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Tag: coronavirus

Flu season in full swing in Romania

Romania is not facing an outbreak of
seasonal flu at the moment, but only an intensification in the circulation of
the virus in some parts of the country. The number of cases is lower than last
year, but experts do not rule out the possibility that this number may rise over
the coming weeks given that vaccine coverage only amounts to a third of that recommended
by the World Health Organisation.

The manager of the Matei Bals
Institute for Infectious Diseases, dr. Adrian Streinu Cercel says that almost
1,600 persons came to the hospital he works at last weekend, with more than 600
being diagnosed with the flu. He again called on the population to realise the
importance of vaccination.

People are worried about the flu,
but they only do so during the flu season. I would advise them to get worried
in March or April and start thinking that around October they should get the
vaccine.

Doctors warn that apart from
anti-flu vaccination, personal hygiene also plays an important role in
preventing disease. They also recommend avoiding contact with sick people and
staying away from crowded areas. Visitor access has already been restricted at
several hospitals in Romania and classes have been suspended for a few days in
a few kindergartens and schools. The Bucharest transport authority says it
plans to distribute face masks free of charge to passengers to prevent the
appearance of hotbeds of infectious diseases. More care will also be given to
disinfect the vehicles used in public transport.

As if seasonal flu wasn’t causing
enough alarm among the population and the authorities, Romania, like other
states around the world, is now forced to take prevention measures about the
new coronavirus originating in China. The health minister Victor Costache tells
us more about the measures envisaged by an inter-ministerial committee for
monitoring and managing potential infections with the new coronavirus:

We have a first centre capable of
testing and identifying the coronavirus at Matei Bals, with regional centres
about to be set up within a week at the most in Iasi, Cluj, Timisoara, Targu
Mures and Bucharest. The transport ministry has already created, since
Saturday, a special access corridor for everyone coming from China. A data base
was also created for all these passengers to know their exact whereabouts in
Romania.

According to the manager of the
Matei Bals Institute for Infectious Diseases Adrian Streinu Cercel, the risk of
a coronavirus case to reach Romania is low. Nevertheless, prevention is better
than cure, as the old saying goes.

28 January 2020
Saison grippale en Roumanie

La Roumanie n’est pas pour l’instant confrontée à une épidémie de grippe saisonnière. On constate, pourtant, que le virus se propage plus vite dans certaines régions du pays. Même si le nombre de cas confirmés est inférieur à celui recensé l’an dernier, les spécialistes n’excluent pas la possibilité qu’il augmente durant les semaines à venir, dans le contexte où le pourcentage des personnes vaccinées représente seulement un tiers du taux de couverture vaccinale recommandé par l’Organisation mondiale de la santé.

Le Pr. Adrian Streinu – Cercel, manager de l’Institut de maladies infectieuses “Matei Balş” de Bucarest, a précisé que, ces derniers jours, près de 1.600 personnes, dont 600 diagnostiquées avec la grippe, s’étaient présentées à l’établissement hospitalier qu’il dirige. Il a de nouveau appelé la population à prendre conscience de l’importance de la vaccination. Adrian Streinu Cercel: “Les gens ont peur de la grippe et je ne sais pas pourquoi cette peur ressurgit justement pendant la saison grippale. Je leur suggèrerais de s’en inquiéter plutôt aux mois de mars ou d’avril, de penser à se faire vacciner en octobre et de faire les démarches nécessaires pour se procurer le vaccin.”

Les médecins attirent l’attention qu’en dehors de la vaccination antigrippale le respect des règles d’hygiène est lui aussi très important pour la prévention de la maladie. Ils recommandent également d’éviter le contact avec les personnes malades ainsi que les zones très fréquentées. Certains hôpitaux à travers le pays ont déjà limité les visites des proches, tandis que les cours ont été suspendus pour quelques jours dans des maternelles et des écoles. La Société des transports de Bucarest a fait savoir qu’elle envisageait de distribuer gratuitement aux passagers des masques de protection, afin de prévenir l’apparition de nouveaux foyers d’infection. En outre, les moyens de transport en commun seront soigneusement désinfectés.

