Radio România Internațional

Tag: containment

  • September 23, 2021 UPDATE

    September 23, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The COVID-19 epidemic stays on an upward
    trend in Romania. Thursday was the second consecutive day with more than 7,000 new
    cases in 24 hours (7,095 new cases out of nearly 54,000 tests). The largest
    number of infections is reported in the capital Bucharest. The number of Covid
    patients in intensive care is now over 1,000, a situation last seen in early
    May in Romania, and the number of coronavirus-related deaths was 113. Over
    300 towns and villages in the country are now on the red list of places where
    the infection rate is over 3 per thousand. Meanwhile, the total number of vaccine doses
    administered to Romanians went over 10 million on Thursday.


    MEASURES The COVID digital certificate remains a requirement for
    access to indoor events in places with infection rates of over 3 per thousand, and
    it will be compulsory for children over 12, instead of over 6 as originally
    stipulated. Another measure allows businesses to stay open after 6pm, in places
    with infection rates between 3 and 6 per thousand. A night curfew will be in
    place over weekends wherever the infection rate is over 6 per thousand, and
    throughout the week in places with infection rates above 7.5 per thousand. PM
    Florin Cîţu also announced today that vaccinated people will be allowed to
    leave their homes without a sworn statement in places under curfew or lockdown.
    Meanwhile, an emergency order on the COVID
    digital certificate has been endorsed by the Senate and is next to be discussed
    in the Chamber of Deputies. The digital certificate was created at EU level to
    facilitate free travel during the pandemic. The document, which includes a QR
    code, certifies that the holder has been vaccinated, recovered from the disease
    or tested negative for COVID.


    AMBASSADOR
    Romania has been a candidate for accession to the Visa Waiver programme for
    almost 15 years, said the new Romanian ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru,
    who mentioned that there are only three EU member states whose citizens need a
    short-stay visa on US territory. According to Andrei Muraru, the visa rejection
    rate is currently at a fairly high level, around 10%, but he pointed out that
    Romanian and US authorities are working to bring it down to the maximum 3% allowed
    for the Visa Waiver. The Romanian ambassador to the US also said that an
    information campaign will be organized in Bucharest for citizens to find out
    how they can apply for a visa, why their applications are turned down and why
    they should not apply if they do not meet the criteria set by the American
    side.


    NAVY The
    Romanian Navy’s Vice-admiral Constantin Bălescu Minelayer will take part in
    the EUNAVFOR MED operation Irini, in the Mediterranean Sea, between
    the 1st of October and the end of this year. Romanian marines will
    ensure compliance with the arms embargo enforced by the UN on Libya. The
    mission also targets illegal trafficking in oil products, drugs and people, by
    monitoring sea traffic and inspections of suspicious vessels in the
    Mediterranean. A combat diver unit is on board, and the 85 crew members have
    been tested, vaccinated against COVID-19 and isolated in Romanian Navy
    facilities prior to the operation.


    INSURANCE The government passed an emergency order enabling drivers who need to
    have their cars repaired under an insurance policy issued by City Insurance to
    receive their claims more quickly under the Insurance Guarantee Fund. They will
    no longer have to wait for a court to declare the company bankrupt. When its
    license was cancelled, City Insurance had 3 million civil liability policies
    issued to car owners. The Prosecutor General’s Office Thursday had documents
    seized from the company headquarters, as part of a criminal investigation
    following a complaint filed by the Financial Supervising Authority.


    INFRINGEMENT The European Commission Thursday sent Romania and Poland letters of
    formal notice for not correctly incorporating certain aspects of the Offshore
    Safety Directive into their legal systems. These letters of formal notice are
    actually the official start of the infringement procedure. Romania and Poland
    have two months to address the shortcomings, otherwise the Commission may decide to
    send a reasoned opinion. Also on Thursday, the
    Commission took measures against 19 member states, Romania included, for
    failing to take the necessary steps to ensure their citizens benefit from the
    EU audio-visual mass media and telecoms legislation. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • COVID restrictions eased off in Romania

    COVID restrictions eased off in Romania

    With the coronavirus epidemic in Romania apparently coming under control, some of the containment measures in place so far will be lifted. National authorities have announced that as of 1 July, more people will be allowed to take part in private events, performances and festivals. The restrictions concerning the number of tourists accommodated in seaside hotels will also be scrapped. The new measures were announced by the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat:



    Raed Arafat: “A higher number of people will be allowed to take part in private events—weddings, for example—up to a maximum of 150 people in outdoor locations and 100 people indoors, and up to 300 people, if they have been tested, have received the vaccine or have recovered from the disease. Groups of more than 10 pedestrians are also allowed. Indoor and outdoor restaurants and bars will be working up to the maximum capacity of each facility and working hours are extended from 5am to 2am instead of midnight. Ceilings on the accommodation of tourists in seaside hotels will also be eliminated. However, face covering is still compulsory in public indoor areas, such as elevators, hallways, etc.



    Figures are quite encouraging, but it is up to us to keep this positive trend, the head of the vaccination programme, dr. Valeriu Gheorghiță, said in his turn. He presented a report of the first 6 months of the vaccine rollout in Romania. In the forthcoming period, what we need is epidemiological stability, which can only be achieved through vaccination, Valeriu Gheorghiță added.



