanons PM Hassan Diab said he would push for early elections. Lebanon was already in a major economic crisis and struggling with the coronavirus pandemic.

NAGASAKI The mayor of the Japanese city of Nagasaki urged the government to take more steps to eradicate atomic bombs in the world. Tomihisa Taue gave an address during the commemoration of the 1945 American attack on the city, which killed over 80,000 people, and said that as the only country in the world to experience the devastating effects of nuclear weapons, Japan should sign and ratify as soon as possible the agreement prohibiting nuclear weapons. On August 9, 1945, an atomic bomb nearly obliterated Japans fourth-largest city, after on August 6 another bomb had killed over 140,000 in Hiroshima. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 August 2020
June 1, 2020

COVID-19 As of today, a new stage in relaxing the coronavirus containment measures begins in Romania. Outdoor restaurants and bars, as well as beaches, reopen today, and some outdoor sports competitions are resumed, but without public. Also today travel restrictions are lifted, both for domestic and international road and railway traffic. Shopping centres, schools, kindergartens and playgrounds remain closed however, and flights to and from certain countries continue to be grounded. Self-isolation or quarantine for travellers coming into the country is still compulsory. Over 19,400 coronavirus infection cases have been reported in Romania since the start of the pandemic, 3 months ago. Around 13,400 of them have recovered, and 1,270 died. Among the Romanians living abroad, the number of cases passed 3,100, with the death toll standing at 106.

EMPLOYMENT As of June 1, Romanian employers who decide to hire people over 50 years of age, under open-ended full time contracts, will be reimbursed by the government 50% of the employees salary, up to roughly 500 euros. The government decided to grant the same facility to companies that hire youth aged 16 to 29. Meanwhile, furlough will be plaid in those sectors where the COVID-19 containment measures are to remain in place. The government has also decided to pay the employees who have been on furlough and return to work 41.5% of the basic salary, via their employers.

CHILDREN The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in a Childrens Day message on Monday that, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, children have made extraordinary efforts and adapted to online schooling, proving quite aware of the importance of education. He thanked children for being understanding and for protecting their families, especially their grandparents, who are the most vulnerable to this disease. President Iohannis called on all children to comply with safety and hygiene rules and be his allies in the fight against the virus, and assured them that this period will be overcome. Other public officials have also posted messages on International Childrens Day.

STATISTICS The number of youth has dropped steadily in Romania over the past few years, the National Statistics Institute reports. Early this year, Romania had little over 4 million children, and 2019 was the first year when the number of newborns dropped under 200,000. Experts expect that by 2060 the number of preschoolers and children will be over 50% smaller than in 2015 in around half of Romanias counties.

PANDEMIC The number of novel coronavirus cases worldwide is nearly 6.3 million. Of these, 2.85 million patients have recovered, and some 375,000 died. The country with the largest number of cases is the US, followed by Brazil, with over 500,000 cases, accounting for over half of the total number of cases in Latin America. In Europe the situation is begining to settle, with Britain, the country with the largest number of deaths (over 38,000) starting to lift containment measures today. Groups of up to 6 people are allowed to meet as of today, with social distancing measures still in place. Italy, which at some point was the European country the worst hit by COVID-19, continues to ease restrictions, and authorities are focusing now on restarting tourism, which is a major sector of the Italian economy.

PROTESTS Clashes between protesters and police were reported in cities across the US, sparked by the killing of an African American citizen upon arrest. According to the BBC, violence was reported in tens of cities, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. In Washington, near the White House, police used tear gas against the protesters who set fire and threw rocks at the police forces.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

1 June 2020
Support and recommendations from the European Commission

The EU Council has approved the rules for the implementation of a programme called SURE, through which Brussels supports the national governments active measures to boost employment. For Romania, the amount ranges between 3 and 5 billion euro, out of a total of 100 billion euro. Bucharest will have to come up with guarantees of up to 400 million euros, PM Ludovic Orban explained. On Wednesday, he announced several active measures to support the companies and employees affected by the economic situation triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Ludovic Orban: “Furlough will be replaced by a measure to support employees returning to work, with the state covering up to 41.5% of gross salaries for each employee resuming work within a company. We will also cover up to 30% of the gross salary for the companies who hire people looking for jobs, for at least 3 months.

