Radio România Internațional

Tag: alert

  • June 19, 2021 UPDATE

    June 19, 2021 UPDATE

    RAINFALLS New code orange and code yellow alerts for heavy rainfalls, storms and flash floods have been issued in Romania for most of the Romanian territory, except for the north-west. Hydrologists have also warned against possible flooding along 11 rivers until Monday night. Thousands of households were flooded or left without electricity following recent heavy rainfalls in Romania. According to the Inspectorate General for Emergency Situations, 49 towns and villages and the capital city were affected, with firefighters moving in to pump out the water in several households, over 100 yards and scores of streets in Bucharest alone. The wind caused several trees to fall over parked vehicles, and road traffic was also disrupted.



    COVID-19 The number of new Covid-19 cases
    in Romania
    continues to drop, with 63 new infection cases reported on Saturday, and 164 patients
    in intensive care. Hospitals are gradually resuming their regular activity and,
    according to some managers, they are better prepared for a possible surge in
    cases. Meanwhile, experts warn against the risk of a 4th wave of the
    coronavirus pandemic in Romania. The health minister Ioana Mihăilă said the Indian
    strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus may come to prevail in Romania as well, which is
    why it is all the more important that as many people be immunised. According to Romania’s representative in the World Health
    Organisation Alexandru Rafila, with the current vaccination trend, only 7
    million people at most will have been immunized by autumn, which is below the
    authorities’ target. Some 25,500 people received the vaccine in the past 24
    hours. So far over 8.7 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in
    Romania, with nearly 4.35 million people having received both doses of vaccine.



    DEFICIT The EUs Economic and Financial Council extended to 2024 the deadline for Romania to put an end to the excessive deficit situation. The Council said that an extension to the original deadline for Romania to correct its public deficit would be important in order not to compromise the economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendation also says that, in order to meet the new deadline, Romania would need to achieve a general government deficit target of 6.2% of GDP next year, 4.4% of GDP in 2023, and 2.9% of GDP in 2024. Romania is expected to present the European Council with a report on its strategy regarding these targets by 15 October, the Romanian Finance Ministry announced.



    ACCIDENT At least 3 workers, one of them from Romania, died when a school under construction partly collapsed in Antwerp, Belgium, AFP reports. Nine others were injured in the incident on Friday afternoon. The school was still under construction, so no students were present.



    OECD The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu reconfirmed Romanias commitment to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development as soon as possible. Aurescu had a meeting on Saturday with the organisations new secretary general, Mathias Cormann, on the sidelines of the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya (Turkey). On the same occasion, the Romanian diplomat discussed the Black Sea security situation with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.



    IRAN Hardliner Seyyed Ebrahim Rais al-Sadati won Fridays presidential election in Iran from the first round, with over 62% of the votes, according to preliminary results made public on Saturday. A former magistrate, the Conservative al-Sadati is close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Reuters comments. The new president will have to resume the negotiations started in Vienna for the restart of the 2015 deal regulating the countrys nuclear activities.



    TENNIS Horia Tecău (Romania) / Kevin Krawietz (Germany) qualified into the doubles final of the tennis tournament in Halle (Germany), ATP 500, after defeating the Belgians Sander Gille / Joran Vliegen, 7-6, 7-5. Tecău and Krawietz are playing their 3rd final this season, after having lost the ones in Rotterdam and Barcelona. Also in tennis, the Romanians Monica Niculescu and Elena Gabriela Ruse Friday qualified into the doubles final of the ITF tournament in Nottingham (UK). They will play against the Australians Priscilla Hon and Storm Sanders. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • May 13, 2021

    May 13, 2021

    ALERT As of today, the state of alert in Romania is extended by another month. Some restrictions have been lifted, however, such as the one regarding participation in religious processions or pilgrimages. Other measures still remain in place. Pilot cultural and sports events will also be organised, with attendance allowed for people who have got the vaccine, who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months, or who test negative for the disease. Private or public celebrations or parties, whether indoors or outdoors, are still banned.



    COVID-19 President Klaus Iohannis has a working meeting scheduled today with PM Florin Cîţu, several other Cabinet members, the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, and the head of the National Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control Centre with the Public Health Institute, Adriana Pistol. Also attending will be deputy PM Dan Barna, the interior minister Lucian Bode, the defence minister Nicolae Ciucă, and the health minister Ioana Mihăilă. The meeting will focus on the lifting of COVID-19 containment measures. Some 130,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses are scheduled to reach Bucharest today. So far, Romania has received over 2.2 million vaccine doses from the British-Swedish company. More than 3.7 million people have received Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca jabs in Romania, and two-thirds of them have also got the booster dose. Meanwhile, the entire country is in the so-called green scenario. According to the Strategic Communication Group, the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in Bucharest is 1.42 per thousand. On Thursday 953 new COVID-19 cases and 75 related deaths were reported, as well as 829 patients in intensive care.



    CONFERENCE The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias co-chair today an informal conference call of EU foreign ministers. Also attending the online meeting are the foreign ministers of Albania, Olta Xhacka and of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, as well as EU officials. According to the Romanian foreign ministry, Bogdan Aurescu will emphasise that ‘the EU enlargement process must remain a major priority for the Union, given the transforming power of this European policy.’ Todays meeting takes place after a recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, which included a strategic discussion on the Western Balkans, at the request of Romania and other member states.



    VISIT The Romanian Senate Speaker Anca Dragu is on a 3-day official visit to Spain, as of today, at the invitation of her counterpart Maria Pilar Llop Cuenca. The visit is aimed at strengthening political dialogue and the traditional friendship between the 2 countries. On the same occasion, in the Patio de los Naranjos Hall of the Spanish Senate, an Exhibition of Romanian and Spanish Diplomatic Archives will be opened. The exhibition is devoted to the 140 years of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries. The Romanian delegation will also have online meetings with members of the Romanian community in Spain, and will visit the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre and the EU Satellite Centre.