    He also mentioned that so far over 4.6 million people have received the vaccine, and 4.4 million of them have completed the schedule. This means a vaccine coverage of around 25% of the eligible population, adding to which is the immunity gained as a result of recovering from the disease.



    The highest vaccination rate, 36.5%, is reported among the 60-69 age bracket. In the 12 – 15 group, some 16,200 people have received at least one dose, accounting for 1.9% of this age bracket. Bucharest, with over 45%, and another 7 counties have a vaccination rate of over 30% of the eligible residents.



    Valeriu Gheorghiţă said a rise in the number of cases is expected in the autumn, but he emphasised that a steep surge can be avoided if more people get the vaccine in the next 2 months. (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)

  • Vaccine rollout enters final stage

    Vaccine rollout enters final stage

    As of Monday the 3rd and final phase of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is operational. For the time being, vaccines are available in places where the infection rate is over 4.5 per thousand, such as Braşov (centre) and Timişoara (west). The rest of the population may put their names down on waiting lists on the electronic platform, also starting on Monday.



    According to the authorities, 500,000 people have already created accounts on the electronic appointment platform, and are trying to get a vaccine.



    Citizens eligible for the second phase, i.e. people over 65 years of age, chronic patients and workers in essential sectors, who have not yet received the vaccine, can still make appointments and will have priority on the waiting lists.



    Appointments can be made online or via a call centre. The online platform lists both the existing vaccination centres, and centres scheduled to become operational next month.



    Doctor Valeriu Gheorghiță, the coordinator of the national vaccination programme, announced that at this stage youth between 16 and 18 years of age may also receive the vaccine, but only in those centres where Pfizer doses are available, because this is the only product authorised for this age group.



    Authorities continue to promise that the immunisation campaign will be stepped up. The rate is already over 40,000 shots per day nation-wide, and the number of doses administered so far is over 2 million.



    This month, Romania should receive a total of 2.6 million doses of the 3 vaccines approved in the EU—Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca—while in April the country is scheduled to receive 3 million doses from Pfizer alone.



    Vaccination is not mandatory, the authorities pointed out once again, but it is the only solution if we are to return to normal as soon as possible.



    Meanwhile, with the alarming rise in the number of cases and in the number of patients in intensive care, infectious disease experts warn that the COVID-19 vaccination should not make us feel excessively relaxed, because immunised people can still catch and transmit the coronavirus. This is why they call for strict observance of the current protection measures. Doctors also say that the only means to put an end to the pandemic is to have as many people vaccinated as possible, so as to reduce the number of those vulnerable.



    In the meantime, new containment measures are introduced. The state of alert has been extended, which keeps the already existing restrictions in place while also introducing new ones. The night curfew now starts at 10 pm instead of 11pm, and accommodation facilities in mountain resorts may only run up to 70% of their total capacity. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • March 8, 2021

    March 8, 2021

    COVID-19 Romania’s PM Florin Cîţu announced he asked the
    coordinator of the national vaccination programme Valeriu Gheorghiţă and the
    health minister Vlad Voiculescu to take steps to initiate the 3rd
    vaccination phase sooner than planned, because in March Romania will receive
    2.6 million anti-COVID vaccine doses, which is more than originally estimated.
    The PM said that where citizens entitled to vaccines in the 1st and
    2nd stages of the programme decline getting the jabs, the respective
    doses should go to the general public scheduled for immunisation in the 3rd
    phase. So far 1.16 million people have received the vaccine in Romania. On the
    other hand, more than 830,000 infections have been reported in Romania since
    the start of the pandemic, with the death toll standing at nearly 21,000. Face-to-face classes continue for senior-year middle and
    high school students, but in a mixed system, with half of the children
    attending classes online, under a joint order issued by the education and
    health ministries. The measure is in place up to a COVID infection rate of 6 per
    thousand



    POLICE The Romanian interior ministry intends to increase the number of police forces monitoring compliance with the new COVID-19 containment measures introduced as of Monday in Bucharest and in Timişoara (west). The city of Timişoara and several villages in Timiş County are under lockdown as of midnight, as the number of coronavirus cases is on the rise. Bucharest is also subject to new restrictions, such as the closing of restaurants, cafes and bars. These measures add to the ones already in place in other red-code regions in the country, where the COVID-19 infection rate is over 3 per 1,000.



    WOMEN Romania ranks first in the EU by number of women holding top corporate posts, according to a release issued by a women-founded business centre, which quotes a Eurostat report. According to these figures, 34% of the total senior executive positions in Romania are held by women. Also, over 500,000 active businesses in Romania have women as shareholders. Across Europe, women account for 37% of managers, 28% of board members and 18% of the senior executives. The European Parliament is celebrating today the International Womens Day, in a plenary session. In a conference on “Women on the frontline and lessons learned from managing the crisis, women in politics, healthcare and gender equality share personal experiences and good practices with MEPs.



