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Tag: alert

June 14, 2020 UPDATE

Covid-19 RO. As of June 15th,
Romanians arriving from 17 European countries will no longer be quarantined or
self-isolated, and flights to an from those countries will resume, the National
Committee for Emergency Situations has decided. These countries are Austria,
Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia
and Hungary. The list will be updated every Monday, in keeping with the
epidemiological situation. Also on Monday, a new stage of relaxation of the
restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the new coronavirus begins in
Romania. The malls will be reopened, except for the restaurants, cinemas and
playgrounds inside. Also, gyms and outdoor swimming pools will start to
function, as will the Romanian Lottery, sports betting and gambling
facilities. Nurseries and after-school units might also be reopened, during the
summer holidays. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has stated, however, that he will
ask for the extension of the state of alert by 30 days, saying that the
decision is not political, but scientifically grounded, having public health
considerations behind it. The most recent report of the Strategic Coordination
Group indicates 320 new cases of contamination with the new coronavirus, the
most since the state of alert was declared on May 15th, which gradually brought
about a string of measures to relax the restrictions. The number of people who
have died of Covid-19 in Romania has reached 1420.

Evaluation. Starting Monday, more than 172,000 pupils who have
just finished the 8th grade will sit for the National Evaluation
Examination, which is mandatory for admission to high-school. Because of the
Covid-19 pandemic, this year special measures have been taken. Medical staff
will do a triage and children will be checked for temperature. Also, all class
rooms in which the children will take the exams will be disinfected. A 2-meter
distance between two children will be observed and those who are found to
present symptoms will take the exam in keeping with a special procedure,
between the 22nd of June and the 4th of July.

Diplomacy. 140 years after their
establishment, the diplomatic ties between Romania and the United States of
America are stronger than ever, president Klaus Iohannis says in a message
conveyed on Sunday. According to the Romanian head of state, to Romania,
the US has proven, especially in the past two decades, that it is the firm ally
we need in important moments, thus constantly accompanying us on the path
chosen by our country to strengthen its citizens’ security and
prosperity. In turn, president Iohannis also states, Romania has
outlined its profile as a reliable partner and active NATO ally, which assumes
strong commitments and contributes to joint security together with the US,
through consistent participation in missions such as the one in Afghanistan, or
by consolidating defense on the eastern flank of the Alliance. The
upward trajectory of our bilateral relations is highlighted by our Strategic
Partnership for the 21st Century, an essential dimension of Romania’s foreign
policy, which provides broad prospects of cooperation in a wide range of fields
– politics, security, economy, research, technology, science and education, as
well as interpersonal contacts, the Romanian president’s message also
reads. Also, in a press release on Sunday, the US Ambassador to Romania, Adrian
Zuckerman said: Romania is one of the United States’
closest military and economic allies in Europe. The Romanian people have no
greater friend than the American people, and on their behalf and on behalf of
President Trump, thank you, Romania, for the 140 years of friendship, and
cooperation, and to many more years to come.

EU. On Monday, the
Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu will attend the internal meeting of
the EU foreign ministers, held via video-conference. The main topic on the
agenda is transatlantic relations. The participants will have a talk with the
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the importance of the partnership between
the EU and the US against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic. Another
issue to be discussed is the relation with China, with the aim of enhancing
dialogue and cooperation at this level. Also under discussion will be the
Middle East peace process and the eastern neighborhood of the EU, with focus on
Ukraine. Bogdan Aurescu will convey a message of unity and pragmatism and will
stress the importance of strengthening transatlantic ties. He will also speak
for the need of maintaining a solid American presence in the areas affected by
lasting conflicts, in particular in the Eastern Neighborhood.

Pandemic. Close to 7.9
million people have been infected with the new coronavirus around the world,
and 433 thousand have died. More than 4 million people have recovered. The
United States, the world’s largest economic power, is by far the country most
severely affected by the pandemic, both in terms of deaths – over 115,000 and
the number of diagnosed cases – about 2,100,000 in total until Saturday night.
The number of new infections is still hovering around an average of 20,000, and
the US is struggling to get out of this area as infections have moved from one
part of the country to another. President Donald Trump’s administration has
warned, on the other hand, that any new economic lock-down in the event of a
second wave is ruled out. The second most affected country remains Brazil,
where more than 850,000 people have been infected, and the death toll is close
to 43,000. On the other hand, China hs announced today 57 new confirmed cases
of COVID-19 – the highest daily number since April, which raises fears of a
second epidemiological wave in the country. France Presse reports that a new
source of contamination was detected in southern Beijing, in a market that
sells mainly meat, fish and vegetables, and the discovery led to the isolation
of 11 residential areas in the vicinity. In Europe, the number of SARS-CoV-2
infections continues to drop, and since Monday, several European countries have
been relaxing border restrictions.

Weather. The National
Weather Administration has extended the code orange alert for torrential rain,
thunder and hail storms to 36 out of Romania’s 41 counties. The code is valid
until Monday evening. Also, a code yellow for bad weather is in place in five
counties in the south, including in Bucharest. Weather will remain unstable
across Romania the entire week. In the past days, weather has been marked by
rains and storms, causing damage in several areas. Also, a 4-year-old child,
caught in a flood, died. (M.Ignatescu)

14 June 2020
June 9, 2020 UPDATE

MEASURES President Klaus Iohannis announced on Tuesday that extending the state of alert beyond June 15 is necessary, given the absence of a significant drop in the number of new COVID-19 cases. The head of state also announced further easing of containment measures starting mid-June, including a possible reopening of shopping malls, kindergartens, private schools, gyms and outdoor pools. However, hygiene and physical distancing measures will have to be strictly complied with. The extension of the state of alert must be approved by Parliament, which is why the president called on MPs to be responsible, and said this is the only way the authorities can contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

COVID-19 In Romania, 9 more people infected with the novel coronavirus died, taking the death toll to 1,354, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Tuesday. According to the latest data, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania is over 20,700. Of these, more than 14,900 have recovered, while 152 patients are in intensive care units. Around 3,300 Romanian nationals living abroad have so far tested positive for the virus, mostly in Italy, Germany and Spain, and 114 of them died. The head of the Emergency Department, Raed Arafat, emphasised that full relaxation is, for the time being, out of the question.