    CORRUPTION The former mayor of Bucharests Sector 5, Marian Vanghelie, was sentenced on Thursday to 11 years and 8 months in prison, in a corruption case. The ruling is not final. He was also ordered to pay damages of over 15 million euro to the Bucharest Sector 5 City Hall. Marian Vanghelie was indicted in 2015 for 9 counts of bribe-taking and abuse of office and 7 counts of money laundering. According to the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, in 2006 – 2014, Marian Vanghelie, then a mayor, asked for and received undue benefits in the amount of nearly 30 million euro (accounting for a fee of 20% of the contracts). A former member of the Social Democratic Party (in opposition), Marian Vanghelie was a mayor between 2000 and 2016, and in the 2020 local elections he ran unsuccessfully for a new term in office.



    ISRAEL Hamas fired rockets on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem early on Thursday, with Israel promising to carry on strikes against the Islamist group in Gaza, although the US president Joe Biden had said the clashes, the most violent in recent years, will be over soon, Reuters reports. Over 1,000 rockets fired from Gaza strip on Monday hit Israel, and scores of people were killed and hundreds wounded so far, mostly Palestinians. The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, called for the de-escalation of the conflict.



    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 3 in the world, announced having suffered a torn calf muscle which forced her out of the Italian Open, in Wednesdays match against Germanys Angelique Kerber. She says she will have an MRI investigation to determine how serious the injury is. The defending champion in Foro Italico, the Romanian player withdrew in the second set of the match against Kerber, after she had won the first set. Given the preliminary diagnosis, she risks missing the Roland Garros tournament due to start on May 30. Halep won the Paris tournament in 2018. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • May 11, 2021

    May 11, 2021

    COVID-19 According to the latest updates, 620 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Romania in 24 hours, out of 11,000 tests conducted. Most cases occurred in Bucharest. The authorities also announced another 68 COVID-19 related deaths and 962 patients in intensive care. Meanwhile, the vaccine rollout continues, at a record high rate of over 100,000 jabs per day. Measures such as vaccination marathons and drive-through vaccination centres helped increase the number of people immunised every day, and so did the involvement of family physicians. Coordinator Valeriu Gheorghita said on the other hand that there is not enough scientific data to confirm the need for a third vaccine dose to cover possible viral mutations.



    ALERT The state of alert will be extended by another month as of Thursday, the government of Romania decided. Certain restrictions have been lifted, such as the ones concerning participation in religious processions or pilgrimages, while others, including in the hospitality sector, remain in place. Pilot cultural and sports events will be organised, attended by people who have got the vaccine or recovered from COVID in the past 3 months, as well as those who test negative for the disease.



    TRAVEL The National Committee on Emergency Situations updated the list of countries with high epidemiological risk for which quarantine is required upon entering Romanian territory. The number of countries in the list went up from 57 to 75. Countries like India, Nepal, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Monaco and the United Arab Emirates are new on the list, joining the Netherlands, France, Germany and Hungary or summer tourist destinations like Greece, Croatia or the Maldives.



    EXERCISE The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda are attending today a multinational military exercise in Galaţi County in the east. The exercise takes place at the Smârdan base, and Poland takes part with the military forces it has deployed to Romania as part of the Allied matched forward presence in the eastern flank through the NATO multinational brigade stationed in Craiova. Justice Sword 21 is a tactical exercise aimed at testing the capacity of participating structures to implement planned actions and measures, as well as Romanias ability to provide support to the military forces and equipment that transit its territory.



    ATTACK At least 11 people, mostly children, were killed, and many others wounded by an unknown number of attackers in a school shooting in the Russian town of Kazan, some 725 km east of Moscow. The town is the capital of Tatarstan, an autonomous republic with mostly Muslim population. Russian media quoted by international news agencies speak about one or two teenage shooters. School shootings are uncommon in Russia. A similar incident was reported in 2018, in Crimea, annexed by Russia 4 years before, where a student killed 19 people and killed himself. In September 2004, some 325 people, mostly kids, were also killed after Russian special forces stormed a school in Belsan, North Ossetia, where pro-Chechen mercenaries were keeping over 1,000 hostages.



    TENSIONS The EU called for an immediate end to the clashes between Israeli and Palestinians. According to the EU, rocket strikes from Gaza strip against civilians in Israel are unacceptable and fuel escalation. The US also condemned “in the strongest terms the Hamas rocket attacks, calling them “an unacceptable escalation. The UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab also condemned the attacks and called for immediate de-escalation on both sides. Tensions have been reported in the region since the start of the Ramadan, the Muslim fasting and prayer month, with many Palestinians angry over the Israeli police restricting access to some sectors in Jerusalem. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • State of alert extended once again

    State of alert extended once again

    The government of Romania decided to extend the state of alert in the country by another 30 days, beginning on Tuesday, April 13, to contain and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.



    In other words, all the measures already known to Romanians remain in place, from mandatory face covering both outdoors and indoors to physical distancing. Indoor restaurants, theatre and cinema halls are also closed.



    A night curfew is in place between 10 pm and 5 am. In places with infection rates above 4 per thousand, the curfew begins at 8pm at the weekend, and shops close at 6pm. These measures apply throughout the week in places where the infection rate is above 7.5 per thousand. Gyms are also closed if the Covid infection rate is over 4 per thousand, to be opened when the figure drops below 3.5.



    The only concessions made by the authorities have to do with the religious holidays celebrated these days. After Catholic Christians were able to enjoy an almost normal Easter holiday and Jews in Romania were able to attend the Passover ceremonies, Orthodox Christians will also be able to travel without restrictions on Resurrection night, celebrated on 1 May, unlike last year when church attendance was prohibited. Muslim believers were not overlooked either, with the government allowing them to move freely on the night of 8 May when they celebrate the Ramadan.



    On the other hand, traditionally 1 May is the start of the holiday season in Romanias Black Sea resorts. Given that for the past year the hospitality industry has suffered severely because of the Covid-19 containment measures, this year the government decided that seaside resorts may open, at a maximum 70% of their accommodation capacity and in full observance of relevant regulations, just as it is the case at present with mountain resorts.