More generous instruments to support employment for certain categories will also be developed. These categories include young graduates or people near the retirement age, whose employment is problematic. In the economic sectors where restrictions will remain in place after June 1, the state will continue to cover employees furlough.

According to PM Orban, this is the case with 600,000 Romanians currently on furlough, and nearly 700,000 who will be jobless in the near future. Around 350,000 people have been made redundant, and a comparable number of Romanians have returned to the country and are looking for jobs here.

The PM made these statements on the same day when the European Commission made public the country recommendations for Romania, based on its spring forecasts. According to the Commission, if Romania keeps its current policies, its budget deficit will be negative 9.2% of the GDP this year, negative 11.4% next year, and economic recession will hit.

Bucharest is urged to avoid introducing permanent measures that would jeopardise the sustainability of public finances. The Commission also advises Romania to extend social protection measures and access to essential services. In order to mitigate the impact of the crisis on employment, recommended measures include supporting jobseekers in strengthening their digital skills and providing equal access to education. Not least, the report recommends direct support in the economy, benefiting households as well as companies, especially small and medium enterprises and self-employed workers.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

21 May 2020
May 7 2020, UPDATE

Toll. The death toll goes up to 886 in Romania. One of the victims is a
Bulgarian truck driver, the first foreign citizen to die from Covid-19 on Romanian territory. The total number of confirmed cases is nearing 14,500, of whom over
6,100 have recovered. Another 2,419 Romanian citizens living abroad have
tested positive for the virus, most of them in Italy and Spain. Since the start
of the pandemic, 96 Romanians living abroad have died, many of them in the UK.
Meanwhile, the Romanian interior minister Marcel Vela announced, in a video
posted on social media, that after May 15, when the state of emergency ends,
people will be allowed to leave their towns or counties. Prosecutor General
Gabriela Scutea said the Romanian justice system will be facing a huge wave of
complaints filed by the people who received fines for breaching the military
orders issued in the context of the pandemic. On Wednesday the Constitutional
Court ruled that the fines were unconstitutional. As many as 300,000 people
received fines totalling around 120 million euros.

Criticism. Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Thursday harshly
criticised the Social Democrats in opposition, saying that, together with their
acolytes are doing their best to cause the efforts towards the
reconstruction of the entire nation to fail. He referred among others to two
laws adopted recently by Parliament. Today, the Social Democratic Party wants
to defend criminals, those who defy the rules and break the laws, with help
from their usual satellites, the president also said. In response, the interim
president of the Social Democratic Pary Marcel Ciolacu said Klaus Iohannis is a
politician with dictatorial tendencies who constantly attacks fundamental state
institutions, such as the Parliament and the Constitutional Court. He also said
the Liberal government is no longer credible and that the money for pensions
and salaries will soon run out. Also on Thursday, Iohannis criticised the
satisfaction with which some politicians welcomed the Constitutional Court’s
ruling to declare unconstitutional the fines levied for breaking lockdown
during the state of emergency, saying it showed carelessness, recklessness and
lack of understanding of their mission. He described as surprising the
position of authorities, who, by their mission and legal nature, have the
constitutional obligation not to lose sight in their decision-making process,
of the general interest of society. Iohannis emphasised that without the
penalties imposed during the state of emergency more people would have died.

Aid. A convoy of 20 trucks full of medical
equipment as part of aid provided by Romania to the neighbouring Republic of
Moldova to help it fight the Covid-19 outbreak reached its destination. The
convoy is accompanied by an official delegation including the Romanian health
minister Nelu Tătaru, the head of the Emergency Situations
Department Raed Arafat and the secretary of state for relations with the
Republic of Moldova Ana Guţu. Last week, the government in Bucharest
decided to grant Moldova humanitarian aid worth 16.5 million lei in the form of
medical equipment and medicines. Romania has also sent a team of 52 doctors and
nurses who will be working in hospitals in Moldova treating patients infected
with the novel coronavirus.