PARLIAMENT The simple motion tabled
by the Social Democratic Party in opposition against labour minister Violeta
Alexandru was discussed and passed by the Senate on Tuesday. The Social
Democrats requested the Labour Minister to step down over the emergency order
on furlough and other measures concerning vulnerable categories, which was
poorly written and required several successive changes. The minister was also
criticised for how she handled the situation of the Romanian nationals who left
the country to work abroad. Violeta Alexandru dismissed the accusations. The
Chamber of Deputies decided on Tuesday to discuss and vote on the motion
against the development minister Ion Stefan at a later date. The finance
minister Florin Cîţu is also invited on Wednesday to present explanations to
the Senate’s economic and budget-finances committees concerning Standard&Poor’s decision with
respect to including Romania in their investment-grade category.

ECONOMY The year-on-year economic growth rate in the first quarter of this year, 2.4%, is primarily owing to consumption, which went up 3.8%. According to preliminary data made public on Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute, the GDP was 0.3% higher in the first quarter, in real terms, than in the 4th quarter of 2019. Romanias trade balance deficit also deepened by roughly 201 million euros in Q1 compared to the previous quarter.

EU PM Ludovic Orban took part on Tuesday in a conference call organized by the Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU, with the ambassadors of EU countries in Bucharest. The PM emphasised that the Government now focuses on economic recovery, and mentioned measures to support the companies and the employees affected by the pandemic. Ludovic Orban also said the Cabinet is considering measures to ensure cashflows, to support investments in vital sectors and to improve the efficiency of EU fund absorption. In turn, the ambassador of Croatia to Romania and the Republic of Moldova, Marija Kapitanovic, commended the Government of Romania for its handling of the health crisis and the repatriation of Romanian citizens from the countries affected by the pandemic.

FESTIVAL This year, the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) will hold a special, online edition, scheduled between June 12th and 21st, the organisers have announced. FITS #online Empowered will be fully accessible online, on the Festivals homepage and Facebook and YouTube channels. According to the organisers, for 10 days the public will be able to watch some of the best ever theatre, dance, music, and opera performances online. Between June the 15th and 17th, over 100 performing artists and companies will take part online in the Sibiu Performance Exchange, the only event in Romania that brings together performing arts professionals, cultural managers and agents.

REPATRIATION Romanias Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that 166 Romanian nationals were repatriated from the UK, including students, airline personnel as well as people who could no longer extend their stay for various reasons. A special flight by the Romanian airline Tarom was used for this operation, and 3 British citizens were taken to the UK on the same occasion.

PARTNERSHIP A Romanian defence ministry team will return to the country on Wednesday after a mission to support the Alabama state authorities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a Defence Ministry news release, the 15 military and civilians in the team work in emergency military hospitals in the country and in the field of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence. The cooperation between Romania and the state of Alabama is part of a State Partnership Program initiated in 1993 and coordinated by the US European Command. So far more than 200 bilateral operations have been conducted, with an emphasis on interoperability between military structures, at NATO standards, support for civilian authorities, aid provision and support in the deployment of Romanian units to theatres of operations.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 June 2020
The Week in Review (17-23 May)

State of
alert replaces 2-month long state of emergency

The state
of emergency imposed over the Covid-19 pandemic and which lasted two months was
replaced in Romania by a state of alert. The minority Liberal government in
Bucharest adopted an order in this respect that was then also passed by
Parliament. The government now has all the legal instruments, including the
ability to levy fines, to protect people’s health and lives, as prime minister
Ludovic Orban put it. Among other measures, wearing a face mask is now obligatory
in enclosed public spaces, in shops, at work and on public transport.

Public
gatherings, demonstrations, processions and concerts, as well groups larger
than three persons are all banned. Out-of-town travel is only allowed for specific
reasons and people must sign a written declaration in advance stating the destination
and purpose of travel. Following amendments in Parliament, the legislation also
stipulates that the government must supply the local authorities with face
masks to be distributed to the disadvantaged persons. Under a subsequent
government order, 2.3 million people are to receive 50 face masks each.

How the
population respects state of alert restrictions

People in
Romania welcomed the end of the state of emergency and the entering of a less
restrictive phase. They started leaving their homes as soon as they were able
to do so, with parks becoming overcrowded as a result. Viral images circulated
on social media from Herastrau park in Bucharest where many young people were
partying without respecting physical distancing and without wearing any face
covering. Border crossing points in western Romania were also very busy, both
for leaving and entering the country. The queues formed by the cars waiting to
cross the borders stretched for kilometres. Religious gatherings are again
permitted after two months in which churches held services behind closed doors.
The first day after restrictions were eased also saw the first protest, attended
by hundreds of people who accused the government of violating the Constitution,
confusion in the management of the current health crisis and the economic
situation and of giving fines abusively during the state of emergency.

The
Romanian economy post-pandemic

Answering questions in the Chamber of
Deputies, prime minister Ludovic Orban this week told MPs that his cabinet is working
on an economic recovery plan, being reassured by the fact that Romania saw the highest
economic growth level in the European Union in the first quarter of the year.
The opposition believes, however, that the government’s economic policy shows a
lack of solutions.

A cold shower came from Brussels. In
its economic forecast for Romania, the European Commission says that if the
current policies are maintained, the country’s budget deficit will reach 9.2% of
GDP this year and 11.4% next year and that economic recession is in sight. Among
other measures, the Commission recommends supporting the economy in the form of
liquidities, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises and
independent workers, and expanding social protection measures. The EU Council
has already approved a regulation to put into practice the so-called SURE
programme by which Brussels supports the employment measures proposed by European
governments. According to the Romanian labour minister, over 600,000 employment
contracts had been suspended and almost 400,000 terminated in Romania by 21st
May.