    The interior minister Lucian Bode has recently travelled to Constanța, the biggest Romanian city on the Black Sea coast, to warn police and gendarmes that their mission during the Easter and 1 May weekend will be particularly difficult, as lots of tourists will be coming to the seaside. Health is paramount, the minister cautioned, so the police must do everything in their power to ensure restrictions are observed. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • March 13, 2021 UPDATE

    March 13, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 On Saturday the Strategic Communication Group reported nearly 5,000 new COVID-19 cases in Romania, with 79 new deaths and over 1,200 patients in intensive care. The total number of infections so far is over 855,000, with the death toll standing at over 21,400. As of March 14, Romania extends the state of alert by another 30 days, amid growing numbers of COVID-19 cases. All restrictions valid so far will be maintained, and a night curfew will be in place between 10 pm and 5 am, one hour longer than at present. Accommodation facilities in mountain resorts will only be allowed to receive guests at 70% of their capacity. Meanwhile, the vaccine rollout continues, with nearly 1.4 million people immunised since late December, most of them with the Pfizer vaccine. Romania has temporarily suspended the use of an AstraZeneca vaccine batch, but continues to use doses from other batches. The decision came after several European countries reported severe side effects and even deaths among people who have received doses from the respective batch.




    PANDEMIC The World Health Organisation said there are no reasons not to use the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, after several European countries announced they had suspended it as a precaution, according to WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris. The European Commission calls on states to follow the advice of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which says that so far nothing points to higher blood clot risks in people having received the AstraZeneca shots. Meanwhile, the “digital green passport project to be presented in Brussels on Wednesday will only take into account the COVID-19 vaccines authorised by the EMA, a senior EU official said on Friday. Four vaccines are authorised for use in the EU at this point–Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Oxford and Johnson & Johnson. The Chinese vaccine Sinopharm, used in Hungary even by PM Viktor Orban, is not included, and neither is Russias Sputnik V, ordered by Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia and under EMA assessment since March 4. Around the world, according to worldometers, over 119 million people have so far caught the virus. Some 95 million people recovered and more than 2.6 million died.




    FRIGATE The Romanian frigate ‘Regina Maria’ Saturday joined the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG-2), operating in the Black Sea. The frigate, with a crew of 238, will carry out NATO monitoring missions along with 5 other vessels from Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Turkey, as part of SNMG-2, subordinated to the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM).




    CRASH An An-26 military aircraft flying from Kazakhstans capital city Nur-Sultan crashed on Saturday while landing on Almatî Airport. Four of the 6 people on board died, according to the countrys ministry for emergencies. The Russian news agency Interfax quoted one source as saying the aircraft was part of Kazahstans border service in the Committee for National Security.




    MOLDOVA The president of R. of Moldova Maia Sandu presented the government with a set of measures to help the economy overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Under the plan, small enterprises and farmers would have easier access to financial resources thanks to a Loan Guarantee Fund. Maia Sandu explained in a Facebook post that the Fund would be increased to over 1.5 billion Moldovan leu. Procedures will also be simplified, the Moldovan president promised, and added that she was counting on solidarity on everybodys part, including banks.




    HANDBALL The best Romanian womens handball teams, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea and CSM Bucharest, played on Saturday against each other in the second leg of the Champions League eighth-finals. The Bucharest side moved up into the quarter-finals, although they lost to SCM Ramnicu-Valcea 27-21. In the first leg, CSM Bucharest had won 33 – 24, playing away from home. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • March 7-14, 2021

    March 7-14, 2021


    The evolution of coronavirus in Romania


    The government in Bucharest decided to extend the state of alert by 30 more days, coming into effect on March 14, as the number of COVID-19 infections rises. According to PM Florin Citu, all restrictions already in place are here to stay. In addition, night circulation is forbidden between 22:00 and 5:00, one hour earlier than before. Another decision limits occupation in tourist accommodation to up to 70% of capacity. This measure is mostly aimed at accommodation in areas with skiing or winter sports facilities. At the same time, in order to speed up the vaccination campaign and contain the pandemic, on Thursday the third stage opened for people in localities with a rate of infection of over 4.5 to a thousand inhabitants. This stage will be applied nationally starting Monday, in which anyone who wishes to vaccinate can do so as well. Romania has immunized over 1.3 million people since the start of the vaccination campaign, on December 27, and over half have had the follow-up. On Thursday, the authorities in Bucharest have decided to temporarily suspend the use of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine up until the end of the evaluation run by the European Medicines Agency. The decision comes after several European countries registered severe reactions, even deaths, after the administration of these vaccines, part of a certain allotment.



    Conclusions in the fire at the Matei Bals hospital


    The Romanian government will file a case with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate following the conclusion of the Control Body in relation to the fire at the Matei Bals Institute in Bucharest. Inspectors who investigated the area after the 29 January reached the conclusion that the fire was caused by the poor and antiquated infrastructure, the undersized wiring, and the poor supervision of the patients. We recall that over 20 people have died in the fire in one pavilion of the hospital, causing over 100 COVID patients to be relocated.



    The 2021 budget passes


    President Klaus Iohannis endorsed this week the state budget and social insurance law for 2021. According to the Presidency, investment, reforms, and economic growth are the pillars of the 2021 budget, observing all the principles of fiscal responsibility and sustainability of public finance. The budget deficit target of 7.16% of the GDP indicates a considerable effort towards budget consolidation, without unduly burdening citizens with new taxes, the release also indicates. Considerable amounts of money are earmarked for the transportation infrastructure, schools and hospitals, but also for managing the vaccination campaign, as well as the risks associated with the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Major investments are aimed at supporting businesses, new opportunities for development, and creating better paying jobs, the document states. Last week, Parliament passed the budget bill in the form issued by the government, without accepting amendments. This year, the budget is based on an economic growth of 4.31%.