Comme si la grippe saisonnière ne suffisait pas pour semer la panique au sein de la population et donner du fil à retordre aux autorités, la Roumanie est obligée, à l’instar de tous les autres pays du monde, de prendre des mesures de prévention contre le nouveau coronavirus originaire de Chine. Le ministre roumain de la Santé, Victor Costache a détaillé les mesures conçues par le Comité interministériel chargé du suivi et de la gestion des potentielles infections à ce nouveau coronavirus: “Nous avons mis en place, à l’hôpital Matei Balş, un premier centre capable de tester et de dépister le coronavirus et dans une semaine nous allons créer aussi des centres régionaux à Iaşi, Cluj, Timişoara, Târgu Mureş et bien sûr à Bucarest. Samedi dernier, le ministère des Transports a décidé d’établir un couloir d’accès spécial à l’intention des personnes venant de Chine. Par ailleurs, une base de données a été créée recelant des informations sur ces personnes — là pour savoir exactement où ils vont habiter en Roumanie”.

Selon le docteur Adrian Streinu-Cercel, manager de l’Institut de maladies infectieuses “Matei Balş” de Bucarest, le risque d’introduction en Roumanie de ce nouveau coronavirus est réduit. Il ne faut pas pour autant oublier qu’il vaut mieux prévenir que guérir. (Trad. Mariana Tudose)

28 January 2020
January 27, 2020 UPDATE

PARLIAMENT – The
Romanian Parliament on Monday met in an extraordinary sitting, which will last until
Wednesday evening, to discuss the elimination of special pensions and the
election of mayors in two rounds, with the government seeking to pass the
latter bill by assuming responsibility for it. The Social Democrats, supported
by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, are planning to file
the motion next week. President Klaus Iohannis said that if the motion passes,
he will nominate Ludovic Orban again for the position of Prime Minister. With
regard to the pensions bill, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban says his party is in
favour of calculating pensions based on the contribution principle, with the
exception of service pensions for the military. The interim president of the
Social Democratic Party Marcel Ciolacu says the bill is unconstitutional because
it also eliminates the special pensions for magistrates.

COMMEMORATION -
Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Monday attended in Poland the official
events marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi
concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Over 200 Holocaust survivors and
delegations from 50 countries attended the events. Polish president Andrzej
Duda was joined by Holocaust survivors in paying floral tributes to the Death
Wall, where Nazi SS troops executed thousands of people. Israeli President
Reuven Rivlin pointed out racism and anti-Semitism should be combated
decisively, with determination and zero compromise. The Romanian government has
reiterated its commitment to continue efforts to assume responsibility for the
country’s past, to promote education and research on the Holocaust and
commemorate the victims. Last week, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis attended
an international Holocaust remembrance forum in Israel and on Monday he
decorated several Holocaust survivors.

MERGER – Talks
are ongoing in Bucharest over a possible merger between Save Romania Union and
PLUS, currently forming an alliance. The permanent bureaus of the two parties
agreed on Monday to summon a congress on this matter in July. The branches of
the two parties are encouraged to designate common candidates for the upcoming
local election.

CORONAVIRUS – The
authorities in Bucharest are considering whether to introduce thermal scanners
on airports in Romania. These instruments can detect the persons whose body
temperature is higher than 38 degrees Celsius, as high fever is one of the
symptoms of the new coronavirus. There is currently one unconfirmed case in
Romania, although doctors say it is very unlikely for the patient to be a
carrier of the coronavirus. In China, tighter measures are being taken to
contain the spread of the virus, which has already killed over 80 people. In
Beijing, the authorities have postponed the reopening of schools, more travel
restrictions are in place and wearing a face mask is becoming obligatory. The
director of the World Health Organization arrived in Beijing on Monday to
discuss the possibility of a global outbreak. In China, the number of confirmed
cases is nearing 3,000. The coronavirus, which originates in animals and causes
pneumonia, has spread to Europe, the United States and Australia. The symptoms
include severe coughing, fever and breathing problems, and in some cases
failure of the vital organs.

FLU VIRUS -
Another person has died in Romania because of the flu, with the total number
reaching four since the beginning of the season. The latest victim is a
43-year-old man from Sibiu County. Several schooling units have been shot down
due to viral respiratory infections or the flu virus. Doctors recall that
vaccination is the only effective prevention measure. The number of people who
have taken the anti-flu vaccine in Romania is higher than last year, when
almost 200 people died because of the complications caused by the flu.