Romanian seasonal workers abroad

Romanian labour minister Violeta
Alexandru had talks in Berlin with her federal counterpart Hubertus Heil and the
German minister for food and agriculture Julia Klockner about the situation of
the Romanian seasonal workers. Alexandru urged the latter to report the violation
of their rights when this occurs. Minister Hubertus Heil admitted that the mass
infection with the novel coronavirus at a number of German abattoirs employing
Romanian workers is unacceptable and that Romanian workers must enjoy the same
rights to social protection, security and health as the German workers. The
Romanian and German officials signed a joint declaration of intention on expanding
cooperation in the areas of labour and social policy.

With the coronavirus pandemic in
full swing, many Romanians left the country to work abroad, especially in agriculture.
Around 30,000 people have travelled to western Europe for this purpose in the
last two months. One of the most controversial episodes took place on the night
of 8th of April, when some 2,000 workers left for Germany to harvest
asparagus. When they got there, they complained about the difficult working and
living conditions. It is still not clear if their departure was facilitated by
the authorities or if thousands of people organised their own bus trips and
charter flights and left, during one night, from Suceava, which was quarantined,
to Germany. (CM)

23 May 2020
State of alert government order comes into force

After being in a state of emergency for two months, during
which more than 17,000 coronavirus cases were reported, with over 1,000 deaths
and more than 10,000 recoveries, Romania is now under a state of alert. On
Monday, the government approved an order to instate this phase for thirty days,
and order which will next go to Parliament and be submitted to vote. The order may
be passed by Parliament in its current version or may be amended, but until then,
it is in force and legally binding.

The government now has the necessary legal
instruments, including the ability to levy fines, to enforce the measures and
rules meant to protect people’s lives and health, said prime minister Ludovic
Orban. Describing this period as one of maximum alert, he reminded his cabinet
that all state institutions must be mobilised to their full capacity to make
sure that the rules and measures laid down by the state of alert order are
fully respected.

During the state of alert, people have to wear face masks
in enclosed public spaces, in shops, at work and on public transport. Rallies,
demonstrations, processions and concerts are all banned. Fines are levied for violating
the rules, because the virus poses a major risk for the population, the prime
minister emphasised. Also, out-of-town travel is only allowed for specific
reasons and people must produce a written declaration stating the destination
and purpose of the trip, or a work ID or a letter from their employer if they
travel for work purposes.

New rules have also come into force in the healthcare
sector. For the duration of the state of alert, the health ministry will be
coordinating the activities to prevent and combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic
in public health facilities. Persons in leadership positions within the health
ministry and public health facilities subordinated to the ministry may be
sacked for failure to fulfil their duties that can endanger persons and thwart the
measures to prevent and combat the effects of the pandemic. Also, medical staff
can only be posted with their consent and the consent of their employers. As for
the coronavirus patients, they will continue to receive treatment at the
established hospitals. (CM)

19 May 2020
May 15, 2020

COVID-19 Another 3 patients infected with the novel coronavirus have died in Romania, taking the death toll to 1,056, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Friday. More than half of the over 16,400 Romanians who have tested positive for the virus so far have recovered. Among the Romanians living abroad, over 2,880 have been reported to have the disease, and 103 of them have died.

ALERT On Friday Romania replaced the state of emergency with a 30-day state of alert, enabling the authorities to continue to fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. In shops, public transportation, at work and in other indoor public areas, protective face masks are compulsory. Citizens may move freely within their home localities, but a sworn statement and justified reasons are necessary in order to leave the locality. Romanias president Klaus Iohannis Friday signed into law a bill on measures to prevent and contain the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill was previously endorsed by Parliament with a number of amendments, including the fact that a state of alert introduced in at least half of the national territory needs to be approved by Parliament.

CEI Romanias foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part today in an extraordinary summit of Central European Initiative (CEI) heads of government, held over conference call. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the agenda focuses on national, regional and European efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and on economic recovery plans in the 17 CEI member states. The participants will also look at the measures aimed at containing the multisectoral impact of the pandemic, at coordinated measures the fight the health crisis and at economic and social recovery. A CEI joint declaration will be adopted at the end of the summit, which is chaired by Montenegro holding the 2020 CEI Presidency and organised together with the CEI-Executive Secretariat and in cooperation with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The CEI is a flexible regional cooperation platform comprising 17 countries, of which 9 EU member states.

ECONOMY Romanias GDP went up 2.4% in the first quarter of the year compared to 2019, and 0.3% compared to the previous quarter, the National Statistics Institute announced on Friday. These preliminary figures will be revised and, given the current context, corrections may be more substantial than usual, the institution says. The main international financial institutions estimate that Romanias GDP will drop by 4-6% in 2020, over the corona crisis.

VIRUS The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for an independent scientific investigation into the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, dpa reports. In a column in Fridays issue of the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Borrell urges China, where the virus first emerged, to take measures to help protect the world from future pandemics. The US and several European countries criticised Beijings handling of the epidemic, but China claims its approach was open and transparent. Josep Borrell calls on China to take responsibilities commensurate to its weight in fighting the pandemic, developing a vaccine and boosting global economy. The EU official also urges Beijing to contribute to the debt relief efforts for developing countries particularly hit, as the EU has done.

PANDEMIC The COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 300,000 worldwide since December, according to data posted on Worldometer. The total number of cases has passed 4.5 million, with nearly 2 million patients having recovered so far. The USA, which reported the first coronavirus-related death in February, is now the worst hit country in the world, both in terms of deaths (85,000), and in total cases (1.4 million). In Europe, the most affected countries are the UK (over 33,000 deaths), Italy (more than 31,000), France and Spain (over 27,000 deaths). Borders between the Baltic states are reopening today. Also on Friday, a 14-day quarantine rule takes effect for all travellers entering Spain. Vienna reopens traditional cafes after 2 months, while Berlin reopens restaurants.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

15 May 2020
May 14, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 We are at the end of 2 difficult months, the president of Romania said on Thursday night, hours before the end of the state of emergency introduced on March 16 in order to contain the coronavirus epidemic. He congratulated Romanians on managing to curb the quick spread of the COVID-19, through a national effort, and to keep the number of victims very low. The president also said that the National Emergency Committee will now declare a state of alert, which lifts some of the restrictions, but warned that if the situation worsens, he will not hesitate to reintroduce the state of emergency. According to the latest data, Romania has seen 1,046 COVID-19 related deaths and over 16,000 cases. More than 9,000 have recovered. Among the Romanians living abroad, over 2,855 have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, and 102 have died.