    Romania reports record economic growth for 2020 4th quarter


    Romania had the highest GDP growth of any EU country in the fourth quarter of the past year compared to the previous quarter. According to data published on Tuesday by Eurostat, the Romanian economy grew by 4.8% during that period. Previously, the Romanian National Institute of Statistics reviewed downwards its expectation for growth from 5.3% to 4.8% for the GDP in the last quarter of last year. It did not, however, adjust its estimate for 2020, according to which the Romanian economy shrank by 3.9% in real terms. The shrinkage in the GDP was caused by industry, trade, agriculture, and entertainment related activities.



    The authorities in Bucharest want to eliminate cumulative pensions


    Romania has launched a public debate on a bill to ban cumulative pensions with state wages. Minister of Labor Raluca Turcan announced that around 35,000 tax payers are receiving both a pension and a salary. There will be exceptions to this, however, such as teachers, members of the Romanian Academy, and elected officials. The bill also provides for the possibility of continuing work up until 70 years of age, applying to both state and private employees. Another bill was submitted for public debate, along with an emergency executive order, allowing for parents who return to work earlier than their parental leave allows to receive a higher bonus for returning.



    The Green Friday campaign is launched


    The Romanian Ministry of the Environment launched on March 12 the Green Friday initiative, encouraging the use of alternative transportation for going to and from work in order to reduce pollution, especially in the big cities. The campaign provides that every Friday people should not use their personal vehicles and go to and from work using public transport, bicycles, or just on foot. Minister of the Environment Tánczos Barna announced he would launch an invitation to everyone to take part, while town halls were extended a proposal to offer free public transportation on Fridays. (tr. C. Cotoiu)

  • January 13, 2021

    January 13, 2021

    ALERT On Wednesday Romania extended its state of alert over the COVID-19 pandemic by another 30 days. Among other things, face covering remains mandatory in all indoor and outdoor public areas. After a first stage of the national vaccination programme, covering healthcare personnel, on Friday enrolment begins for the beneficiaries of the second stage, namely people over 65, chronic patients and employees in key sectors. President Klaus Iohannis said in a press conference that the success of the vaccine rollout is a prerequisite for a return to normal and reopening the economy. On Wednesday in Romania around 4,400 new COVID-19 cases and 88 related deaths were reported. 1,081 patients are currently in intensive care.



    GOVERNMENT The government is discussing in todays meeting this years state budget bill, and a bill increasing minimum wages from roughly 455 euro to 470 euro. The increase is not to cover employees with higher education degrees, whose minimum wages will be kept at the current 480 euro. This years state budget bill is to be submitted to Parliament by February 4. PM Florin Cîţu asked his cabinet members to present reports on their top priorities, and promised that this year public money will be spent in an efficient and strict manner. He also warned that the budget deficit, estimated to reach 7% of GDP this year, must also be taken into account. The government is also expected to pass today an emergency order on bonuses paid to the personnel involved in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.



    PROTEST Trade unions in the police, public administration, social assistance and the penitentiary system are taking part today in a rally in front of the Labour Ministry in Bucharest and of prefecture offices elsewhere in the country. PUBLISIND trade union federation initiated the protests on December 31, 2020, after the government decided to freeze salaries in the public sector. Sanitas Federation also started employee support actions yesterday, picketing the government headquarters and prefecture offices. They say the Governments unwillingness to observe the law and give healthcare personnel their due salaries is an affront to the efforts they make every day at the work place. President Klaus Iohannis said the salary freezing is a fair measure given the current economic crisis.



    CORRUPTION President Klaus Iohannis approved the commencement of criminal prosecution against the former PM and Senate speaker Călin Popescu Tăriceanu. He is accused of bribe taking in 2007 and 2008, during his term in office. Prosecutors say he indirectly received from an Austrian company material benefits worth 800,000 dollars consisting in consultancy services. In exchange, Tăriceanu pushed for the adoption by his cabinet of decisions that benefitted this company. A previous request of the National Anticorruption Directorate, in November 2018, to the same effect, had been dismissed by the Senate in June 2019. Prosecutors are now saying they have additional evidence and new elements have appeared in the case.



    US The House of Representatives endorsed a resolution asking for the removal of outgoing president Donald Trump, for inciting last weeks storming of the US Congress. But given that vice-president Mike Pence said he will not use the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump, a vote on a second impeachment is very likely to take place today. Mike Pence said using the 25th Amendment would only deepen the existing tensions. Several Republicans said they would vote with the Democrats for Trumps impeachment. The Democrats are planning to impeach Trump for “incitement of insurrection, after his supporters stormed the US Capitol. Donald Trump described the actions against him as a witch hunt.



    SPORTS The Romanian tennis player Mihaela Buzărnescu (137 WTA), plays today against American Whitney Osuigwe (161 WTA) in the last qualifying round for the Autralian Opens main draw. Five Romanians already have a spot in the main draw—Simona Halep (2 WTA), Patricia Ţig (56 WTA), Sorana Cîrstea (71 WTA), Irina Begu (78 WTA) and Ana Bogdan (92 WTA). The first Grand Slam this year is scheduled to take place between February 8 and 21. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 12, 2021 UPDATE

    January 12, 2021 UPDATE

    PRESIDENCY Reforms can no longer be put off, 2021 is an important year for Romanias development, the year when we must lay the foundations of a healthy resetting of our society, president Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday in his first press conference this year. He emphasized that the COVID-19 epidemic must be curbed and all economic sectors need a restart. According to the president, the resetting of the state must begin this year, and must focus on citizens access to public services and information, on digitisation and cutting red-tape at all levels. If we are to move on at full speed, we must end the epidemic, and mass vaccination is the only solution for us to return to normal as soon as possible, Klaus Iohannis added. He said he will get the vaccine on January 15, when the second stage of the national immunisation programme begins.



    COVID-19 The government extended by another 30 days the state of alert in Romania to contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as of January 13. The state of alert was declared in May, after a 2-month state of emergency. Current restrictions have not been amended. Ski slopes remain open, but measures will be in place to avoid crowding, which is the main way to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, almost 3,700 new coronavirus cases and 156 new deaths were reported on Tuesday in Romania, which has recorded almost 680,000 cases and 16,881 deaths since the start of the outbreak. 8,783 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, 1,073 of them in intensive care.