    PANDEMIC The European Union begins talks today with the United States of America to secure the supply of US-made materials for anti-COVID vaccines, which are subject to tight export controls. The point is to coordinate efforts so as to avoid bottlenecks, AFP reports, quoting EU sources. These components include bags fitted to the manufacturers vats, as well as vials, syringes and so-called “nanolipid particles used to encapsulate some messenger RNA vaccines. Meanwhile, Hungary introduces new containment measures on Monday, with most shops closed for 2 weeks. The UK on the other hand is beginning to lift restrictions, and millions of children are returning to schools after a 2-month break. In turn, Israel is returning to normal. Some restrictions were lifted on Sunday, 15 days ahead of national elections, and Israelis can now go to cafes, restaurants and schools. Worldwide, according to worldometers updates, nearly 117.4 million people have caught the virus, of whom 93 million have recovered and 2.6 million died since the start of the pandemic a year ago.



    FILM Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, the most recent film of Romanian director Radu Jude, won the Golden Bear at the 71st edition of Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale, held online. The film looks into the relations between the individual and society when the leaked sex video of a school teacher goes viral on the Internet, turning her life upside down.



    TENNIS Several Romanian athletes are playing today in the main draw on the Dubai tennis tournament, which has over 1.84 million US dollars in prize money. The first Romanian in the competition, Ana Bogdan (100 WTA) lost to Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Republic, (20 WTA), in 2 sets. Sorana Cîrstea (67 WTA) takes on the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko (142 WTA), Irina Begu (72 WA) is facing Garbine Muguruza of Spain (16 WTA), and Patricia Țig (61 WTA) plays against Latvias Jelena Ostapenko (51 WTA). Two Romanians are also taking part in the doubles competition. Last years winner of the Dubai tournament, the Romanian Simona Halep, 3 WTA, is not taking part in the competition this year. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 5, 2021

    January 5, 2021

    COVID-19 In Romania a total of nearly 650,000 coronavirus
    infections have been confirmed so far, according to the Strategic Communication
    Group, with 4,729 new cases out of 31,022 tests reported in the past 24 hours.
    121 people died since Monday’s report, taking the total death toll to 16,178. The vaccination of healthcare staff
    continues, with more than 25,500 immunised so far, using the Pfizer BioNTech
    vaccine, according to the National Committee coordinating the vaccination
    programme. The authorities say the vaccination of healthcare staff is an act of
    responsibility ensuring the protection of medical personnel and preserving the
    country’s capability to provide safe healthcare services to all patients.



    SCHOOLS The Education Ministry announced this week consultations with students, teachers and parents to analyse the option of reopening schools. Minister Sorin Cîmpeanu is considering a return to face-to-face classes as of the start of the second semester of the school year, provided the COVID-19 situation allows it. The National Students Council warned that online classes are inefficient and demanding. Many students lack access to education because they do not have tablets or an internet connection. Since March 2020, with a brief intermission, Romanian students have attended online classes exclusively.



    CORRUPTION The National Anti-Corruption Directorate requested the General Prosecutors Office to notify president Klaus Iohannis of the commencement of prosecution against former Environment Minister Costel Alexe. Prosecutors say that while a member of the Ludovic Orban Cabinet, Alexe allegedly demanded sheet metal products worth over 20,000 euros from the manager of a steel works, in exchange for awarding greenhouse gas certificates to the company. Alexe denied the accusations and claimed he had confidence in the judiciary. The Social Democrats in Opposition asked Alexe to step down as chairman of the Iasi County Council, a post he has held since this autumns local elections.



    HOUSING In the 27 EU member countries, 17.2% of the people were living in overcrowded households last year, i.e. the number of rooms was insufficient for the number of family members, according to data released today by the European Statistics Office (Eurostat). First by overcrowding rate was Romania, with nearly half of its population (45.8%). Other EU member states with similar problems in 2019 included Latvia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Poland. The countries with the lowest overcrowding rates were Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the Netherlands.



    SPORTS Gymnast Larisa Iordache, twice European champion last year in Turkey, ranks first in a standing of Romanias best athletes of the year 2020, put together by the Romanian Council of Sport Media Association. Iordache won 4 medals at the European Championships in Turkey, gold in beam and floor, and silver in vault and in the team event. Second comes tennis player Simona Halep and wrestler Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu. Halep, number 2 in the world, won 3 tournaments last year, in Dubai, Prague and Rome, while Alexuc won the gold at the European Chapionships in Rome. Ranking 9th in the standings is the incumbent Youth and Sports Minister, Carol-Eduard Novak, who won 3 medals at last years World Para Athletics Championship.



    PANDEMIC Several countries introduce new restrictions to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Italy introduces a 2-day lockdown today, and is to return on January 7 to the measures prior to the winter holidays, including a night curfew and mandatory 2-week quarantine for all citizens who enter the country. In Britain, PM Boris Johnson announced a new lockdown, comparable to the one in spring 2020, as the healthcare system is overwhelmed. Similar measures came into force at midnight in Scotland, whereas the local governments in Wales and Northern Ireland announced schools would stay closed. Austria, in turn, is extending the lockdown at least until January 24th, and so is Germany, which according to Deutsche Welle is extending tough containment measures for another 3 weeks. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • December 19, 2020 UPDATE

    December 19, 2020 UPDATE

    GOVERNMENT The 466 Romanian Deputies and Senators elected on December 6 Saturday started the procedures for taking over their seats and forming the new Parliament. President Klaus Iohannis convened the first meeting of the new legislative on Monday, December 21st. Representatives of the future right-of-centre ruling coalition Saturday continued their negotiations on the governing programme, after having announced on Friday night an agreement on the distribution of key positions in the new parliament and cabinet. Specifically, the coalition agreed that the Chamber of Deputies speaker position will be held by the Liberals, and the Senate speaker post will go to the USR PLUS Alliance. The PM designate will be the incumbent finance minister Florin Cîţu. The Liberals will get 9 ministries in the new cabinet, USR PLUS – 6, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, 3. The latter 2 parties will also appoint 2 deputy prime ministers. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party, which came first in the general election, insists that the fair solution in the current circumstances is a government of national union, headed by Alexandru Rafila, who represents Romania at the World Health Organisation. The Social Democratic president Marcel Ciolacu said his party will never endorse a government made up of the National Liberal Party, USR PLUS Alliance, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, which, he says, keeps Romania in an ongoing crisis.