TENNIS – World
no. 3 Simona Halep of Romania on Monday defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens, world
no. 17, in straight sets, in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, the
first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year. In the next round, Halep will
face the Estonian player Anett Kontaveit, world no. 31. A finalist in Melbourne
in 2018, Halep has won both of her previous matches against Kontaveit, which
took place in 2017, in Miami and Rome. Also on Monday, in the women’s doubles,
the Romanian-Japanese pair Monica Niculescu and Misaki Doi lost to Hao-ching
Chan and Latisha Chan of Taiwan in straight sets in the fourth round. On
February 3, Simona Halep will become the tennis player with the most
consecutive weeks in the top 10 WTA among the players born after 1980. She will
reach the 315 mark, overtaking the current holder of the record, the Swiss
player Martina Hingis, who spent 314 consecutive weeks in the top 10.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

27 January 2020
27.01.2020 (mise à jour)

Holocauste – Le premier ministre roumain, Ludovic Orban, a participé lundi en Pologne à la commémoration des 75 ans écoulés depuis la libération du camp d’extermination nazi d’Auschwitz-Birkenau. Les cérémonies officielles ont été organisées par les autorités de Varsovie à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de commémoration des victimes de l’Holocauste. Y ont participé plus de 200 survivants et des délégations d’une cinquantaine de pays. Le président polonais, Andrzej Duda, a déposé des couronnes en face du Mur dit de la Mort, où les soldats nazis ont mitraillé des milliers de Juifs. Pour sa part, le président israélien a affirmé que l’antisémitisme et le racisme doivent être combattus sans compromis. Le gouvernement roumain, lit-on dans le communiqué reconfirme l’engagement de poursuivre ses démarches en matière d’assumer le passé, d’éduquer le public, d’étudier l’Holocauste et de commémorer ses victimes. La semaine dernière, le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis a participé en Israël à un forum international consacré à la commémoration des victimes de l’Holocauste. Lundi, il a décoré plusieurs survivants de l’Holocauste.

Parlement – Le Parlement roumain se réunit en séance extraordinaire du 27 au 29 janvier pour débattre de l’élimination des régimes spéciaux de retraite et de l’engagement de la responsabilité politique du gouvernement pour l’élection des maires en deux tours de scrutin. Les sociaux-démocrates, soutenus par l’Union démocrate magyare de Roumanie ont annoncé leur intention de déposer vendredi, une motion de censure contre le gouvernement Orban. Le chef de l’Etat a affirmé que si la motion passe, il proposera toujours Ludovic Orban pour le fauteuil de premier ministre. Côté retraites, le premier ministre et président du PNL, Ludovic Orban a annoncé que son parti avait décidé qu’elles soient fondées sur le principe de contributivité, à l’exception du régime spécial dont bénéficient les militaires. Le président par intérim du PSD, Marcel Ciolacu affirme que le projet de loi initié par le PNL est contraire à la Constitution puisqu’il élimine justement le régime spécial de retraite dont bénéficient les magistrats. Fusion – Les deux partis politiques à l’intérieur de l’Alliance USR PLUS, d’orientation libérale, pourraient fusionner. Lors d’une réunion commune organisée lundi, les bureaux des deux formations ont décidé de solliciter aux organisations la mise en place, en juillet, d’un congrès sur ce thème. Par ailleurs, les filiales USR et PLUS sont encouragées à désigner des candidats communs aux prochaines élections locales.

Virus – Les autorités de Bucarest souhaitent mettre en place des scanners thermiques dans les aéroports de Roumanie. Il s’agit d’équipements qui peuvent détecter les personnes dont la température corporelle est supérieure aux 38 degrés, la fièvre étant d’ailleurs un des symptômes du nouveau coronavirus. A l’heure où l’on parle, un seul patient est suspecté d’avoir contracté le nouveau virus sans que le diagnostic soit confirmé. Par ailleurs, les autorités chinoises intensifient les mesures de prévention de la propagation du virus, qui a déjà tué plus de 80 personnes. Les autorités de Pékin ont ajourné la rentrée scolaire et renforcé les restrictions de voyage alors que le port d’un masque de protection est désormais obligatoire. Le coronavirus qui provoque une pneumonie grave s’est répandu en Europe, aux Etats-Unis et en Australie. Les symptômes sont la toux sévère, la fièvre et la respiration difficile.

Grippe – Une autre personne est décédée en Roumanie à cause de la grippe saisonnière, portant à 4 le bilan des décès dus à ce virus. Il s’agit d’un homme âgé de 43 ans, du compté de Sibiu, dans le centre. Plusieurs établissements scolaires ont fermé leurs portes en raison des infections respiratoires. Les médecins rappellent que l’unique méthode de prévention est la vaccination. Le nombre des Roumains à se faire vacciner contre la grippe jusqu’ici est supérieur à celui de l’année dernière, lorsque 200 personnes sont décédées suite aux complications produites par la grippe.

Météo – Le temps restera couvert dans les 24 prochaines heures. Pourtant, les températures continueront à dépasser la moyenne saisonnière. Les météorologues prévoient des températures maximales de 3 à 12 degrés, avec 10 degrés dans la capitale.