MEASURES The Government Thursday approved new measures to support the companies and citizens affected by the corona crisis. Furlough payments will be extended until June 1 for the sectors that remain closed down. Deputy PM Raluca Turcan also mentioned that until the school year is over, next month, parents who have to stay at home with their children will also benefit from paid leave. In turn, the economy minister Virgil Popescu said in the second half of the year the relevant authority may work to reduce electricity prices by 1-2%.

AID The Romanian Embassy in Chișinău announced the medical equipment, materials and medicines sent by Bucharest to support Moldova fight the SARS-CoV2 outbreak have started to be distributed to hospitals. Romanias donation amounts to 3.5 million euros and consists in materials covering Moldovan hospital needs for the next 2 or 3 months, Ambassador Daniel Ioniță says. Tens of doctors and nurses from Romania also assisted Moldovas healthcare staff during the pandemic. PM Ludovic Orban promised Romania would send further aid to the Republic of Moldova when required.

SAVINGS Two in 3 Romanian employees have managed to save money in the past 2 months and intend to continue to do so, fearing a prospective recession, according to a poll carried out by one of the countrys largest online recruitment platforms. On the other hand, the state of emergency caught the other interviewees without any savings and this has not changed. According to the same poll, nearly 35% of the respondents say the first thing they intend to do after normal activity is at least partly resumed is to look for another job, while 18% say they plan to ask for a pay raise or to start their own business. As many as 14% of the employees in Romania expect their salaries to be cut, and another 5% expect to lose their jobs as companies will struggle to recover after the corona crisis.

ENVIRONMENT The European Commission Thursday decided to send a letter to Romania giving it 4 months to take the necessary measures to solve air quality problems. This is the official beginning of an infringement procedure. Romania has failed to comply with the nitrogen dioxide threshold in the capital Bucharest and 4 other major cities—Braşov (centre), Iaşi (east), Cluj (north-west) and Timişoara (west), and to take adequate measures to reduce the periods when the threshold was breached, the EC explains. On April 30, the EU Court of Justice ruled against Romania for non-compliance with the Parliament and Council directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe.

MARTYRS On May 14 Romania commemorated the people killed in communist prisons. On the night of May 14, 1948, the largest number of political arrests in the history of the country was reported. Tens of thousands of youth, many of them high school and university students, were arrested and sent to prison and labour camps then in a plan put together by the communist authorities. Historians say over 600,000 Romanians were victims of the communist prison system between 1944 and 1989.

PANDEMIC In Spain, one of the worst hit countries in Europe, only 5.3% of the population have been infected with the novel coronavirus, according to the preliminary findings of a survey aimed at establishing the percentage of the population that have developed coronavirus antibodies. Herd immunity is far from being reached, as it requires 60-70% of the population to be infected. Meanwhile, Spains authorities announced a 14-day quarantine will be compulsory for all travellers entering the country, as of Friday, May 15. In Rome, the government proposes that the state of emergency stay in place until January 31, 2021, in order to contain the disease, although the latest data point to a drop in new cases. In the US, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned that hackers backed by the Chinese government are targeting American institutions working on new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, and urged all these institutions to strengthen their cybersecurity. China denied the accusations. The total number of Covid-19 cases worldwide is 4.5 million, with the death toll standing at around 300,000. Over 1.6 million patients have recovered. In the USA, the worst hit country in the world, the number of deaths is over 84,000. In Europe, the most affected country is the UK, followed by Italy, Spain and France.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

14 May 2020
Parliament passes state of alert law

The state of emergency, which was declared two
months ago in Romania to tackle the situation generated by the coronavirus
pandemic, is now to be replaced by a state of alert, which will see some lockdown
measures eased. Bucharest is thus following the example of other European
states, many of which have already entered the third phase of a gradual relaxation
of the restrictions imposed to combat the infection.

During the state of alert, many measures will
remain in place in Romania, and, unlike in other countries, children will not
return to school and bars and restaurants will not reopen, while out-of-town
travel is restricted. Parks will, however, reopen, and people will be able to leave
their homes without signing a declaration in advance stating where they’re
going and why. Wearing face masks will be obligatory in enclosed public spaces.

The final version of the law laying down the measures
to be imposed during the state of alert was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies
on Wednesday after making a number of amendments to the bill passed earlier by
the Senate. These amendments include the reintroduction of travel restrictions
initially eliminated by the Senate, the possibility of reopening outdoor bars
and restaurants provided health measures and physical distancing rules are
respected as well as the reopening of commercial centres with a surface area of
less than 15,000 square metres. Fines for failure to comply with the measures
imposed by the authorities are capped at the equivalent of around 3,000 euros.

The state of emergency, declared on 16th
March for one month and then extended for a further 30 days, entailed a series
of measures relating to trade, services, healthcare, work relations and places
of worship, as well as a system of fines for breaking the lockdown. A total of 12
emergency orders were issued during this period to regulate these areas. Romania
declared a state of emergency only a few days after the World Health
Organisation had declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

So far, more than 1,000 people have died in
Romania as a result of the novel coronavirus and more than 16,000 have been
infected according to the latest official figures. The good news right now is
that approximately half of those infected have recovered. For more than two
weeks now, the number of active cases has levelled off at between 7,300 and 7,500.
What’s more, the average number of recoveries has begun to equal or even, on
some days, exceed the number of new cases. (CM)

14 May 2020
May 12, 2020 UPDATE

Talks. Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis Tuesday had fresh talks with members of the government on measures to manage the Covid-19 outbreak. In a statement following the meeting, the head of state announced the measures to be introduced as of May 15. Wearing protective face masks becomes compulsory indoors, as does a distance of 1.5 m between people. Klaus Iohannis added that beauty salons, museums and shops that are not located inside shopping centres will reopen. Local authorities are urged to also reopen parks to the public. At the same time, the obligation to stay at home and to carry a written statement detailing the purpose of going out will be lifted. A written statement will only be required when leaving ones home locality. The president explained traveling outside ones home town or village will only be permitted for job-related purposes, individual sports and farm work. As for religious services, in a fist stage they can be held outdoors, with believers wearing face masks and keeping a 1.5 m distance from one another. Professional athletes may resume training under special conditions, but competitions are still suspended. Non-professional athletes may only resume individual sports and outdoor practice. The president concluded by saying that the bill regulating these measures must be endorsed immediately, and called on Parliament to do so as soon as possible.