    COVID-19 5,158 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Saturday, out of nearly 25,800 tests conducted across the country. Another 188 COVID-related deaths were also reported, taking the total death toll to 14,296. 1,274 patients are currently in intensive care. Since the start of the pandemic, nearly 588,000 cases have been reported in Romania, over 493,000 of whom have recovered. President Klaus Iohannis warned that until enough people have received vaccines, all restrictions must be complied with. Containment measures are to remain in place during the winter holidays.



    COMMEMORATION Romania continues to commemorate the heroes that died in the anti-communist Revolution of December 1989. Timişoara celebrates on December 20th Victory Day, when the city was declared free from communism. The uprising first started in this western Romanian city 31 years ago, on December 16th. The following day, the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu ordered the use of lethal ammunition against street protesters. On December 19, to cover the massacre, the communist authorities implemented the so-called Operation “Rose, with bodies taken from the Timişoara morgue to be incinerated in Bucharest. The protests in Timișoara, which left around 100 dead and some 350 wounded, were the spark that led to the collapse of the Ceausescu dictatorship a few days later, in one of the most violent revolutions in south-eastern Europe.



    PANDEMIC India reported on Saturdayover 10 million coronavirus cases, the 2nd-largest number in the world. The US, the worst hit country, as of this weekend has a second vaccine ready for delivery, the one produced by Moderna, which is easier to ship and store than the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The European Medicines Agency announced a decision on the Moderna vaccine is scheduled on January 6, while the Pfizer one will be approved next week. Meanwhile, tough restrictions are announced in Italy during the winter holidays. Restaurants and bars will be closed between December 24 and January 6, and so will most shops, except for 4 days. People will be allowed to receive only 2 guests at home, and as of Monday all citizens entering the country have to be quarantined for 14 days. Britain also introduced strict anti-COVID measures after a surge in infections, possibly caused by a coronavirus mutation.



    SPORTS Romania won the silver medals in the European Artistic Gymnastics Championship held in Mersin (Turkey), on Saturday, after they held the best place in Thursdays qualifications. Romania was outperformed by Ukraine, which won the gold. Third came Hungary. On Sunday, Romania will have competitors in all the apparatus finals, with star gymnast Larisa Iordache qualified in 4 finals (beam, floor, uneven bars and vault). Ioana Stănciulescu will compete in the vault final, Silviana Sfiringu in the beam final and Irina Antonia Duţă in the floor event. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • December 19, 2020

    December 19, 2020

    GOVERNMENT The 466 Romanian Deputies and Senators elected on December 6 today start the procedures for taking over their seats and forming the new Parliament. President Klaus Iohannis convened the first meeting of the new legislative on Monday, December 21st. Meanwhile, representatives of the future right-of-centre ruling coalition today resume negotiations on the governing programme, after having announced last night an agreement on the distribution of key positions in the new parliament and cabinet. Specifically, the coalition agreed that the Chamber of Deputies speaker position will be held by the Liberals, and the Senate speaker post will go to the USR PLUS Alliance. The PM designate will be the incumbent finance minister Florin Cîţu. The Liberals will get 9 ministries in the new cabinet, USR PLUS – 6, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, 3. The latter 2 parties will also appoint 2 deputy prime ministers. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party, which came first in the general election, insists that the fair solution in the current circumstances is a government of national union, headed by Alexandru Rafila, who represents Romania at the World Health Organisation. The Social Democratic president Marcel Ciolacu said his party will never endorse a government made up of the National Liberal Party, USR PLUS Alliance, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, which, he says, keeps Romania in an ongoing crisis.




    COVID-19 5,158 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Saturday, out of nearly 25,800 tests conducted across the country. 139 COVID-related deaths were also reported, taking the total death toll to 14,296. 1,274 patients are currently in intensive care. Since the start of the pandemic, nearly 588,000 cases have been reported in Romania, 493,000 of whom have recovered. President Klaus Iohannis warned that until enough people have received vaccines, all restrictions must be complied with. Containment measures are to remain in place during the winter holidays.




    COMMEMORATION 31 years since the anti-communist Revolution in Romania, the city of Timişoara (west), where the uprising first started, continues to commemorate its heroes. Thursday was a day of mourning, as on December 17, 1989, the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu ordered the use of lethal ammunition against the street protesters. On December 19, to cover the massacre, the communist authorities implemented the so-called Operation “Rose, with bodies taken from the Timişoara morgue to be incinerated in Bucharest. Every year since then, members of the Timişoara victims families come to Bucharest on a symbolic pilgrimage. The protests in Timișoara, which left around 100 dead and some 350 wounded, were the spark that led to the collapse of the Ceausescu dictatorship a few days later, in one of the most violent revolutions in south-eastern Europe.