EU-Western Balkans. The EU is
experiencing a crisis, but it will not forsake its strategic goals and its
closest partners, said the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis at a video conference
of EU and Western Balkan leaders. According to the president’s office, Iohannis
welcomed the strategic decisions taken by the EU in March 2020 with respect to
furthering the enlargement process, by initiating accession negotiations with
Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia. The Romanian president also called
for a strengthened partnership with the Western Balkans as the best response to
the ongoing crisis and as a means of consolidating fundamental values and democratic
principles. The participants in the summit adopted the Zagreb Declaration,
concerning, among others, an economic aid package granted by the EU to help the
states in the Western
Balkans fight the Covid-19 pandemic and recover economically after the crisis.
This includes immediate aid in the healthcare sector, particularly through
delivering medical equipment, as well as a 750 million euro package of
Macro-Financial Assistance and a 1.7 billion euro package of assistance from
the European Investment Bank.

Economy. The most important objective of the Romanian government is
to support the economy once the peak of the epidemic has passed to help it
return to its previous levels as soon as possible, said prime minister Ludovic
Orban on Thursday. He visited the Ford and Dacia-Renault factories, both in
southern Romania, which have resumed work gradually. The president of Ford
Romania Ian Pearson said the priority was ensuring workers’ health safety, with
a comprehensive set of additional measures being implemented in order to
maintain social distancing. Enhanced protection measures were also taken at the
Dacia factory, with first resumed work on a volunteer basis on 21st
April. The car industry accounts for over 10% of Romania’s GDP and for more
than 14% of its exports. The prime minister called on the population to
purchase especially cars made locally.

Sports. Romanian football celebrated on Thursday 34 years since Steaua Bucharest
won the European Cup final. On May 7, 1986, in Seville, Spain, the Bucharest
side defeated the famous FC Barcelona in the final after a penalty shoot-out in
which Steaua’s goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam saved all 4 penalty kicks. In
February 1987, in Monte Carlo, Steaua also won the European Super Cup, defeating
the Soviet side Dinamo Kiev 1-0. (CM)

7 May 2020
May 7, 2020

COVID-19 Another 12 people died in Romania from the novel coronavirus, taking the death toll to 876, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Thursday. One of the victims is a Bulgarian truck driver, the first foreign citizen to die from COVID-19 in Romania. The total number of confirmed cases is drawing close to 14,500, of whom over 6,100 have recovered. Another 2,419 Romanian citizens living abroad have tested positive for the virus, most of them in Italy and Spain. Since the start of the pandemic, 96 Romanians living abroad have died, many of them in the UK. Meanwhile, the Romanian interior minister Marcel Vela announced, in a video posted on social media, that after May 15, when the state of emergency ends, people will be allowed to travel outside their home locality or county. Prosecutor General Gabriela Scutea said the Romanian justice system will be facing a huge wave of complaints filed by the people who received fines for breaching the military orders issued in the context of the pandemic. On Wednesday the Constitutional Court ruled that the fines were unconstitutional. As many as 300,000 people received fines totalling around 120 million euros.

PANDEMIC We are running the risk of returning to lockdowns if restrictions are lifted too soon, warned the head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Ghebreyesus, insisting that the lifting should be gradual, special attention should be paid to serious cases and that the healthcare system must be prepared. At present the total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide is nearing 3.8 million, with the death toll exceeding 265,000, and with 1.3 million patients having recovered, according to Worldometer. The worst hit country in the world is the USA, where over 2,000 deaths were once again reported in 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths to 75,000. The US president Donald Trump said the coronavirus has been a worse attack on the US than Pearl Harbour and 9/11. In Europe, the UK reports over 30,000 deaths and is the worst hit country on the continent, followed by Italy, Spain and France. Spains parliament extended the state of emergency by another 2 weeks, starting on Sunday.