Motion A
simple motion against the Romanian agriculture minister Adrian Oros, tabled by
the Social Democrats in opposition, will be debated on Monday. The Social
Democrat Petre Daea, former agriculture minister, argues that since the Orban
Cabinet took power, the normal course of agriculture programmes has been hindered.
He warns that farmers are now in a difficult position, among others because the
authorities have either blocked or delayed some ongoing programmes. The Social
Democrats also claim that the agriculture minister failed to take concrete
measures with respect to the drought and the grain exports during the corona
crisis. In response, Adrian Oros argues that the motion is proof that he has
disrupted certain groups of interests which controlled the ministry in recent
years.

Workers. The minister for labour and social protection Violeta Alexandru says she will travel to Germany to look into the working conditions of Romanian workers. She made this announcement hours after being heard by Parliament on the subject of Romanian workers abroad in the context of the pandemic. The minister said people should be respected the freedom to choose the country where they wish to work. She also called on Romanian workers abroad not to accept employment without a legal contract.

Covid-19 Romania. According to the latest toll, infections pass 15,770 in Romania and over 1,000 people have died. Almost 7,700 people have recovered. The highest number of cases was recorded in Suceava, in the north-east, and in the capital Bucharest. Among the Romanians living abroad, more than 2,800 have been infected and 102 have died.

Covid-19 world. The European Commission has forwarded to Member States a roadmap for the gradual lifting of COVID-19 containment measures. The document focuses on monitoring the pandemic. The lifting of restrictions on citizens freedom of movement should be proportionate and non-discriminating, the Commission warns, after several member countries initiated bilateral talks on border crossing provisions. Quarantine measures are to be regulated by national authorities, but the roadmap stipulates that such measures must be taken, maintained or lifted based on scientific and epidemiological criteria and in keeping with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control guidelines. The roadmap also requires countries to provide statistics on the coronavirus outbreak at national and regional level. According to the latest data, infections worldwide pass 4.2 million, while the death toll rose to 287,000. In the United States, which is the worst hit country in the world, the death toll hit 107,000. In Europe, the UK is the worst hit country, with over 32,000 deaths, followed by Italy (over 30,000) and Spain (over 26,000).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, CM)

12 May 2020
From a state of emergency to a state of alert

In mid-May there will be 2 months since the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis introduced a state of emergency to prevent the spread of the SARS CoV-2 virus. This entailed restrictions on fundamental citizen rights, such as the freedom of movement.

On Monday, the head of state made a new announcement: as of May 15, Romania will switch from a state of emergency to a state of alert. The latter is a prevention plan regarding the immediate implementation of prevention measures and actions, public warning and mitigation of the effects of the state of emergency.

The measures must be proportionate to the situations that have caused them, and will be enforced within the limits of the law.

The president warned that the situation has not yet improved. ‘We cannot say that the disease is over, but at some point we have to move on, and this takes the form of this switch to a state of alert, the president explained. He added that the state of emergency measures will be lifted step by step, at intervals of about 2 weeks.

As of May 15, life will gradually return to normal. In a first stage, hairdressers and barbers shops will be opened, along with dentist practices and museums, and people will be allowed to leave their homes within their home towns or villages without a sworn statement regarding the purposes of traveling. However, restrictions remain in place as regards travelling outside the home locality.

Klaus Iohannis: “As of May 15, beauty salons, dentist practices and museums will be opened, but all of them will apply special distancing and hygiene measures. We will all wear face masks when inside public areas and when using public transportation. Travel outside the home locality will be restricted. There are, however, a number of exceptions. One may leave ones home town or village, for instance, for work, for healthcare purposes, for individual sports activities, for biking.

Klaus Iohannis added that professional athletes will be able to begin training under special conditions, but competitions will only be allowed after a sufficient preparation period. He also emphasised that, under a state of alert, meetings of more than 3 people remain forbidden.

The president has once again called for responsibility. “There is no telling how long this epidemic will last, and it is up to us to keep it under control here in Romania. I would very much like for all of us, together, to manage to control it, and this means compliance with the instructions of the authorities, Iohannis concluded.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

5 May 2020
June 2, 2019

Pope Francis’ Visit — The 7 martyr Greek Catholic bishops beatified on Sunday left to the Romanian people a ‘precious’ heritage which can be summed up in two words: freedom and mercifulness, said Pope Francis before 100 thousand people who attended the Holy Mass held by the pontiff in Blaj (in central Romania) known as a spiritual place of the Romanian Greek Catholics. The 7 bishops who died for their faith during the communist regime will be included in the calendar with their new holy names and will be celebrated on June 2. Pope Franscis underlined that the martyrs proved faith and great love for their people in the face of the Communist persecution. Attending the ceremony in Blaj are president Klaus Iohannis and the PM Viorica Dancila. Also on Sunday, the 3rd day of his visit to Romania, the pontiff will meet with members of the Rroma community. On Saturday the Pope met with young people and families in Iasi) northeastern Romania), home to a large community of Catholics, and said that he felt together with the people present the warmth of being with their family. Pope Francis visited the Cathedral ‘Holy Virgin Mary, Queen’ and blessed 800 children, old and sick people. As many as 150 thousand pilgrims attended the ceremonies. Also on Saturday the pontiff held a Mass at the Marian shrine in Şumuleu Ciuc in eastern Transylvania, a place inhibited by a majority ethnic Hungarian population, which venues annually the largest Catholic pilgrimage in Central and Eastern Europe. “Let’s Walk Together” is the motto of Pope Francis’ 3-day visit to Romania. The visit occurs 20 years after the one paid by Pope John Paul II, which was the first visit by a Pope to a country with a majority Orthodox population.