    DIGITISATION The Romanian Education and Research Ministry posted for consultation until February 15 the SMART-Edu Romanian Education Digitisation Strategy. Over 1,200 experts, NGOs and digital industry stakeholders contributed to the strategy. The document aims to ensure that by 2027, 90% of Romanias population will be digitally literate, and over 80% of the youth up to 34 years will be trained for emerging professions. Another goal is to have all education units in Romania equipped with technological resources and infrastructure to adapt to the latest changes.




    PANDEMIC India has reported today over 10 million coronavirus cases, the 2nd-largest number in the world. The US, the worst hit country, as of this weekend has a second vaccine ready for delivery, the one produced by Moderna, which is easier to ship and store than the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The European Medicines Agency announced a decision on the Moderna vaccine is scheduled on January 6, while the Pfizer one will be approved next week. Meanwhile, tough restrictions are announced in Italy during the winter holidays. Restaurants and bars will be closed between December 24 and January 6, and so will most shops, except for 4 days. People will be allowed to receive only 2 guests at home, and as of Monday all citizens entering the country have to be quarantined for 14 days. Britain also introduced strict anti-COVID measures after a surge in infections, possibly caused by a coronavirus mutation. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • November 25, 2020 UPDATE

    November 25, 2020 UPDATE

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



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



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



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



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

  • November 22, 2020 UPDATE

    November 22, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania since the start of the pandemic passes 418,000. On Sunday, 5,800 new cases were reported. Another 131 coronavirus-related deaths were also confirmed, taking the death toll to over 10,000. A further 1,174 patients are currently in intensive care. The health minister said at present there are around 1,390 intensive care beds, with another 280 to be available in the coming period. Local lockdowns were introduced in several towns and villages with large number of cases, including around the capital Bucharest. President Klaus Iohannis said this is a measure that has proved effective in containing the epidemic. He added similar measures are being considered in many other localities, but that in the coming 2-3 weeks things will return to “somewhat normal parameters. Iohannis announced he would have a meeting on Monday with the health, interior and defence ministers, to clarify aspects related to the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, which he sees as a matter of national security.



    GAUDEAMUS Another 30 new events could be watched online on Sunday, the last day of the Gaudeamus Radio România book fair, held exclusively online this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A rich diversity of events could be accessed on the Fairs Facebook page and website. By Saturday night, the events website had reported more than 40,000 single users. Nearly 200 books were presented online. Apart from the virtual book releases on Facebook and on gaudeamus.ro, the vote for the publics favourite book continued. The Gaudeamus Radio România book fair is a cultural project with a tradition of more than 2 decades. Over 100 companies are taking part, including some of the biggest publishing houses in Romania and distributors of Romanian and foreign books, music and games.



    FILM The 5th BUZZ International Film Festival, based in Buzau and devoted to European cinema, is held exclusively online this year. Until Thursday, November 26, film lovers are invited to enjoy Romanian and European films free of charge. According to the organisers, the Festival has 4 competition sections: fiction features, documentaries, short films and student films. Most of the works in the competition are screened for the first time in Romania. This years surprises include Radu Ciorniciucs documentary, “Home, awarded in major international festivals. In the BUZZ Women section, the highlights include ‘Creativ’, a documentary by Ioana Grigore, and Nora Fingscheidts ‘System Crasher,’ winner of the Silver Bear – “Alfred Bauer Award in Berlin in 2019.



    G20 The leaders of the worlds 20 biggest economies, convening at the virtual G20 summit, hosted for the first time by Saudi Arabia, pledged to secure accessible pricing and fair access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, and that poorer countries are not affected. According to the meetings outcome document, the participants promised to support a global project on vaccines, tests and medicines. The main topic on the agenda of the summit was the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The French president Emmanuel Macron said, “We need to avoid at all costs a scenario of a two-speed world where only the richer can protect themselves against the virus and restart normal lives. In turn, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, proposed an international treaty on pandemic, which would be very useful, he argued, even if the World Health Organisation must remain at the forefront of future health crisis management.



    PANDEMIC The total number of Covid-19 cases worldwide is now over 58 million, with nearly 1.4 million deaths and over 40.5 million people having recovered from the disease, according to Worldometers.info. The US is the worst hit country, with over 12.4 million cases and at least 261,000 deaths. The American company Pfizer and their German partner BioNTech announced they have requested emergency authorisation of their COVID-19 vaccine in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration says the goal is to have the vaccine approved in the first half of December. The 2 companies claim to be able to supply the vaccine within hours of its approval. In turn, the EU may approve 2 vaccines by the end of December, the one produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and the one produced by Moderna. Madrid is to endorse on Tuesday a large-scale vaccination plan covering a large part of the population by next summer. The Madrid region will be under lockdown in the first half of December. The Italian government also announced plans to ease restrictions prior to the winter holidays, with tougher measures to be introduced between Christmas and New Years Eve. Portugal will also close schools ahead of 2 major national holidays, in a move to prevent the spread of the disease before Christmas. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 22, 2020

    November 22, 2020

    COVID-19 The total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania since the start of the pandemic passes 418,000. On Sunday, 5,800 new cases were reported. Another 131 coronavirus-related deaths were also confirmed, taking the death toll to over 10,000. A further 1,174 patients are currently in intensive care. Almost 70% of the total number of COVID-19 patients in Romania have recovered. Local lockdowns were introduced in several towns and villages with large number of cases, including around the capital Bucharest. President Klaus Iohannis said this is a measure that has proved effective in containing the epidemic. He added similar measures are being considered in many other localities, but that in the coming 2-3 weeks things will return to “somewhat normal parameters. The president also promised that efforts will be stepped up to improve the capacity of ITUs. Iohannis announced he would have a meeting on Monday with the health, interior and defence ministers, to clarify aspects related to the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, which he sees as a matter of national security.