AID Today, a convoy of 20 trucks full of medical equipment as part of aid provided by Romania to the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, to help it fight the Covid-19 epidemic, is reaching its destination. The convoy is accompanied by an official delegation including the health minister Nelu Tătaru, the head of the Emergency Situations Department Raed Arafat, and the secretary of state on relations with the Republic of Moldova Ana Guţu. Last week, the government in Bucharest decided to grant Moldova humanitarian aid worth 16.5 million lei in the form of medical equipment and medicines. Romania has also sent a team of 52 doctors and nurses who will be working in hospitals in Moldova treating patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

EU – Western Balkans The EU is experiencing a crisis, but it will not forsake its strategic goals and its closest partners, said the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis attending a video conference of EU and Western Balkans leaders. According to the Presidency, Iohannis welcomed the strategic decisions taken by the EU in March 2020 with respect to furthering the enlargement process, by initiating accession negotiations with Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia. The Romanian official also pleaded for a strengthened partnership with the Western Balkans, as the best response to the ongoing crisis, and as a means of consolidating fundamental values and democratic principles. Participants in the summit adopted the Zagreb Declaration, concerning, among others, an economic aid package granted by the EU to support Western Balkans states in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic and in post-crisis recovery. This includes immediate aid in the healthcare sector, particularly through delivering medical equipment, as well as a 750 million euro package of Macro-Financial Assistance and a 1.7 billion euro package of assistance from the European Investment Bank.

SPORTS Romanian football celebrates today 34 years since the Bucharest club Steaua won the European Cup final. On May 7, 1986, in Seville, Spain, the team comprising Romanian footballers exclusively defeated the famous FC Barcelona in the final, in a penalty shoot-out. Steauas goalkeeper, Helmuth Duckadam, saved all the 4 spot-kicks by the Spanish opponents. In February 1987, in Monte Carlo, Steaua also won the European Super Cup, outplaying the Soviet side Dinamo Kyiv 1-0. Two of the participants in this unique performance in Romanian football, midfielder Lucian Bălan and defender Ilie Bărbulescu, died in recent years.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

7 May 2020
April 20, 2020 UPDATE

EASTER In Romania, Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians are marking Easter Week or Bright Week, with believers greeting each other with “Christ Is Risen! on Monday, the second day of Easter, the same religious service was performed in churches as the one on Easter night. Believers can only attend Mass online, as their presence in churches is restricted over the COVID-19 pandemic. In a Facebook post, the Interior Minister Marcel Vela thanked all those who complied with the restrictions, writing that “Your proof of respect and patriotism for our work these days has been truly impressive! Minister Vela said on Tuesday he will announce a special action aimed at preserving a constant dialogue with citizens. On the other hand, hundreds of people have been fined by police over the past 2 days, for breaking the measures introduced by authorities to contain the virus. In some cases, violent clashes were reported, with police resorting to their weapons in order to end the scuffles.

COVID-19 TIn Romania, authorities are not yet considering a lifting of coronavirus containment measures, given that these measures are still necessary at this point. The Strategic Communication Group says discussions about a gradual lifting of restrictions will take into account actual epidemiologic data, the need to prevent the risk of a second wave of infections, the recommendations of the European Commission and coordination with other EU member states. The coronavirus pandemic has killed around 470 people in Romania so far, out of a total of nearly 9,000 cases, 190 of them confirmed in the last 24 hours. Over 2,000 people have recovered. As many as 60 Romanian nationals living abroad died since the pandemic started, out of 730 that tested positive for the COVID-19, most of them in Italy and Spain.

AID Romania will receive 800,000 USD in medical assistance from the US, in addition to the US-financed transport operation that brought protection equipment to the country, the US Embassy to Bucharest announced in a news release. Ambassador Adrian Zuckerman emphasised the close relations between the 2 countries and voiced confidence that, thanks to the cooperation between the 2 partner countries, the challenges of this period will be successfully overcome. The announcement comes shortly after an Easter message sent by the American Ambassador in Romanian on the occasion of the Orthodox Easter.