Meeting — The Romanian PM Viorica Dancila on Sunday met with her Moldovan counterpart Pavel Filip, in Iasi, in the context of the two officials’ participation in the events occasioned by His Holiness Pope Francis’ visit to Romania. The two PMs talked about the Romanian-Moldovan relations and the two countries’ ongoing common projects. Other topics tackled during the meeting were: the continuation of programs for refurbishing schools and kindergartens, the development of road infrastructure, energy inter-connection, the building of the Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline and of the Ungheni-Chisinau railway with European standard gauge as well as the framework for providing roaming services. The Moldovan PM thanked Romania for the constant support granted for the implementation of their agenda of reforms, including a grant of more than 200 thousand Euros recently offered, the implementation of the 112 emergency call service, and the provision of state-of-the-art medical equipment to the hospital in Comrat

Bookfest — The 14th edition of Bookfest International Book Fair comes to an end on Sunday. The guest of honor of the fair this year was Great Britain. Bookfest brought more than one million books, of which 4 thousand new releases, and it included more then 350 events. Casa Radio publishing house was among the many publishers participating in the fair, contributing over 150 special titles.

Weather forecast — Meteorologists have issued a fresh alert for the entire territory of Romania valid until Tuesday morning. Unsettled weather, rainfalls, strong winds and hail are expected in most regions. Hydrologists have also issued a code orange alert for floods valid until Sunday afternoon for 22 hydrographic basins in several regions of Romania. The heavy rainfalls and storms have affected 90 localities from 22 counties. In Prahova county, in the south, three children drowned in the high flood, while a 4th kid is reported missing. Almost 11 thousand firefighters, policemen and gendarmes were involved in the operations of evacuating the population from the areas running the risk of flooding, of saving people and limiting the effects of the extreme weather phenomena. The government announced urgent measures to support the people and communities affected by the floods.

Exercise — Monday will see the opening ceremonies for the Multinational Exercise Saber Guardian 2019 in 5 locations in Romania where the main drills will take place: Cincu, Borduşani, Babadag, Smârdan, and Râşnov. The exercise is meant to highlight the cohesion, unity and solidarity of partner and allied states, with a view to ensuring defense against any aggression, anywhere in Europe. (translation by L. Simion)

2 June 2019
February 23, 2019

DIPLOMACY The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has talks today with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, on the sidelines of the EU – League of Arab States summit to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The 2 officials will look at the bilateral relations and discuss concrete means to encourage and deepen the cooperation between the 2 countries, in all areas of mutual interest, particularly in the economy. According to a news release issued by the Presidency, the consultations will also be a good opportunity to discuss common priorities, in light of Romanias holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU and of Egypts holding the presidency of the African Union. At the summit in Egypt scheduled on Sunday and Monday, Klaus Iohannis will give an address presenting Romanias views on the cooperation between EU member states and the Arab League countries in view of finding common solutions to current, as well as medium and long term future challenges.

PES The Romanian PM Viorica Dăncilă had a meeting today with the PM of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, on the sidelines of the congress of the PES in Madrid. The 2 officials expressed their satisfaction with the excellent bilateral relationship, confirmed by the Strategic Partnership, and with the dynamics of bilateral sectorial dialogue. They also discussed the 2 countries cooperation within the EU, given that Romania and Spain have similar views on major topics for the future of the Union, such as the post-2020 financial framework, the cohesion policy, the internal market, justice and home affairs, the Neighbourhood Policy and the EU enlargement. On Friday the Romanian PM had talks with her counterpart from Malta, Joseph Muscat, and with the Portuguese PM, Antonio Costa.

PROTESTS Magistrates in Bucharest and several other Romanian cities protested on Friday in front of court buildings against new changes introduced to the justice laws. They also decided to suspend work for a week, as of Monday. Prosecutors and judges say that Ordinance 7, passed by the Government early this week, may lead to institutional deadlock and affect their independence. One of the provisions that angered the magistrates says that judges having previously worked as prosecutors may be appointed as chief prosecutors, and waives the seniority criterion. The emergency decree has been criticised both in Brussels, by the European Commission, and in Romania, by magistrate associations, the prosecutors division in the Higher Council of Magistracy and by the right-of-centre Opposition.

DRUGS Romanian police jointly with German authorities dismantled a crime group that distributed large amounts of illegal drugs, particularly in Bucharest night clubs. During the operation, which took place last year, the authorities seized 11 kilos of high-risk drugs, 800 euro and 2 vehicles. Five individuals were arrested. The operation was based on intelligence received from German authorities, which found and seized a package containing over 3 kilos of high-risk drugs, during a routine check on a coach traveling from Rotterdam to Bucharest. Romanian police say the amount had been sent to a crime group distributing large amounts of drugs in Bucharest.

WEATHER Romania struggles with exceptionally cold weather, particularly in the north and centre of the country. A code yellow alert for strong wind is in place across the country, except for a few counties in the south-west and the north. On Friday night authorities temporarily suspended navigation in all ports at the Black Sea, and railway traffic was also disrupted. The strong wind brought down tens of trees in the capital Bucharest on Friday night.

MOLDOVA In the Republic of Moldova, the election campaign for Parliament continues. The recently modified election legislation scrapped the so-called reflection day, so candidates may campaign on the very day of the election as well. For the first time, a mixed voting system will be used, with 50 MPs elected on party lists and another 51 in a single-choice system, in one voting round. Polls indicate President Igor Dodons pro-Russian Socialist party is ahead, with nearly 40% of voter intentions, followed by a pro-European right-of-centre election cartel called ACUM, with 25%, and the pro-Western Democratic Party with 15%. A referendum is also held at the same time, concerning the reduction of the number of MPs from 101 to 61 and the possibility to have them removed from office by citizens.