    GAUDEAMUS Sunday is the last day of the Gaudeamus Radio România book fair, held exclusively online this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. By Saturday night, the events website had reported more than 40,000 single users. Nearly 200 books were presented online. Apart from the virtual book releases on Facebook and on gaudeamus.ro, the vote for the publics favourite book continues. The Gaudeamus Radio România book fair is a cultural project with a tradition of more than 2 decades. Over 100 companies are taking part, including some of the biggest publishing houses in Romania and distributors of Romanian and foreign books, music and games.



    G20 The online summit of the worlds 20 biggest economies, G20, hosted for the first time by Saudi Arabia, continues on Sunday. The main topic on the agenda is the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. On Saturday, the participants called for affordable and equitable access to vaccines and other tools to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including for poorer nations. The French president Emmanuel Macron said, “We need to avoid at all costs a scenario of a two-speed world where only the richer can protect themselves against the virus and restart normal lives. In turn, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged her counterparts to make sure the vaccine will reach poorer nations as well. Meanwhile, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, proposed an international treaty on pandemic, which would be very useful, he argued, even if the World Health Organisation must remain at the forefront of future health crisis management.



    FILM The 5th BUZZ International Film Festival, based in Buzau and devoted to European cinema, is held exclusively online this year. Until Thursday, November 26, film lovers are invited to enjoy Romanian and European films free of charge. According to the organisers, the Festival has 4 competition sections: fiction features, documentaries, short films and student films. Most of the works in the competition are screened for the first time in Romania. This years surprises include Radu Ciorniciucs documentary, “Home, awarded in major international festivals. In the BUZZ Women section, the highlights include ‘Creativ’, a documentary by Ioana Grigore, and Nora Fingscheidts ‘System Crasher,’ winner of the Silver Bear – “Alfred Bauer Award in Berlin in 2019.



    PANDEMIC The total number of Covid-19 cases worldwide is now over 58 million, with nearly 1.4 million deaths and over 40.5 million people having recovered from the disease, according to Worldometers.info. The US is the worst hit country, with over 12.4 million cases and at least 261,000 deaths. The American company Pfizer and their German partner BioNTech announced they have requested emergency authorisation of their COVID-19 vaccine in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration says the goal is to have the vaccine approved in the first half of December. The 2 companies claim to be able to supply the vaccine within hours of its approval. In turn, the EU may approve 2 vaccines by the end of December, the one produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and the one produced by Moderna. Madrid is to endorse on Tuesday a large-scale vaccination plan covering a large part of the population by next summer. The Madrid region will be under lockdown in the first half of December. The Italian government also announced plans to ease restrictions prior to the winter holidays, with tougher measures to be introduced between Christmas and New Years Eve. Portugal will also close schools ahead of 2 major national holidays, in a move to prevent the spread of the disease before Christmas. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 21, 2020 UPDATE

    November 21, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania since the start of the pandemic passes 412,000. On Saturday, almost 9,700 new cases were reported. Another 160 coronavirus-related deaths were also confirmed, taking the death toll to over 9,900. A further 1,132 patients are currently in intensive care. Almost 70% of the total number of COVID-19 patients in Romania have recovered. Local lockdowns were introduced in several towns and villages with large number of cases, including around the capital Bucharest. Recent reports point to a plateau phase in the epidemic, president Klaus Iohannis said. He announced he would have a meeting on Monday with the health, interior and defence ministers, to clarify aspects related to the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, which he sees as a matter of national security. He added the latest data allows for “moderated optimism and called for strict observance of the containment measures introduced by the authorities.



    PANDEMIC The total number of Covid-19 cases worldwide is now over 58 million, with nearly 1.4 million deaths and over 40 million people having recovered from the disease, according to Worldometers.info. The US is the worst hit country, with over 12 million cases and at least 260,000 deaths. The American company Pfizer and their German partner BioNTech announced they have requested emergency authorisation of their COVID-19 vaccine in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration says the goal is to have the vaccine approved in the first half of December. The 2 companies claim to be able to supply the vaccine within hours of its approval. In turn, the EU may approve 2 vaccines by the end of December, the one produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and the one produced by Moderna. Over the last 24 hours, the number of infections has gone up in Ukraine, Russia, North Macedonia, Croatia, Italy and Spain. Madrid is to endorse on Tuesday a large-scale vaccination plan covering a large part of the population by next summer. The Madrid region will be under lockdown in the first half of December. The Italian government also announced plans to ease restrictions prior to the winter holidays, with tougher measures to be introduced between Christmas and New Years Eve.