PANDEMIC There are over 2.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world, according to data centralised by the Johns Hopkins University in the US. More than 165,000 people died, and nearly 630,000 recovered. The US continues to report the highest numbers of cases and deaths, and in Europe the worst hit countries are Italy, Spain, France and the UK. Italy already sees a 6th week of lockdown. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Rome, people will only be allowed to leave their homes in 14 days, if the daily number of new cases drops. In Spain, the number of COVID-19 deaths dropped on Monday below 400 in 24 hours, for the first time since the WHO declared the pandemic, on March 11. Madrid intends to extend the existing restrictions until May 15, but in light of the recent positive signals some measures may be lifted sooner. In Belgium, the corona crisis seems to be over, authorities announced on Monday, saying that the number of new cases is the lowest of the past month. Belgiums Security Council convenes on Friday to discuss the easing of restrictions as of May 4. On Monday Germany reopened a number of small-sized shops, but Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that it is much too soon to discuss further lifting of restrictions. Last week Germany announced that the number of new cases is falling and that the epidemic is under control.

OIL US oil prices dropped by around 20% on Monday, to less than 15 USD, the lowest level since March 1999, as the Covid-19 pandemic deepened uncertainties in the global market and cut the demand for fuel, while onshore storage capacities in Europe are maxing out. In its report for April, the International Energy Agency estimated that the global oil demand might fall in 2020 by a record 9.3 million barrels a day, as the pandemic paralyses the worlds economy.

STATISTICS The EU reported a 22.4 billion euro surplus in trade, as against 16.4 billion euros in the corresponding period of 2019, according to preliminary data made public on Monday by the European Statistics Institute, Eurostat. As for Romania, data shows that in January – February 2020, exports rose by 2%, to 11.6 billion euro, while imports went up 3%, to 14.2 billion euro, resulting in a 2.6 billion euro deficit in the first 2 months of the year compared to 2.5 billion euro in the corresponding period of 2019.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

20 April 2020
April 20, 2020

EASTER In Romania, Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians are celebrating the second day of Easter, Bright Monday. On this day, the same religious service is performed in churches as the one on Easter night. Believers can only attend Mass online, as their presence in churches is restricted over the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, hundreds of people have been fined by police over the past 2 days, for breaking the measures introduced by authorities to contain the virus. In some cases, violent clashes were reported, with police resorting to their weapons in order to end the scuffles.

COVID-19 The coronavirus pandemic has killed 451 people in Romania so far, out of a total of nearly 9,000 cases, 190 of them confirmed in the last 24 hours. Over 2,000 people have recovered. Over 1,000 healthcare personnel have so far tested positive for Covid-19, most of them in Suceava (north-east), the main outbreak in the country, and in Bucharest. According to the Healthcare Minister Nelu Tătaru, Romania is seeing an upward trend in terms of new infections, but the increase is slow. As many as 60 Romanian nationals living abroad died since the pandemic started, out of 730 that tested positive for the COVID-19, most of them in Italy and Spain.

AID Romania will receive 800,000 USD in medical assistance from the US, in addition to the US-financed transport operation that brought protection equipment to the country, the US Embassy to Bucharest announced in a news release. Ambassador Adrian Zuckerman emphasised the close relations between the 2 countries and voiced confidence that, thanks to the cooperation between the 2 partner countries, the challenges of this period will be successfully overcome. The announcement comes shortly after an Easter message sent by the American Ambassador in Romanian on the occasion of the Orthodox Easter.

PANDEMIC There are over 2.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world, according to data centralised by the Johns Hopkins University in the US. More than 165,000 people died, and nearly 630,000 recovered. The US continues to report the highest numbers of cases and deaths, and in Europe the worst hit countries are Italy, Spain, France and the UK. Italy already sees the 6th week of lockdown. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Rome, people will only be allowed to leave their homes in 14 days, if the daily number of new cases drops. At present Italy reports around 3,000 new cases and some 400 deaths every day. As of May 4, construction sites, shops, bars and restaurants will gradually open. Spain and France decided to postpone the lifting of containment measures for a few weeks, but in other EU countries measures are already being eased, the BBC reports. On Monday Poland reopens parks and forests and Norway opens kindergartens. The Czech Republic allows outdoor food markets to resume operation and in Albania the mining and oil industry are back to work. Also on Monday Germany reopens a number of small-sized shops, and the students due to take final exams this year go back to school. Last week Germany announced that the number of new cases is falling and that the epidemic is under control.