    VACCINE PM Florin Cîţu Tuesday endorsed a request for the European Commissions approval of another 8 million doses of BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine for Romania, in addition to the 12.7 million already contracted by Bucharest. Cîţu said in a Facebook post that Romania also contracted 3.4 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. Also on Tuesday, the coordinator of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme Valeriu Gheorghiţă announced that the online vaccine booking system for the 2nd stage of the programme will be operational as of January 15. In this stage, he explained, 750 vaccination centres will be opened, with a combined 1,700 locations. The 2nd stage covers people over 65, chronic patients, people in care centres and personnel in key sectors. Since the start of Romanias immunization programme on December 27, more than 134,000 people have received the COVID-19 vaccine.



    PROTEST Healthcare trade unions Tuesday picketed prefecture offices in Bucharest and other major cities, to protest a government order freezing salaries and pensions this year. There are also plans to picket the headquarters of the health, labour and finance ministries and Parliament during the latter’s debates of the state budget bill. Trade unions say they are planning to send an open letter to the president and the members of the Romanian Parliament and the European Parliament warning that Romania is the only country in Europe to diminish the incomes of the public sector employees directly involved in the fight against the pandemic.



    CORRUPTION The Prosecutor General of Romania, Gabriela Scutea, Tuesday asked president Klaus Iohannis to green light the criminal prosecution of former prime minister Călin Popescu Tăriceanu, who is accused of bribe taking in 2007 and 2008, during his term in office. Prosecutors say he indirectly received from an Austrian company material benefits worth 800,000 dollars consisting in consultancy services. In exchange, Tăriceanu pushed for the adoption by his cabinet of decisions that benefitted this company. A previous request of the National Anticorruption Directorate, in November 2018, to the same effect, had been dismissed by the Senate in June 2019. Prosecutors are now saying they have additional evidence and new elements have appeared in the case.



    DEFICIT The EU had a 75.6 billion EUR current account surplus (2.2% of GDP) in the 3rd quarter of 2020, according to estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In July – September 2020, 19 EU member countries reported a current account surplus, including Germany (62.9 bn), Italy (25.3 bn), and the Netherlands (17 bn). Eight member states reported current account deficits, with the largest levels in France (-11.4 bn), Romania (-3.9 bn) and Belgium (-2.6 bn).



    VISIT In Kiev on Tuesday Maia Sandu, the new pro-western president of the Republic of Moldova, and her Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the renewal of bilateral relations and emphasised the strategic importance of the cooperation between the 2 countries. This is Maia Sandus first official trip abroad since taking office. According to Radio Chisinau, the 2 presidents discussed the need to improve economic relations in the field of energy, transport and environment protection. The relations between Moldova and Ukraine were strained between 2016 and 2020 during the term of Moldova’s former pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, who was defeated by Maia Sandu in the November elections. The first top level foreign official to be received by Sandu was Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on 29th December. The two signed a joint declaration aimed at consolidating the bilateral strategic partnership. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 6, 2021 UPDATE

    January 6, 2021 UPDATE

    VACCINE A third batch of 15,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine has arrived in Romania on the airports in Bucharest, Cluj Napoca and Timisoara. Romanias immunization programme started on December 27th, and over 58,000 medical workers have been immunized so far. The campaign’s second stage is to commence at the end of next week and will be addressing vulnerable people and workers in key sectors. Authorities estimate that the third stage of the programme, targeting the entire population, may begin in April. Since the onset of the pandemic, roughly 654 thousand people have been infected on Romania’s territory and nearly 16,300 died.



    PARTNERSHIP Romania joined the effort of several EU member states for the development of a European mechanism for the access of Eastern Partnership countries to the anti-COVID-19 vaccine. The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and his counterparts from Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia sent a joint letter to the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and to other top European Commission officials. The document voices support for a EU mechanism enabling Eastern Partnership countries to have access to anti-COVID-19 vaccines, similar to Western Balkan countries. The 13 foreign ministers emphasized that the initiative will indirectly benefit millions of citizens in the Eastern Partnership countries and will strengthen health security within the EU.


    GOVERNMENT Financial
    audits in all companies and institutions subordinated to ministries and the
    possible reopening of schools on February 8 were the main topics of Wednesday’s
    government meeting. By February 4, ministers are to present the PM Florin Cîţu reports
    on the financial state of all subordinated companies and solutions and
    deadlines to making them efficient. Meanwhile, the education minister Sorin
    Cîmpeanu announced schools may reopen in the second half of the academic year. He
    explained a decision will be made by the end of January. Sorin Cimpeanu added
    that in the meantime schools remain closed and classes are taught exclusively
    online.


    ALERTS Hydrologists have extended and broadened code-yellow and orange alerts for flooding on several rivers in northern, central and southern Romania. Scores of towns and villages in 11 counties across Romania have been affected by flooding in the past days. Heavy rainfalls have caused damage and temporarily disrupted traffic on several national and county roads. Rail traffic has also been disrupted and special teams have intervened to pump water out of households and unblock roads and railways in several regions.



    DONATION The Romanian Defence Ministry Wednesday donated COVID-19 personal protective equipment to the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Moldova. The new batch, consisting in face masks, face shields and overgarments follows a previous donation made last spring and is part of a support package for the Republic of Moldova, reiterated by the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis during a recent visit to Chişinău. According to the Romanian Defence Ministry, this reconfirms Romanias commitment to supporting the Moldovan authorities and their efforts to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

    AMBASSADORS Nine
    candidates for ambassador posts were interviewed by Parliament’s specialised
    committees on Wednesday. Daniela Popescu, the candidate for Romania’s ambassador
    to the UK, and Cristian Istrate, the candidate for Romania’s ambassador to the Russian
    Federation, are among those who received the greenlight. The interviews had
    been scheduled for last November, but were deferred.