27 January 2020
Nachrichten 27.01.2020

Das rumänische Parlament tritt von Montag bis Mittwochabend in einer außerordentlichen Sitzung zusammen, um die Abschaffung der Sonderrenten und die Wahl der Bürgermeister in zwei Runden zu erörtern, wobei die Regierung versucht, das letztgenannte Gesetz zu verabschieden, indem sie die Vertrauensfrage stellt. Senatoren und Abgeordnete können noch am Montag Änderungsanträge zum Kommunalwahl-Gesetz einreichen, über die die Regierung morgen debattieren kann. Die Union Rettet Rumänien und die Allianz der Liberalen und Demokraten behaupten, dass sie Änderungsanträge einreichen werden, während die Sozialdemokratische Partei in der Opposition bereits einen Misstrauensantrag gegen die liberale Regierung vorbereitet. Die Sozialdemokraten, die von der Demokratischen Union der Ungarn in Rumänien unterstützt werden, planen, den Antrag nächste Woche einzureichen. In Bezug auf das Rentengesetz sagt Premierminister Ludovic Orban, dass seine Partei für die Berechnung der Renten auf der Grundlage des Beitragsprinzips ist, mit Ausnahme der Dienstrenten für das Militär. Der Interimsvorsitzende der Sozialdemokratischen Partei Marcel Ciolacu hält den Gesetzentwurf für verfassungswidrig, da er auch die Sonderrenten für Richter abschaffe.

Der rumänische Ministerpräsident Ludovic Orban nimmt am Montag in Polen an den offiziellen Veranstaltungen zum 75. Jahrestag der Befreiung des Nazi Konzentrationslagers Auschwitz-Birkenau teil. Die Veranstaltungen werden von den polnischen Behörden am Internationalen Holocaust-Gedenktag durchgeführt. In einer Erklärung der rumänischen Regierung heißt es, dass an den Feierlichkeiten, die unter der hohen Schirmherrschaft des polnischen Präsidenten Andrzej Duda stattfinden, Beamte aus vielen Staaten, Holocaust-Überlebende und Mitglieder jüdischer Organisationen teilnehmen. Die rumänische Regierung bekräftigt ihre Verpflichtung, die Bemühungen um die Übernahme von Verantwortung für die Vergangenheit des Landes fortzusetzen, die Bildung und Forschung über den Holocaust zu fördern und der Opfer zu gedenken, heißt es in der Erklärung ebenfalls. In einer Mitteilung des Außenministeriums heißt es, die dramatische Episode des Holocaust bleibe eine Lektion der nationalen und weltweiten Geschichte, die im gegenwärtigen internationalen Kontext, der von wachsender Intoleranz, Fremdenfeindlichkeit und Antisemitismus geprägt ist, niemals vergessen werden dürfe. In der vergangenen Woche nahm Rumäniens Präsident Klaus Iohannis an einem internationalen Holocaust-Gedenkforum in Israel teil.

In Rumänien könnten die beiden Parteien der Allianz USR-PLUS fusionieren. Ihre nationalen Büros beschlossen am Montag in einer gemeinsamen Sitzung, ein Mandat für die Organisierung eines Kongress im Juli ihren Organisationen zu fordern. Gleichzeitig werden die USR- und PLUS-Zweigstellen aufgefordert, im nächsten Monat gemeinsame Kandidaten für die Kommunalwahlen zu nominieren.

Die Behörden in Bukarest erwägen die Einführung von Thermoscannern auf Flughäfen in Rumänien. Diese Instrumente können Personen erkennen, deren Körpertemperatur höher als 38 Grad Celsius ist, denn hohes Fieber ist eines der Symptome des neuen Coronavirus. In China werden strengere Maßnahmen ergriffen, um die Ausbreitung des Virus einzudämmen, das bereits über 80 Menschen getötet hat. In Peking haben die Behörden die Wiedereröffnung von Schulen verschoben, es gibt mehr Reisebeschränkungen und das Tragen einer Gesichtsmaske wird zur Pflicht. Diese außergewöhnlichen Maßnahmen werden ergriffen, da es noch keinen Impfstoff gegen das Coronavirus gibt. In China liegt die Zahl der bestätigten Fälle bei fast 3.000. Das Coronavirus, das von Tieren stammt und eine Lungenentzündung verursacht, hat sich nach Europa, in die Vereinigten Staaten und nach Australien ausgebreitet. Zu den Symptomen gehören schwerer Husten, Fieber und Atembeschwerden sowie in einigen Fällen ein Versagen der lebenswichtigen Organe.