SPORTS The Romanian womens handball team CSM Bucharest plays today at home against the Hungarian side Gyor, in a game counting towards the Champions League main group stage. Also today, Dinamo Bucharest plays Sporting Lisabon away from home, in the first qualifying round for the 8th-finals of the mens version of the same competition.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

23 February 2019
August 5, 2017 UPDATE

HEAT WAVE – Romanian meteorologists have extended the code red alert against extreme heat for Sunday as well, but narrowed it from 12 to 2 counties in the south-west, where highs of 40 – 41 degrees Celsius are expected. Meanwhile, nearly 3-quarters of the country remain subject to a code orange alert, with temperatures of up to 39 degrees and lows between 22 and 25 degrees. The heat wave that has hit Romania these days will continue, and the thermal discomfort index will go over 80, to 82-84 units. On the other hand, starting on Sunday thunderstorms and heavy rainfalls are expected in the north-west and the north of the country, particularly in the mountains, and on Monday in the northern half of the country. Weather experts warn that the weather will remain extremely hot next week as well. Two people died because of the extreme heat, and hundreds required medical assistance. First-aid tents have been set up in all major cities. Speed restrictions are in place on the national railway network as well as on the countrys main roads, with heavy-duty vehicle traffic restricted during the afternoon.

ALERT – Extreme temperatures are also reported across Europe this weekend. Code red alerts are in place in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Hungary, in most of Slovenia, south of Poland, south of Slovakia, south of Switzerland, in central and south-eastern Italy as well as in the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. High wildfire risks are reported in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Albania, Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. The Foreign Ministry recommends that areas under alert should be avoided, and says that Romanian diplomatic missions abroad are prepared to provide assistance to those who request it.

SAXONS – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis urged the Saxon ethnics attending a meeting in Sibiu on Saturday to pass on to younger generations the traditions and values of the community. The head of state, himself a German ethnic, gave a speech both in Romanian and German and attended a parade of Saxon traditional costumes. The city of Sibiu in central Romania is hosting, until Sunday, the 27th and largest so far meeting of Transylvanian Saxon ethnics, under the motto “Home around the world, heart in Transylvania. For this occasion, thousands of Saxon ethnics currently living in Germany, Austria and the USA returned to their home country. The agenda of the event includes 50 events, from exhibitions and book launches to music and dance performances. The Saxon ethnics, a German population, settled in Transylvania starting in the mid-12th Century.

HEROES Romania continues to commemorate its WWI heroes through a series of ceremonies held all over the country. The peak of these events organised by the National Defence Ministry and the Vrancea County Council will be on Sunday, when the country marks 100 years since the Battle of Marasesti, a watershed moment for Romania in the Great War. Regarded as one of the most impressive monuments in the country, the Mausoleum in Marasesti was built in the place where, in the summer of 1917, the Romanian soldiers stood their ground against a technically superior and better-trained German army, losing 480 officers and over 21,000 troops.

CLIMATE – The USA gave written notice to the UN of its intention to pull out of the Paris Agreement on climate change, but will continue to take part in international negotiations, the American State Department announced. Washington will take part in the forthcoming annual UN conference on climate, due in November in Bonn, Germany. On June 1, US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the country from this agreement aimed at containing global warming and signed in 2015 by 195 states. Trump says the deal damages the American economy, but he does not rule out the US rejoining the process after renegotiations or even the signing of a new agreement able to protect the US. Under the Agreement, an official withdrawal notification can only take effect 3 years after the agreement has come into force, that is on November 4, 2016. Donald Trump will therefore be able to pull out from the deal only at the end of 2019, with a one-year notice, AFP reports.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

5 August 2017
August 4, 2017 UPDATE

HEAT A quarter of Romanias territory has been placed under code red alert for extreme heat until Saturday night; in 12 counties in western Romania temperatures are expected to soar to 42 degrees Celsius. The rest of the country remains under a code orange alert with temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius. The thermal discomfort index went over 80 and could reach 82-84 units. Weather experts say that the heat wave will last until mid-next week, but only in the south, while atmospheric instability will increase. First-aid tents have been set up in all major cities to provide fresh cold water to people. Mobile ambulance and medical services have been placed on high alert and speed restrictions have been imposed on the national railway network as well as on the countrys main roads with a view to avoiding accidents. The drought Romania is currently facing has wreaked havoc on the corn and sunflower crops. Numerous countries in Europe like Italy, Poland, Hungary, Switzerland, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, France and the Republic of Moldova have also been affected by this heat wave.

HEROES Romania is commemorating its WWI heroes through a series of ceremonies held all over the country these days. At the Soveja Mausoleum, in the east of the country, which hosts an ossuary of over 2,000 Romanian and Russian soldiers, a religious service was held on Friday. The peak of these events will be on Sunday, when the country marks 100 years since the Battle of Marasesti, a watershed moment for Romania in the Great War. In the summer of 1917 the Romanian soldiers stood their ground against a technically superior and better-trained German army, losing 480 officers and over 21,000 troops.

TALKS Romanias government Friday passed an emergency order under which pensions will no longer be adjusted to salary increases, but only to the inflation rate, to the effect that the net pension benefits can no longer be higher than the net salaries an individual has received prior to retirement. The age and length in service required for an employee to be able to retire remain unchanged. The bill only concerns the pensions of Interior and Defence Ministry personnel, of intelligence service employees, of civil aviation pilots, diplomats, of court staff, MPs and other Parliament employees. Another bill concerns the increase of police staff salaries by 10% and of Interior Ministry civilian staff by 15%. Also on Friday, the Government approved a ceiling on child allowances of roughly 1,850 euros per month as of September.

MEASLES Over the past week more than 100 new measles cases have been confirmed, taking the total number up to 8,455, according to the data centralised by Friday by the National Centre for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control. Thirty-two people, most of them babies and small children, have died since the onset of the measles epidemic in September 2016. Health Minister Florian Bodog said on Friday that the measles vaccination rate grew nearly 4 times in the last 2 weeks.