OIL US oil prices dropped by around 20% on Monday, to less than 15 USD, the lowest level since March 1999, as the Covid-19 pandemic deepened uncertainties in the global market and cut the demand for fuel, while onshore storage capacities in Europe are maxing out. In its report for April, the International Energy Agency estimated that the global oil demand might fall in 2020 by a record 9.3 million barrels a day, as the pandemic paralyses the worlds economy.

STATISTICS The EU reported a 22.4 billion euro surplus in trade, as against 16.4 billion euros in the corresponding period of 2019, according to preliminary data made public on Monday by the European Statistics Institute, Eurostat. As for Romania, data shows that in January – February 2020, exports rose by 2%, to 11.6 billion euro, while imports went up 3%, to 14.2 billion euro, resulting in a 2.6 billion euro deficit in the first 2 months of the year compared to 2.5 billion euro in the corresponding period of 2019.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

20 April 2020
April 18, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 The number of deaths from coronavirus infections reported in Romania exceeds 420, out of a total of 8,400 confirmed cases. Over 1,000 healthcare personnel tested positive for the Covid-19 so far, most of them in Suceava (north-east) and in Bucharest. Around 1,700 people recovered and have been discharged from hospitals.PM Ludovic Orban said that according to estimates the pandemic will peak between May 1st and 5th in Romania, and once again urged citizens not to leave their homes except for emergencies.

MEASURES The Resurrection of Christ is a celebration of hope in a season of rebirth, says the President of Romania in his Easter message, released on Saturday. He emphasises that unfortunately, this year Easter finds us in a situation that forces us to find the blessing and light of Easter within ourselves and our homes. Together, with devotion, love and faith, we will overcome this difficult challenge that mankind is facing, Klaus Iohannis adds. He urges Romanians to embrace the sacrifice of expressing their love to their beloved ones by complying with social distancing rules. Previously, Iohannis had called on citizens to avoid visits on Easter. He emphasised that Romania has not yet seen a peak of this epidemic, and that the only reasonable thing to do now is to stay away from our dear ones. The President also urged authorities to remain on alert. In a video message, PM Ludovic Orban in turn voiced his hope that the Easter symbols of love and sacrifice will give us the strength to be reborn together. Over 36,000 police, gendarme, fire-fighters, border police and other Interior Ministry and Defence Ministry staff are working during Easter to ensure compliance with the military orders, to prevent and curb crime and to step in in case of emergencies.

EASTER The Orthodox majority in Romania, as well as the Greek Catholic Christians Sunday celebrate Easter or the Resurrection of Christ. This year believers will not be able to attend the Easter Mass, because of the measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but they will be able to watch the midnight service on the media. The Easter light was brought from Jerusalem in a ceremony held in special conditions, without the thousands of pilgrims that used to attend this service in the past. Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church wishes all Romanians, on this occasion, health and pace, joy and hope. “Our faith in the Resurrection helps us not to lose hope in the face of adversity, but to ask for Christs help with even more fervour, the Patriarch said in his Easter homily.

AID The Romanian Foreign Ministry welcomed on Saturday the announcement made by the US on April 16 regarding an 800,000 USD support package for Romania in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Foreign Ministry, the decision is further proof of the strength of the bilateral Strategic Partnership, at a time of global crisis. According to the same source, with support from the US Romania received a RT-PCR testing unit provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and has used NATO aircraft to bring emergency medical supplies into the country.

FINANCIAL Fitch financial rating agency revised Romanias rating outlook from stable to negative, against the background of the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on public finances in the coming period, the Ministry for Public Finances announced. The agency said the revision was necessary, given the poor fiscal management in previous years. The Finance Minister Florin Cîţu said in the forthcoming period the ministry will focus on implementing tax and budget measures aimed at mitigating the negative effects of the pandemic and on measures to revitalise the Romanian economy. The main elements able to help improve the country rating are stabilising the share of public debt in the GDP in the medium run, and sustainable improvement of the foreign debt level.