Eine weitere Person ist in Rumänien an der Grippe gestorben, seit Beginn der Saison sind es insgesamt vier. Das jüngste Opfer ist ein 43-jähriger Mann aus dem zentralrumänischen Kreis Sibiu. Drei Schulen – zwei in Bukarest und eine in Sibiu – wurden wegen Infektionen der Atemwege oder Grippe geschlossen.Die Ärzte behaupten, dass die Impfung die einzige wirksame Präventionsmaßnahme ist. Die Zahl der Menschen, die den Grippeimpfstoff in Rumänien eingenommen haben, ist höher als im vergangenen Jahr, als fast 200 Menschen an den durch die Grippe verursachten Komplikationen starben.

27 January 2020
Romanian authorities on alert for coronavirus

The newly found coronavirus, discovered in China, is not as strong as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which caused an epidemic that killed over 750 people in 2002-2003, but it proves to be more contagious, as it is able to spread even before any symptoms appear in patients, Chinese health officials announced on Sunday. The new disease, which emerged in Wuhan in December, has already contaminated thousands of people in China, and the death toll is rising by the day.

The Chinese officials are trying to ease away fears, explaining that whereas the death rate with SARS was around 10%, the rate for the new coronavirus is lower. There is no need to panic, but nor should people be careless: for the most part of the patients, the symptoms are benign and treatable, and many of the people who died over the past 2 months had been already suffering from other diseases and were over 65.

The symptoms include severe coughing, fever and breathing difficulties. Antibiotics and antiviral medication are useless. The patients must be hospitalized and may receive treatment for the internal organs, but recovery depends largely on the state of their immune system. For the time being there is no vaccine, but the virus strain has been isolated by Chinese researchers, which is the first step in creating a vaccine.

The countries having already confirmed coronavirus cases include Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Nepal, Australia, the USA, Canada and France.

In Romania, travelers coming from this geographic region are monitored. Alerts have been issued in Cluj (north-west), Timisoara (west), Constanta (south-east) and Bucharest, but by Monday noon they had been disconfirmed, according to a recently established inter-ministry committee for the monitoring and management of possible coronavirus infections, which includes experts from the Healthcare Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry and Transport Ministry.

Special measures are in place with respect to the 25 members of a traditional music group currently in Beijing, who are due to land in Bucharests Otopeni Airport on Tuesday afternoon. As regards other musicians, who were on a 40-day tour in China and have already returned to Romania, county healthcare authorities are checking on them on a daily basis.

Last week authorities decided to purchase thermal scanners for airports, to detect passengers whose body temperature is above 38 degrees Celsius. Fliers and billboards disseminate information, and permanent medical units are on duty in airports. Unfortunately, however, the Romanian authorities also have to deal, at the same time, with the common, seasonal flu, which is already making victims in the country.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

27 January 2020
27 January, 2020

Parliament. The Romanian Parliament meets in extraordinary session from
today until Wednesday evening to discuss the elimination of special pensions
and the election of mayors in two rounds, with the government seeking to pass
the latter bill by assuming responsibility for it. Senators and deputies can
still submit amendments to the local elections bill today for the government to
debate them tomorrow. The Save Romania Union and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats says they will submit amendments, while the Social Democratic Party
in opposition is already preparing to file a no-confidence motion against the
Liberal government. The Social Democrats, supported by the Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, are planning to file the motion next week. With
regard to the pensions bill, prime minister Ludovic Orban says his party is in
favour of calculating pensions based on the contribution principle, with the
exception of service pensions for the military. The interim president of the
Social Democratic Party Marcel Ciolacu says the bill is unconstitutional
because it also eliminates the special pensions for magistrates.

Anniversary. Romanian prime minister
Ludovic Orban is today attending in Poland the official events marking the 75th
anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The events are held by the Polish authorities on International Holocaust
Remembrance Day. In a statement by the Romanian government, the festivities,
which are held under the high patronage of the Polish president Andrzej Duda,
are attended by officials from many states, Holocaust survivors and members of
Jewish associations. The Romanian government reiterates its commitment to
continue efforts to assume responsibility for the country’s past, to promote education
and research on the Holocaust and commemorate the victims, the statement also
reads. A foreign ministry release says the dramatic episode of the Holocaust
remains a lesson of national and world history that should never be forgotten,
in the current international context marked by growing intolerance, xenophobia
and anti-Semitism. Last week, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis attended an
international Holocaust remembrance forum in Israel.