    HOLY DAY January 6th is a major date for Orthodox and Catholic believers in Romania, a country with an Orthodox majority, which today celebrated Epiphany or the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. On Wednesday priests gave special services and distributed holy water to believers. Because this holiday involves the participation of numerous people, in all the churches across Romania, measures were taken to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Winter holidays in Romania are due to end on Thursday with a festivity celebrating the birth of St. John the Baptist. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • New state of alert extension

    New state of alert extension


    The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to which the entire world is struggling to find solutions, and it is hard to estimate the exact duration of this difficult period which has changed everybodys lives. The virus has impacted the healthcare system, but also the economy, the labour market and interpersonal relations.



    The high spread rate of the coronavirus and its unfortunate consequences prompted the Government of Romania to extend the state of alert by another 30 days as of Thursday, to help contain and mitigate the effects of the pandemic. The state of alert, which has already been extended 4 times so far, was introduced in mid-May, after a 2-month state of emergency starting on March 16.



    The Government order passed on Wednesday stipulates that face masks must be worn outdoors as well, 50 metres from schools and in crowded areas wherever there are up to 3 cases per thousand capita, whereas in places with over 3 cases per thousand inhabitants, outdoor face covering is compulsory.



    Bucharest authorities have also announced the conditions in which restaurants and performance venues may operate. Here is state secretary with the Interior Ministry, Raed Arafat:



    Raed Arafat: “In cases of up to 1.5 infections per thousand capita, restaurants, cafes, cinema halls and the like will run at 50% of the overall capacity. Between 1.5 and 3 cases per thousand, they may operate at 30% of their capacity, and for rates of over 3 infections per thousand capita, sadly these venues will be closed down.



    The ban on private events with large numbers of participants remains in place, Raed Arafat added, while for the upcoming election campaign indoor events with maximum 20 participants and outdoor events with maximum 50 participants are allowed. Raed Arafat also added that care centre personnel must be tested on a weekly basis by the relevant Public Health Directorate.



    Meanwhile, citizens coming into Romania for up to 3 days must produce a negative COVID-19 test, and in case they intend to stay for longer periods they must self-isolate for 14 days. The list of high-risk countries includes the US, Spain, France, Netherlands, the UK and Belgium.



    In recent days new negative records are reported in Romania, where daily infection numbers of over 4,000 have been reported already. Hundreds of patients are in intensive care, and scores of Romanians lose the battle against the virus every day. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • September 11, 2020 UPDATE

    September 11, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 1,391 new infections with SARS CoV-2 have been reported in Romania in the last 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication has said, bringing the total up to 101,075 cases at national level. Another 35 people have died, taking the total death toll to 4,100. 478 patients are in intensive care. 7,125 people infected with COVID-19 are currently receiving treatment in hospitals. 10,772 are in home isolation, 5,754 in institutional isolation. 33,129 people are quarantined at home while 12 are in institutional quarantine. Of the Romanians living abroad, 6,599 have tested positive so far, and 126 died.



    PANDEMIC Over 28 million infections with SARS CoV-2and 914,000 deaths have been reported worldwide since the start of the pandemic. The United States continues to be the most affected country, with nearly 6.6 million infections and some 196,000 deaths. India is the second-most affected country in terms of the total numbers of infections, some 4.5 million, and 76,000 deaths. The resurge in the number of infections has forced many European states to consider new restrictions to contain the pandemic. France, Belgium, Italy and Great Britain are hit by a second wave, although less serious than that of March and April. In Croatia, Greece and Malta on the other hand, the increase in the number of cases is higher than in the first wave. As a result, the annual meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), presented as ‘the largest European conference on human rights, has been cancelled. A disquieting situation is also reported in Israel.



    SCHOOLS The Government has earmarked an additional €20 million to the budget of the Education Ministry to fund the Safe Education National Programme. The money will be used for the purchase of laptops, medical equipment and electronic devices, such as webcams and tablets, so that teachers can conduct their lessons online where required. A new school year is starting in Romania on Monday.



    INNOVATION The city of Cluj-Napoca (in north-western Romania) is among the EUs 6 most innovating cities, alongside Vienna, Valencia, Espoo (Finland), Helsingborg (Sweden) and Leuven (Belgium). The announcement was made by the European Commission on Friday, following a competition run in several stages with hundreds of participating localities. The Commission will announce the 2020 European Capital of Innovation on September 24, in an online ceremony. The winning city will receive one million euros.



    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu had a telephone talk on Friday with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau, on topics of mutual interest, with an emphasis on the situation in Belarus. The 2 diplomats reiterated their ‘firm support for the democratization of the country and for the civil society in Belarus’. In this context, minister Aurescu resumed his call for the authorities in Minsk to end the pressure on the opposition and civil society or the mass media. The talks also tackled the developments in the Three Seas Initiative, given the extensive cooperation between Romania and Poland in this respect.



    9/11 Friday marked 19 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11 in the United States, considered the bloodiest in world history. Some 3,000 people, including Romanians, were killed by 19 Al Qaeda terrorists who hijacked 4 passenger airliners, crashing them into key buildings in the US. The death toll continued to rise after the attacks, many people dying due to exposure to dust from the site. (translated by: A.M. Popescu, V. Palcu)

  • August 16, 2020 UPDATE

    August 16, 2020 UPDATE

    State of alert. The state of alert declared in mid-May in Romania was extended, starting Sunday, by 30 days. The decision was made by the government in a meeting on Friday. No additional restrictions were imposed. The number of cases of infection with the new coronavirus exceeds 70,000, with some 1100 new cases reported in the past 24 hours. Approximately 3000 people have died. According to the latest survey published by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Romania has reached the first place in the EU in terms of death rate caused by COVID – 19 as well as the rate of new cases detected per hundred thousand inhabitants.



    Pandemic. Worldwide, the number of cases of infection with the new coronavirus is approaching 22 million. About 770,000 deaths have been recorded so far. More than 210 countries around the world have reported cases of infection and death after the first cases were detected in December 2019 in China, Reuters reports. In the top three in terms of the number of cases of coronavirus infection are the United States, with 5.5 million, Brazil, with about 3.3 million and India, with almost 2.6 million.