    NUCLEAR The European Commission approved the cooperation agreement signed by Romania with the USA in the field of nuclear energy, the Romanian Economy Minister Virgil Popescu said in a Facebook post. He added that 7 billion USD worth of funding has been obtained from the US for the revamping of Cernavoda Unit 1, the building of Units 3 and 4 and for putting together projects in the field of energy. Virgil Popescu says the agreement will ensure Romanias energy security, investments and jobs in many sectors. A consortium will be set up to this aim, comprising companies from the US, Romania, Canada and France.



    FILM The 5th BUZZ International Film Festival, based in Buzau and devoted to European cinema, is held exclusively online as of today. Until November 26, film lovers are invited to enjoy Romanian and European films free of charge. According to the organisers, the Festival has 4 competition sections: fiction features, documentaries, short films and student films. Most of the works in the competition are screened for the first time in Romania. This years surprises include Radu Ciorniciucs documentary, “Home, awarded in major international festivals. In the BUZZ Women section, the highlights include ‘Creativ’, a documentary by Ioana Grigore, and Nora Fingscheidts ‘System Crasher,’ winner of the Silver Bear – “Alfred Bauer Award in Berlin in 2019.



    G20 The online summit of the worlds 20 biggest economies, G20, hosted for the first time by Saudi Arabia, started on Saturday. The main topic on the agenda is the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Saudi King Salman told G20 leaders that they must work towards affordable and equitable access to vaccines and other tools to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including for poorer nations. On Friday, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen voiced hopes that the G20 summit due this weekend will be “a new beginning for multilateralism. Ursula von der Leyen said she would call on the Unions G20 partners to step up economic efforts to provide access to COVID-19 vaccine and treatment for poorer countries as well. The goal is to purchase 2 billion vaccine doses for countries with below-average revenues, the EC president said. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 21, 2020

    November 21, 2020

    COVID-19 The total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania since the start of the pandemic passes 412,000. On Saturday, 9,700 new cases were reported. Most of them were in the capital Bucharest and in Cluj County (north-west). Another 160 coronavirus-related deaths were also confirmed, taking the death toll up to 9,900. A further 1,132 patients are currently in intensive care. Almost 70% of the total number of COVID-19 patients in Romania have recovered. Recent reports point to a plateau phase in the epidemic, president Klaus Iohannis said. He announced he would have a meeting on Monday with the health, interior and defence ministers, to clarify aspects related to the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, which he sees as a matter of national security. He added the latest data allows for “moderated optimism and called for strict observance of the containment measures introduced by the authorities.



    PANDEMIC The total number of Covid-19 cases worldwide is now over 57.9 million, with 1.3 million deaths and over 40 million people having recovered from the disease, according to Worldometers.info. The US is the worst hit country, with over 12 million cases and at least 260,000 deaths. The American company Pfizer and their German partner BioNTech announced they have requested emergency authorisation of their COVID-19 vaccine in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration says the goal is to have the vaccine approved in the first half of December. The 2 companies claim to be able to supply the vaccine within hours of its approval. In turn, the EU may approve 2 vaccines by the end of December, the one produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and the one produced by Moderna. Over the last 24 hours, the number of infections has gone up in Ukraine, Russia, North Macedonia, Croatia, Italy and Spain. Madrid is to endorse on Tuesday a large-scale vaccination plan covering a large part of the population by next summer. The Madrid region will be under lockdown in the first half of December. The Italian government also announced plans to ease restrictions prior to the winter holidays, with tougher measures to be introduced between Christmas and New Years Eve.



    NUCLEAR The European Commission approved the cooperation agreement signed by Romania with the USA in the field of nuclear energy, the Romanian Economy Minister Virgil Popescu said in a Facebook post. He added that 7 billion USD worth of funding has been obtained from the US for the revamping of Cernavoda Unit 1, the building of Units 3 and 4 and for putting together projects in the field of energy. Virgil Popescu says the agreement will ensure Romanias energy security, investments and jobs in many sectors. A consortium will be set up to this aim, comprising companies from the US, Romania, Canada and France.



    GAUDEAMUS The Gaudeamus Radio România book fair continues online today. the 6th day of the fair comes with new online book releases in addition to the 160 that have taken place so far, and events targeting children, teenagers and teachers. The Gaudeamus Radio România book fair, a cultural project with a tradition of more than 2 decades, is held exclusively online this year. Over 100 companies are taking part, including some of the biggest publishing houses in Romania and distributors of Romanian and foreign books, music and games. The fair is coming to an end on Sunday.



    FILM The 5th BUZZ International Film Festival, based in Buzau and devoted to European cinema, is held exclusively online as of today. Until November 26, film lovers are invited to enjoy Romanian and European films free of charge. According to the organisers, the Festival has 4 competition sections: fiction features, documentaries, short films and student films. Most of the works in the competition are screened for the first time in Romania. This years surprises include Radu Ciorniciucs documentary, “Home, awarded in major international festivals. In the BUZZ Women section, the highlights include ‘Creativ’, a documentary by Ioana Grigore, and Nora Fingscheidts ‘System Crasher,’ winner of the Silver Bear – “Alfred Bauer Award in Berlin in 2019. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • The new restrictions are necessary

    The new restrictions are necessary

    The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Tuesday night spoke publicly in favour of the new SarsCov2 containment measures imposed by the government. After an assessment meeting held with the PM, cabinet members and healthcare experts, the head of state gave a press conference presenting arguments and explanations for the new restrictions.