FOOTBALL Romanias vice champions FCSB formerly known as Steaua Bucharest will be playing in the qualifying play-offs for the Champions League Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon. The first game will be played in Portugal on August 15th and the return match in Bucharest a week later. Also on Friday the champions Viitorul found out their opponent in the Europa League play-off: the Austrian champions FC Red Bull Salzburg. Viitorul will play the first leg at home on August 17 and the return match in Salzburg on August 24. Romania has only these two sides in the European competitions. Another three Romanian sides, Dinamo Bucharest, Astra Giurgiu and CSU Craiova were eliminated from the Europa League, after the defeats they conceded on Thursday, away from home. Contender teams for the Romanians were Athletic Bilbao from Spain, the famous Italian squad AC Milan and Ukraines Oleksandria.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

4 August 2017
April 22, 2017

SIREN WARNING DRILL – The outcomes of the alarm drill carried out in Romania this week indicate that the coverage of siren signal is below 50% of the total national territory. According to data provided by the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, hundreds of sirens could not be tested because of breakdowns or of a shortage of siren operators. In the capital city Bucharest, less than a quarter of the sirens were operational during the drill. Under these circumstances, the Inspectorate, jointly with the Communications Ministry, is analysing the option of setting up a complementary citizen information system for disaster situations. Mobile phone texting is one of the options, which will be discussed until mid-May with telecoms operators, said the Communications Minister Augustin Jianu.

EARTH DAY – On April 22nd, every year, International Earth Day is celebrated. This year the event is held under the motto Environmental and climate literacy, launching a 3-year world education campaign, according to a UN resolution. In Bucharest, Earth Day is marked with an open door day at the National Geology Museum. Special activities for children, concerts and street art events are also organised, and in other cities in Romania people are also invited to take part in events, competitions and exhibitions on environmental topics.

MILITARY – Romanian troops from Battalion 307 Marines are taking part, until April 30th, in a multinational exercise in Latvia, called “Summer Shield. Alongside the Romanian troops, over 1,000 military from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the US, Canada, UK, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland are taking part. Air defence, exploration and artillery support exercises will be held, as well as weapons of mass destruction defence, anti-tank defence and military engineering exercises. “Summer Shield has been held in Latvia since 2004. Starting 2014, when Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, the exercise became part of NATO manoeuvres. As many as 1,300 troops took part in it in 2016.

FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – Thursday nights attack on police forces on Champs-Élysées Boulevard in Paris was the main topic of the last hours of election campaign in France, upsetting the agendas of the candidates and bringing the fight against terrorism back to the forefront of the debate. A poll run after the Champs-Élysées attack finds Emmanuel Macron at the top of voter preferences, with 24.5%, followed by the far-right leader Marine Le Pen, with 23%, and François Fillon and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who share the third place, with 19% each. Over 50,000 police and gendarme are working to ensure safety and order during the presidential election period, PM Bernard Cazeneuve has announced.

TENNIS – Romanias womens tennis team is playing the UK at home, in the playoffs for the Fed Cup World Group II. The games are scheduled for April 22 and 23, in the Black Sea coast resort of Mamaia. Romanias team is made up of Simona Halep (5 WTA), Irina-Camelia Begu (33 WTA), Monica Niculescu (47 WTA) and Sorana Cîrstea (61 WTA). The British team has 2 players in the world top 100: Johanna Konta (10 WTA) and Heather Watson (72 WTA). Romania and Britain have so far played against each other in Fed Cup five times, with Romania winning four of them. Meanwhile, Romanias FED Cup captain, the former world no 1 player Ilie Nastase, has caused a scandal ahead of the play-off tie, through reportedly racist comments about Serena Williams and inappropriate conduct in relation to the British team captain Anne Keothavong. The ITF has begun an investigation.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

22 April 2017
August 11, 2016 UPDATE

QUEEN ANNE – Members of European royal families will attend the funeral of Queen Anne, the Press Office of King Michael I announced on Thursday. So far, members of the Russian, Austrian and German imperial families and of the royal families of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg have confirmed their presence. The casket will be in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Bucharest until Friday. On Wednesday, at the former summer residence of Romanian royalty, Peles Castle, in Sinaia, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti, and Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos were among the many officials paying their respects. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Curtea de Arges. King Michael will be unable to attend the funeral due to ill health. The queen died on August 1st aged 92 in Switzerland, after a battle with cancer.

REPORT – The PM of Romania Dacian Ciolos Thursday rated the Sky News story on alleged weapon smuggling in Romania as unacceptable. He emphasised that a country should not be shed negative light on without evidence, and announced that Romanian authorities had taken a stand on the matter. The Prosecutors Office Investigating Terrorism and Organised Crime (DIICOT) has started an investigation. Several house searches were conducted in northern Romania, which identified the individuals featured in the story, and the weapons were seized. The DIICOT head prosecutor Daniel Horodniceanu has said that so far the report appears to have been staged. On Thursday the institution ordered the prosecution of 3 of the Romanians appearing in the report, including the one who introduced the British journalists to the alleged smugglers. One of the 3 has been detained, said his lawyer. They have been accused of aiding in giving false information, of setting up an organised crime group and of breaching weapon regulations. The British tv channel stands by its report, although the British broadcasting regulatory body has received several notifications regarding the Sky News story. The British journalists argue that, after two months of negotiations, they were pointed to an isolated area in Romania, where they met weapon smugglers who allegedly brought in weapons from Ukraine to be sold in western Europe and the Middle East.

CRIMEA – A new escalation of tensions between Ukraine and Russia is in the focus on attention of the international community. The UN Security Council is to discuss the growing tension between Moscow and Kyiv over Crimea, after Russias accusations that Ukraine plotted attacks in the disputed Black Sea peninsula. NATO also expressed concerns with a new escalation of tensions between the two countries. The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, Thursday put all military units near Crimea and the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk on alert, for fear of a military conflict with Russia. The announcement came after on Wednesday his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, accused Kyiv of using “terror tactics so as to reignite conflict and destabilise Crimea. Russia annexed this Black Sea Peninsula in 2014. The conflict in east Ukraine, between government forces and pro-Russian insurgents, has so far killed 9,500 people.

11 August 2016