Coronavirus. The authorities in
Bucharest are considering whether to introduce thermal scanners on airports in
Romania. These instruments can detect the persons whose body temperature is
higher than 38 degrees Celsius, as high fever is one of the symptoms of the new
coronavirus. In China, tighter measures are being taken to contain the spread
of the virus, which has already killed over 80 people. In Beijing, the
authorities have postponed the reopening of schools, more travel restrictions
are in place and wearing a face mask is becoming obligatory. These exceptional
measures are taken as there is yet no vaccine against the coronavirus. In
China, the number of confirmed cases is nearing 3,000. The coronavirus, which
originates in animals and causes pneumonia, has spread to Europe, the United
States and Australia. The symptoms include severe coughing, fever and breathing
problems, and in some cases failure of the vital organs.

Flu. Another person has died in
Romania because of the flu, with the total number reaching four since the
beginning of the season. The latest victim is a 43-year-old man from Sibiu
county, in the centre. Doctors recall that vaccination is the only effective prevention
measure. The number of people who have taken the anti-flu vaccine in Romania is
higher than last year, when almost 200 people died because of the complications
caused by the flu.

Tennis.
World no. 3 Simona Halep of Romania today defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens, world no. 17, in straight sets, in the
quarterfinals of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of
the year. In the next round, Halep will face the Estonian player Anett Kontaveit, world no. 31. A finalist in Melbourne
in 2018, Halep has won both of her previous matches against Kontaveit, which
took place in 2017, in Miami and Rome. Also today, in the women’s doubles, the
Romanian-Japanese pair Monica Niculescu and Misaki Doi lost to Hao-ching
Chan and Latisha Chan of Taiwan in straight sets in the fourth round. On the 3rd
of February, Simona Halep will become the tennis player with the most
consecutive weeks in the top 10 WTA among the players born after 1980. She will
reach the 315 mark, overtaking the current holder of the record, the Swiss
player Martina Hingis, who spent 314 consecutive weeks in the top 10.

Handball. The Romanian women’s handball side Gloria Bistriţa on Sunday
night won their first match in the EHF Cup, as they defeated the Danish side
Odense Handbold 25:23 at home. In their previous Group C matches, Gloria had
two draws and a loss. In Group B, Măgura Cisnădie lost at home to the Danish side Kobenhavn Handball 28:33. This
was their fourth defeat in four matches. Group matches will come to an end on
the 9th of February. On Saturday, in their first matches in the
Champions League main groups, Romanian title holders SCM
Ramnicu Valcea defeated the Slovenian side RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana, 31:16,
while vice-champions CSM Bucharest lost to the Hungarian side Ferencvaros Budapest:
23:33.

27 January 2020
Mesures contre le coronavirus chinois

Le nouveau coronavirus chinois n’est pas aussi
puissant que le Syndrome respiratoire aigu sévère (SRAS), à l’origine d’une
épidémie meurtrière en 2002-2003, mais s’avère plus contagieux, pouvant se
transmettre même avant l’apparition de symptômes – ont indiqué dimanche de
hauts responsables sanitaires chinois. Apparu dans la ville de Wuhan en
décembre, ce coronavirus a déjà contaminé plus de 2.000 personnes et en a tué
80, le nombre de victimes augmentant chaque jour. Les spécialistes chinois
essayent de calmer la population, car si le taux de mortalité du SRAS était
dans les 10%, celui du nouveau virus est inférieur. La population ne devrait
pas se montrer négligente, ont-ils précisé, mais ne devrait pas s’affoler non
plus : les symptômes sont, chez la plupart des personnes infectées, bénins
et peuvent être traités. La majorité des malades décédés souffraient de pathologies
préexistantes et étaient âgés de plus de 65 ans.

Concrètement, les symptômes rapportés sont
toux sévère, fièvre et difficultés de respiration. Les antibiotiques et les médicaments
antiviraux s’avèrent inefficaces contre le nouveau coronavirus, les personnes
infectées doivent alors être hospitalisées. Il n’y a pas de vaccin pour le
moment, mais le premier pas pour en développer un a été fait, car la souche du
virus vient d’être isolée par des chercheurs chinois. Parmi les pays qui ont
rapporté des cas de maladie, en plus de la Chine, comptent la Thaïlande,
Singapour, la Malaisie, Taïwan, le Japon, la Corée du Sud, le Vietnam, le
Népal, l’Australie, les Etats-Unis, le Canada et la France.