PANDEMIC The official number of novel coronavirus infections in the world is over 2.2 million, with the death toll standing at nearly 155,000. The largest number of victims is reported in the US and Europe. The WHO estimated that, just like China, which announced another 1,290 deaths on Friday in Wuhan, many countries will have to update their death figures for the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the WHO, an accurate reporting of the number of cases and deaths is rather complicated given a number of factors, such as the isolation of patients who die at home alone and difficult bureaucratic procedures.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

18 April 2020
April 18, 2020

COVID-19 The number of deaths from coronavirus infections reported in Romania exceeds 400, out of a total of 8,400 confirmed cases. Over 1,000 healthcare personnel tested positive for the Covid-19 so far, most of them in Suceava (north-east) and in Bucharest. Around 1,700 people recovered and have been discharged from hospitals. More than 60 Romanian nationals living abroad died so far from this disease. PM Ludovic Orban said that according to estimates the pandemic will peak between May 1st and 5th in Romania, and once again urged citizens not to leave their homes except for emergencies.

MEASURES The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has once again called on citizens to comply with social distancing measures on Easter. He emphasised that Romania has not yet seen a peak of this epidemic, and that the only reasonable thing to do now is to stay away from our dear ones. The President also urged authorities to remain on alert. Over 36,000 police, gendarme, fire-fighters, border police and other Interior Ministry and Defence Ministry staff are working during Easter to ensure compliance with the military orders, to prevent and curb crime and to step in in case of emergencies.

EASTER For the Orthodox majority in Romania, as well as for Greek Catholic Christians, today is Holy Saturday, the day before the Resurrection of Christ. This year believers will not be able to attend the Easter Mass, because of the measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but they will be able to watch the midnight service on the media. The Easter light will be brought from Jerusalem in a ceremony held in special conditions, without the thousands of pilgrims that used to attend this service in the past. Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church wishes all Romanians, on this occasion, health and pace, joy and hope. “Our faith in the Resurrection helps us not to lose hope in the face of adversity, but to ask for Christs help with even more fervour, the Patriarch said in his Easter homily.

FINANCIAL Fitch financial rating agency revised Romanias rating outlook from stable to negative, against the background of the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on public finances in the coming period, the Ministry for Public Finances announced. The agency said the revision was necessary, given the poor fiscal management in previous years. The Finance Minister Florin Cîţu said in the forthcoming period the ministry will focus on implementing tax and budget measures aimed at mitigating the negative effects of the pandemic and on measures to revitalise the Romanian economy. The main elements able to help improve the country rating are stabilising the share of public debt in the GDP in the medium run, and sustainable improvement of the foreign debt level.

SME In Romania, a support programme for small and medium enterprises has been initiated. SMEs will benefit from loans without interest and banking fees, which will be covered by the government. The funds earmarked for the programme total 3.1 billion euros, for working capital and investments, and will be granted not only to companies affected by the corona crisis, but to all interested SMEs. The facility is aimed at revitalising the Romanian economy, supporting around 600,000 jobs in a first stage.

EU The European Parliament, convening in a special online session, approved 3 billion euros worth of emergency support for the healthcare sector. The money will be used for the procurement of emergency medical supplies, the transport of medical equipment and patients and support for the construction of field hospitals. Another measure approved on this occasion has to do with the transfer of funds and 100% European funding for containing the corona pandemic. Member states will thus be able to transfer money between various funds in order to meet emergency healthcare needs. MEPs also endorsed other measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the EU fisheries sector, which is heavily affected by the spread of the COVID-19.

PANDEMIC The official number of novel coronavirus infections in the world is over 2.2 million, with the death toll standing at nearly 155,000. The largest number of victims is reported in the US and Europe. The WHO estimated that, just like China, which announced another 1,290 deaths on Friday in Wuhan, many countries will have to update their death figures for the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the WHO, an accurate reporting of the number of cases and deaths is rather complicated given a number of factors, such as the isolation of patients who die at home alone and difficult bureaucratic procedures.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