    These include compulsory face covering in all outdoor and indoor areas across the country, the switch to online classes, shops closing at 9pm at the latest, and a night curfew—with some exceptions.



    Europe as a whole is facing a dramatic moment, Klaus Iohannis emphasised:



    Klaus Iohannis: “The virus is obviously spreading at a fast rate, a lot more quickly than this spring. European countries which over the summer had low infection rates are now on the verge of a major healthcare crisis. Until we have an efficient vaccine, there is no other solution but to introduce strict containment measures. This is the only effective strategy and it is used by all the countries where the infection rate is surging. In its turn, Romania is in a very complicated situation, and the restrictions that came into force have one purpose only: to protect the people and reduce the huge pressure on the healthcare system. It is imperative that we avoid having hospitals overwhelmed, and that we give a chance to medical care to all patients, both COVID-19 patients or people suffering from other diseases.



    Iohannis also touched on the controversial topic of the closing of indoor food markets, which he said is an adequate and temporary measure. He accused the Social Democrats in opposition of politicizing the issue, after they endorsed in Parliament, where they have a majority, a bill allowing these forms of trade to continue.



    The Liberals in power described the Social Democrats bill as populist, but several MPs in opposition argued that food markets should have the same status as other indoor shopping facilities. In order to take effect, the bill must be signed into law by president Iohannis.



    At the same press conference, Iohannis reiterated that Romania, as an EU member state, will benefit from a fair number of anti-COVID vaccine doses, when these become available, and that an immunisation strategy is already in place. He also explained that storage and distribution options for various types of vaccine have been analysed, and the institutions in charge with this have been identified.



    In a first stage, the vaccine will be given to healthcare personnel and the citizens at the highest risk of developing severe forms of the disease. The fight against this pandemic is also a solidarity test, which we must pass, Klaus Iohannis concluded. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • October 27, 2020 UPDATE

    October 27, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 Another 4,724 new COVID-19 cases were announced in Romania on Tuesday, and a record-high number of deaths, 104—which takes the death toll so far to over 6,500. Over 820 people are in intensive care. On Tuesday, president Klaus Iohannis held a meeting with the health minister, Nelu Tătaru and ICU experts, to assess the crisis. According to the president, the situation is worsening steadily both at European and at national level. He cautioned that sustained effort is needed in order to contain the pandemic. Iohannis added that the authorities strategic plan for the forthcoming period includes, among other things, opening new intensive care units in the country, and increasing the ICU capacity in 7 hospitals in Bucharest. He also said that accessing EU funding would help improve Romanias capacity to handle the crisis by purchasing new hospital equipment. Iohannis explained that at present Romania has over 3,000 beds in ICUs, for both Covid and non-Covid patients, and over 2,200 ventilators, plus 5 mobile ICUs, 2 modular field hospitals and an ICU module. Interior minister Marcel Vela also announced that a new centre will be set up within the Dimitrie Gerota Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, for recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma for severe cases.



    VISIT On the last day of his visit to France, the Romanian PM Ludovic Orban Tuesday had a meeting with the secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development José Ángel Gurría, and gave an address in the OECD Council meeting. In his speech, Ludovic Orban reiterated Romanias firm commitment to becoming a member of this structure, and emphasised Bucharests determination to invest in key areas like transport infrastructure, digital connectivity, energy and environmental transition, urban development, healthcare, agriculture, education, social protection and research-innovation. Also on Tuesday the Romanian PM met separately with the speakers of the French Parliaments two chambers, and had a meeting with members of the Romanian community in France. Ludovic Orban also talked to representatives of the
    French business environment, members of France’s largest employers’ union -
    MEDEF, about investment opportunities in Romania. On Monday, following talks with the French PM Jean Castex, important agreements were signed for strengthening political, economic and military ties between Romania and France.



    DEFICIT Romanias budget deficit reached 6.36% of GDP in the first 9 months of this year, as against 2.6% of GDP in the corresponding period of last year, according to the Finance Ministry. More than half of the deficit registered in January – September 2020 is accounted for by amounts channelled into the economy through tax facilities, investments and exceptional expenditure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Official estimates point to an 8.6% deficit this year.



    AMBASSADORS Six nominees for Romanian ambassadors will be interviewed on Wednesday by Parliaments committees on foreign policy and the Romanian diaspora. The new ambassadors will serve in Morocco and Mauritania, North Macedonia, Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Uzbekistan and Albania. On October 7 and 19, the relevant committees heard 16 other candidates, all of whom received Parliaments green light for their posts.



    DIPLOMACY In Chişinău, the Russian Embassy and the ruling Socialist Party are accusing the Romanian ambassador of attempting to re-write the history of WW2. The response came after Ambassador Daniel Ioniţă paid tribute to the Romanian soldiers fighting to reunite Romanian regions, during a ceremony on the Romanian Army Day. The Embassy of Romania to Moldova replied it did not want to be dragged into the disputes triggered by the election campaign in that country. The unprecedented attack stirred harsh criticism among historians, academics and civil society. Analyst Nicolae Negru told Radio Chişinău that Russia has no moral right to give humanity lessons, given the persecution suffered by Bessarabian people under the Soviet regime. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)