En Roumanie, la circulation des personnes qui
ont voyagé en Chine est surveillée. Il y a eu plusieurs cas d’inquiétude jusqu’à
présent – à Cluj (centre-ouest), à Timişoara (ouest), à Constanţa (sud-est) et à Bucarest – mais
aucune infection n’a été confirmée jusqu’à présent. Un Comité interministériel,
avec des spécialistes des ministères de la Santé, des Affaires étrangères, de
l’Intérieur et des Transports, vient d’être créé pour la surveillance et la gestion
d’éventuelles infections. Des mesures spéciales seront prises pour le retour en
Roumanie d’un ensemble de musique traditionnelle, composé de 25 personnes, qui
se trouve actuellement à Pékin et qui devrait arriver mardi après-midi à
l’aéroport de Bucarest. Quant aux musiciens de la Philharmonie de Timişoara qui étaient en
tournée en Chine pendant 40 jours et qui sont rentrés en Roumanie la semaine
dernière, leur état de santé est surveillé par les spécialistes en santé publique
du département de Timiş. Les autorités roumaines ont décidé dès la semaine dernière d’acquérir
des scanners thermiques pour les aéroports, mais la décision de leur installation
devrait être prise dans le courant de la journée. Les appareils détectent les
personnes dont la température corporelle dépasse les 38° C. Il a également été décidé
que les centre médicaux des aéroports restent ouverts 24h/24 et que les passagers
soient informés concernant la nouvelle maladie à l’aide d’affiches et de dépliants
distribués à l’intérieur des aéroports. De surcroît, les autorités sanitaires
du pays sont occupées avec la grippe saisonnière qui a déjà fait des victimes
en Roumanie. (Trad. Elena Diaconu)

27 January 2020
Coronavirusul, în atenţia autorităţilor române

Noul coronavirus apărut în China nu este la fel de puternic ca Sindromul Acut Respirator Sever, pe scurt SARS, aflat la originea unei epidemii încheiate cu peste 750 de victime în 2002-2003, dar se dovedeşte a fi mai contagios, putând să se transmită înainte de apariţia simptomelor – au anunţat, duminică, oficiali chinezi din domeniul sănătăţii. Apărută în oraşul Wuhan, în luna decembrie, noua maladie a contaminat, deja, în China, mii de persoane şi a provocat decese al căror număr sporeşte pe zi ce trece.

Specialiştii chinezi liniştesc populaţia, precizând că, dacă rata de mortalitate pentru SARS era în jur de 10%, cea a noului tip de coronavirus este mai mică. Oamenii nu trebuie să fie neglijenţi, dar nici panicaţi: simptomele, pentru cei mai mulţi, sunt benigne şi tratabile, o mare parte din pacienţii decedaţi în urma infecţiei cu coronavirus suferind de patologii preexistente şi depăşind vârsta de 65 de ani. Concret, simptomele sunt tuse severă, febră şi dificultăţi de respiraţie. Antibioticele nu sunt de niciun ajutor, nici antiviralele. Bolnavii trebuie internaţi în spital, unde pot primi tratament pentru organele interne, iar recuperarea lor depinde de capacitatea proprie a sistemului imunitar.

Deocamdată nu este există un vaccin, dar tulpina virusului a fost izolată de cercetătorii chinezi, ceea ce este un prim pas pentru crearea unuia. În lume, între ţările care au confirmat îmbolnăviri cu noul coronavirus se numără Thailanda, Singapore, Malaezia, Taiwan, Japonia, Coreea de Sud, Vietnam, Nepal, Australia, Statele Unite, Canada şi Franţa.

În România, întreaga circulaţie a persoanelor care au venit din aria geografică a Chinei este monitorizată. Au apărut alerte la Cluj, Timişoara, Constanţa şi Bucureşti, dar acestea au fost, până luni la amiază, infirmate – potrivit recent înfiinţatului Comitet interministerial pentru monitorizarea şi managementul potenţialelor infecţii cu noul coronavirus, format din specialişti sub coordonarea miniştrilor Sănătăţii, de Externe, de Interne şi al Transporturilor.

Se iau măsuri speciale pentru un ansamblu folcloric format din 25 de persoane care se află la Beijing şi care urmează să sosească pe aeroportul internaţional bucureştean Otopeni marţi după-amiază. În privinţa altor instrumentişti, care s-au aflat, timp de 40 de zile, în turneu în China şi care au revenit, deja, în ţară, autorităţile sanitare judeţene verifică, zilnic, starea lor de sănătate.