18 April 2020
March 19, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 Romania 17 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Romania on Thursday, taking the total number to 277. The Strategic Communication Group, which has limited official COVID-19 updates to only one per day, also announced that 25 patients have recovered and were discharged from hospital—16 in Timişoara, 8 in Bucharest and 1 in Iaşi. Another 3,822 people are in quarantine facilities and tested for the disease, while over 33,700 are self-isolating at home under medical supervision. Meanwhile, president Klaus Iohannis welcomed Parliaments endorsing the presidential decree that declares a 30-day state of emergency in Romania. He said the vote proves the responsibility and solidarity of the entire political community. In turn, PM Ludovic Orban announced harsher penalties for those who thwart efforts to combat the epidemic and for false representations regarding the coronavirus disease. The government has also decided to increase state guarantees by around one billion euros, in order to help small and medium enterprises take out loans, and to cover 75% of the benefits paid by employers to the staff on idle time.

EASTER President Klaus Iohannis Thursday instructed prefects and local administration officials to urge the Romanians living abroad not to come home for the Easter holidays this year, because under the current regulations as soon as they enter the country they will have to be quarantined or self-isolating. There is basically no more traveling in the EU, he added, and emphasised, “we love our fellow Romanians who live abroad, we would like to see them, to be with them, but this is not possible this Easter. It is sad, but we have to be honest about this, so as not to create expectations that cannot be fulfilled. The most important Christian holiday, the Easter or the Resurrection of Christ, is celebrated this year on April 12 by Catholics and on April 19 by Orthodox believers, which make up a majority in Romania.

FAKE NEWS The Romanian interior minister Marcel Vela has forwarded to the National Communication Administration and Regulation Authority (ANCOM) a proposal made by the Strategic Communication Group to shut down a website called stiridemoment.ro. The proposal is based on Art. 54 of the presidential decree introducing the state of emergency in Romania. According to the authorities, the website selected and posted statements and information out of context, under alarmist headlines designed to generate panic among readers. The headlines were either completely false, or unrelated to official decisions. The website had no identity and no persons of contact could be identified. The police started an investigation into false information offences. On Wednesday, the EU spokesman on foreign policy Peter Stano said that, “Whoever is spreading the disinformation is essentially playing with peoples lives, and warned that pro-Russian media are behind some disinformation cases. Moscow dismissed the accusation.

POLL Half of the employees in Romania fear the COVID-19 will be followed by an economic crisis, and a quarter of all employees do not have enough savings to cover a months expenses if they are made redundant. These are the main findings of an opinion poll conducted by the online recruitment platform BestJobs. Little over 10% of the interviewees fear they may lose their jobs in the forthcoming period. According to the poll, 60% of the employers say their businesses have not been affected so far by the epidemic. As far as the employers are concerned, the biggest effect is that employees are becoming afraid of direct contact with their clients. Business owners have also noticed that some suppliers fail to deliver orders and that the prices for certain products have been substantially increased. The poll was conducted between March 9 and 16.

RAILWAY The passenger division of the main railway operator in Romania, CFR, is temporarily suspending international trains to and from Hungary and Austria. The decision is designed to help contain the Covid-19 epidemic, and follows Hungarys decision to close its borders for foreign citizens. On Tuesday, CFR made a similar decision regarding passenger trains to and from neighbouring Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova. Travellers may claim full refunds.

COVID-19 world The president of the European Parliament, David
Sassoli, announced a special meeting of the EU legislative body on March 26,
focusing on EU-wide measures against the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was
made in a conference call with the leaders of the EP floor groups, and will be
the first to use online voting. Around 220,000 cases of COVID-19 and 9,000 deaths have been confirmed worldwide so far. Whereas China is now reporting zero local infections and new cases only involving citizens who came from abroad, in Europe the situation is further worsening. In Italy, the number of victims is nearing the total reported in Chinas Hubei region, where the virus first appeared. The EU has closed its borders for foreign citizens and has banned non-essential circulation in the Schengen area, to slow down the pandemic. In this context, the European Central Bank announced an emergency aid package amounting to 750 billion euros, intended to cover public and private debt and contain the economic aftershocks of the coronavirus pandemic. According to estimates, the Eurozones GDP may fall by 5% this year.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

19 March 2020