    Motion. The Social Democratic Party, the largest opposition party in Romania, is negotiating with other parliamentary parties to get support for a no-confidence motion against the Liberal cabinet led by Ludovic Orban, which is to be filed in Parliament on Monday. The Social Democrat deputy Marius Budai has stated that the text of the motion will be accompanied by almost one million signatures of some Romanian citizens who want the current minority government to leave. According to the Social Democratic Party, the executive destroyed the economy, its only concern being, in the midst of the health crisis generated by the pandemic, to siphon off public money. A report by the Court of Accounts on government procurement during the health crisis indicates financial and accounting deviations and damage. At the beginning of the month, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban stated that the motion had no solid motivation, being a mere electoral move. 233 votes are required for its adoption. If it passes, it would be the second time in a single year that a government led by Ludovic Orban has been fired by a no-confidence motion.



    Awareness Day. The National Day for Awareness of Violence against Christians was marked for the first time in Romania on Sunday. August 16 is also the day when the majority Orthodox believers celebrate the Holy Brâncoveni Martyrs, who in 1714 chose to die for their faith in Constantinople. In a statement sent to Agerpres, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban says that the executive supports the need to raise awareness of the violence and persecution to which Christians around the world have been and still are subjected and advocates the elimination of any form of discrimination on religious or other grounds. According to statistics, around the world, eight Christians are killed every day for their religious affiliation.



    Economy. The National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis estimates that the Romanian economy could recover in 2021, when the Gross Domestic Product would increase by 4.9%, from a forecast decline of 3.8% this year, due to the crisis generated by Covid-19. Investments, down 3.5% this year, could increase by 7.4% in 2021. The National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis also predicts, for the current year, a 10 percent drop in exports and over 7 percent in imports. Recently, the National Institute of Statistics has reported that Romanias Gross Domestic Product decreased by 12.3% in the second quarter of this year compared to the first quarter and by 10.5% compared to the second quarter of 2019. At the same time, the Romanian authorities estimate a budget deficit, this year, of 8.6 %.



    Tennis. World no. 2 Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Sunday won the WTA tournament in Prague, with more than 200,000 dollars in prize money. She defeated in the final the Belgian Elise Mertens 6-2, 7-5. Thus Simona won the 21st trophy in her career, after a break of six months. Also in Prague, in the doubles final, the Romanian pair Monica Niculescu / Raluca Olaru lost to the Czechs Lucie Hradecka / Kristyna Pliskova in two sets. (M. Ignatescu)

  • July 25, 2020 UPDATE

    July 25, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 In Romania the Strategic Communication Group reported on Saturday a new record-high number of COVID-19 cases—1,284 out of over 22,500 tests. This is the 4th consecutive day with over 1,000 new COVID-19 cases per day. The total number of cases so far is 43,678, with over 25,300 patients having recovered and the death toll standing at 2,165. So far 1,087,783 tests have been processed in Romania. Abroad, 5,329 Romanian nationals have tested positive for coronavirus, and the number of deaths has reached 123. Passengers landing in Greece on flights from Romania and Bulgaria as of July 28 must present a negative COVID-19 test taken no earlier than 72 hours before the date of arrival, the Greek authorities decided. Romanias PM Ludovic Orban promised the authorities will use all lawful means available to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, but warned that this goal requires the contribution of all citizens, who are once again urged to observe protection measures. The health minister Nelu Tătaru announced Romania is to receive 600 doses of Remdesivir, used in treating COVID-19 patients. He explained this is only used as part of a clinical trial and will only be sent to the clinics included in the programme.



    PANDEMIC The total number of COVID-19 infections worldwide is quickly nearing 16 million, with 10 million patients recovered and more than 640,000 dead, according to Worldometers.info. A growing number of governments are now considering reintroducing restrictions, as the easing of containment measures in the past month has led to a worsening of the situation. On Friday the US reported over 70,000 new cases for the second day in a row as well as 1,000 deaths, Johns Hopkins University announced. The number of new cases rose in Europe as well. on Friday Italy announced 14-day quarantine requirements for people coming from Romania and Bugaria. France introduced compulsory testing for citizens coming from 16 non-EU countries with high COVID-19 infection rates, including the US and Algeria. As of Saturday, Czechs will have to wear face masks when attending indoor events with more than 100 participants.



    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu had a telephone discussion on Friday with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya, regarding the excellent bilateral cooperation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2 officials reviewed the measures taken by both states to mitigate the effects of the crisis at healthcare, economic and social level. Minister Aurescu thanked Spain for its support during the pandemic in terms of the mobility of Romanian citizens to and from Spain. In turn, the Spanish official emphasised the excellent consular cooperation during this complicated period, and voiced hopes that this will carry on. Aurescu also spoke about the essential role of the Romanian community in key areas of the Spanish economy and thanked Spanish authorities for their support in integrating the Romanian citizens who work and live in Spain.



    NAVY The French command and support vessel “Var Saturday conducted joint drills with the Romanian Navy, as part of its stopover in the Black Sea port of Constanţa. According to the French Embassy in Romania, this mission, alongside other French Navy missions at the Black Sea, was designed to ensure maritime protection, to facilitate cooperation between partners and interoperability. The main mission of the 169-strong crew of the French offshore support vessel is to provide logistical support and materials for vessels during missions, including refuelling and water, food, ammunition, medicine and spare part restocking.



    WORKERS 11 Romanian nationals working on a farm in Borken, Germany, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. According to the employer, around 120 Romanian citizens are currently working there. The patients are asymptomatic and have been isolated from the rest of the employees, with food and other necessary items provided to them. So far Romanias consular office in Bonn has not received any requests for consular assistance from the employees of the farm in question, but it stays in contact with local authorities and is ready to provide assistance if necessary.



    WEATHER Several bad weather alerts are in place this weekend in Romania. A code orange alert concerning the western half of the country is valid until Sunday morning, a code yellow alert is already in place in the west, south-west, north and in the mountains, while a second one will be effective as of Sunday morning. Heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms, strong wind and hail storms are expected. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • July 25, 2020

    July 25, 2020

    COVID-19 In Romania the Strategic Communication Group reported on Saturday
    a new record-high number of COVID-19 cases-1,284 out of over 22,500 tests. This
    is the 4th consecutive day with over 1,000 new COVID-19 cases per day. The
    total number of cases so far is 43,678,with over 25,300 patients
    having recovered and the death toll standing at 2,165. So far 1,087,783 tests have been
    processed in Romania. Abroad, 5,329 Romanian nationals have tested positive for
    coronavirus, and the number of deaths has reached 123. Romania’s PM Ludovic Orban
    promised the authorities will use all lawful means available to contain the
    spread of the novel coronavirus, but warned that this goal requires the
    contribution of all citizens, who are once again urged to observe protection
    measures. The health minister Nelu Tătaru announced
    Romania is to receive 600 doses of Remdesivir, used in treating COVID-19
    patients. He explained this is only used as part of a clinical trial and will
    only be used in the clinics included in the programme.



    PANDEMIC The total number of COVID-19 infections worldwide is quickly nearing 16 million, with 10 million patients recovered and more than 640,000 dead, according to Worldometers.info. A growing number of governments are now considering reintroducing restrictions, as the easing of containment measures in the past month has led to a worsening of the situation. On Friday the US reported over 70,000 new cases for the second day in a row as well as 1,000 deaths, Johns Hopkins University announced. The number of new cases rose in Europe as well. on Friday Italy announced 14-day quarantine requirements for people coming from Romania and Bugaria. France introduced compulsory testing for citizens coming from 16 non-EU countries with high COVID-19 infection rates, including the US and Algeria. As of Saturday, Czechs will have to wear face masks when attending indoor events with more than 100 participants.



    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu had a telephone discussion on Friday with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya, regarding the excellent bilateral cooperation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2 officials reviewed the measures taken by both states to mitigate the effects of the crisis at healthcare, economic and social level. Minister Aurescu thanked Spain for its support during the pandemic in terms of the mobility of Romanian citizens to and from Spain. In turn, the Spanish official emphasised the excellent consular cooperation during this complicated period, and voiced hopes that this will carry on. Aurescu also spoke about the essential role of the Romanian community in key areas of the Spanish economy and thanked Spanish authorities for their support in integrating the Romanian citizens who work and live in Spain.



    NAVY The French command and support vessel “Var is today conducting joint drills with the Romanian Navy, as part of its stopover in the Black Sea port of Constanţa. According to the French Embassy in Romania, this mission, alongside other French Navy missions at the Black Sea, is designed to ensure maritime protection, to facilitate cooperation between partners and interoperability. The main mission of the 169-strong crew of the French offshore support vessel is to provide logistical support and materials for vessels during missions, including refuelling and water, food, ammunition, medicine and spare part restocking.



    WORKERS 11 Romanian nationals working on a farm in Borken, Germany, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. According to the employer, around 120 Romanian citizens are currently working there. The patients are asymptomatic and have been isolated from the rest of the employees, with food and other necessary items provided to them. So far Romanias consular office in Bonn has not received any requests for consular assistance from the employees of the farm in question, but it stays in contact with local authorities and is ready to provide assistance if necessary.



    WEATHER Several bad weather alerts are in place this weekend in Romania. A code orange alert concerning the western half of the country is valid until Sunday morning, a code yellow alert is already in place in the west, south-west, north and in the mountains, while a second one will be effective as of Sunday morning. Heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms, strong wind and hail storms are expected. (translated by: Ana Maria Popescu)

  • June 17, 2020 UPDATE

    June 17, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 The Romanian Government decided to extend the state of alert by another 30 days, against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic. The measure came into force on Wednesday, though several restrictions have also been lifted. Among other things, fitness centres, betting and gambling centres and the shops inside malls have been reopened. Also, religious services are allowed inside churches. According to the authorities, although the trend has been downward, the number of cases of infection with the new coronavirus might grow anytime. Lately, new cases have been reported, raising the total to 22,760 infections. The death toll now stands at 1,451. Of those who tested positive, more than 16,100 recovered. In related news, 85 Romanian nationals working on a farm in Bavaria tested positive for the novel coronavirus. All are asymptomatic and quarantined.



    PENSIONS The Chamber of Deputies Wednesday endorsed a bill regulating the taxation of the so-called “special pensions, a controversial topic in Romanian society. With 307 votes in favour and just 1 against, the bill, endorsed by the Senate in 2019 as well, was backed by all parliamentary parties. According to Radio Romania News and Current affairs, the Deputies decided to introduce a tax on the balance between regular pensions, based on contributions to social security funds, and special pensions. Incomes from special pensions in excess of 7,000 lei (little under 1,500 euros) will thus be subject to an 85% tax. Unless it is challenged at the Constitutional Court, the bill will be forwarded to the President for promulgation. The Chamber of Deputies also passed a bill that provides that criminals convicted for manslaughter, rape, aggravated robbery, sexual abuse against children and exploitation of begging can no longer benefit from conditional release.



    FLIGHTS The Bucharest Airports National Company organized on Wednesday an event titled ‘Everything will be fine!’, which marks the resumption of flights after the break imposed by the global coronavirus crisis. Specifically, flights have been resumed to and from Austria, Germany and Switzerland, whereas those to and from the Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal and Scandinavian countries were resumed a while ago. A spokesman for the company said investments were not suspended or delayed in April and May, when the companys revenues fell by nearly 98%. At the same time, Wednesdays event was devoted to the anniversary of the first flight by a Romanian plane, designed, built and piloted by Aurel Vlaicu, on June 17, 1910.



    FOOTBALL The match pitting Romanias football team against Iceland, in the semi-finals of the European Championship playoffs, postponed twice over the coronavirus pandemic, will be played in Reykjavik on October 8, UEFA announced on Wednesday. Should it win, Romania will take on the winner of the match between Bulgaria and Hungary, on November 12. The goal is to qualify into the European Championship final tournament, rescheduled for the summer of 2021, which will be hosted by the same 12 European cities, including Bucharest. UEFA Nations League matches will also be played this autumn.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)