Autorităţile au decis, încă de săptămâna trecută, să achiziţioneze, pentru aeroporturi, scannere termice care pot detecta persoanele a căror temperatură corporală este mai mare de 38 de grade Celsius. Distribuirea de pliante informative, expunerea de afişe şi asigurarea unei permanenţe sanitare sunt alte măsuri pentru aeroporturi. Din nefericire, însă, în paralel, autorităţile medicale din România trebuie să facă faţă şi gripei sezoniere, care a făcut, deja, victime.

27 January 2020
26.01.2020

Messages – Le président de la Roumanie, Klaus Iohannis, a transmis un
message à son homologue turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, où il exprime des
condoléances pour les victimes du tremblement de terre qui a frappé l’est de la
Turquie, vendredi. La Roumanie soutiendra la Turquie à surmonter ce moment
difficile, assure le chef de l’Etat roumain dans son message. A son tour, le
ministre roumain des affaires étrangères, Bogdan Aurescu, a envoyé une lettre
de condoléances à son homologue turc, Mevlüt Çavuşoglu. Au moins 31 personnes
ont perdu la vie et plus de 1.200 ont été blessées suite au séisme
d’une magnitude de 6,8 sur l’échelle ouverte de Richter. En 1999, 17.000
personnes ont été tuées et un demi-million d’autres ont perdu tous leurs biens
et logements à cause d’un tremblement de terre de 7,6 sur Richter, qui avait
frappé le nord-ouest de la Turquie.

Holocauste – Le
premier ministre roumain, Ludovic Orban, participe, lundi en Pologne, à la
commémoration des 75 ans écoulés depuis la libération du camp de concentration et
d’extermination nazi d’Auschwitz-Birkenau. Les cérémonies officielles sont organisées
par les autorités de Varsovie à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de
commémoration des victimes de l’Holocauste. Selon un communiqué du gouvernement
roumain, rendu public ce samedi, la cérémonie qui se déroule sous le haut
patronage du président polonais, Andrzej Duda, réunira des responsables de
plusieurs Etats, des survivants de l’Holocauste ainsi que des membres des
associations juives. Le gouvernement roumain, lit-on dans le communiqué
reconfirme l’engagement de poursuivre ses démarches en matière d’assumer le
passé, d’éduquer le public, d’étudier l’Holocauste et de commémorer ses
victimes. Plus tôt cette semaine, le président de la Roumanie Klaus Iohannis a
participé, en Israël, au Forum international dédié à la mémoire des victimes de
l’Holocauste. Au cours de son entretien avec son
homologue israélien, Reuven Rivlin, le président Iohannis a assuré que la
Roumanie continuerait à soutenir la préservation de la mémoire de l’Holocauste,
à combattre l’antisémitisme, la discrimination et toute forme de violence.

Visite – Le ministre roumain de la défense, Nicolae Ciucă, effectuera,
lundi et mardi, une visite officielle au Portugal, à l’invitation de son
homologue, Joao Gomes Cravinho. Les principaux sujets à l’agenda des échanges
sont la coopération dans le domaine de l’enseignement militaire, dans celui des
exercices militaires bilatéraux et multinationaux ainsi que les moyens de
collaborer dans le secteur de l’industrie de défense. En décembre 2019, la
Roumanie et le Portugal ont signé le contrat d’achat de 5 nouveaux avions F-16
Fighting, qui s’ajoutent aux 12 appareils achetés entre 2014-2017, dans le
cadre du programme « Avion multirôle des Forces aériennes roumaines »,
précise un communiqué du ministère roumain de la défense.

Avertissement – Le ministère des affaires étrangères de Bucarest informe les
citoyens roumains se trouvant ou ayant l’intention de se rendre dans les
régions administratives spéciales de Hong Kong et de Macao, de la République Populaire
Chinoise, que les autorités locales ont mis en œuvre les plans de prévention et
de réaction en cas de nouvelles maladies infectieuses. Dans les deux régions, il
y a des cas confirmés d’infection à coronavirus. Sur place, le gouvernement
chinois a annoncé la suppression des voyages touristiques, comme mesure pour
arrêter la dissémination du coronavirus. Celui-ci est déjà arrivé
en Europe, la France ayant confirmé trois cas de contamination. La commissaire
européenne à la santé, Stella Kyriakides, a convoqué, lundi, une réunion des
responsables de ce secteur dans les Etats membres de l’Union européenne, pour
examiner les réponses possibles dans la situation actuelle.

Films – « Acasă/My
Home/Ma maison », première production du cinéaste roumain Radu Ciorniciuc,
est projetée aujourd’hui en première mondiale au festival Sundance du film
indépendant, aux Etats-Unis, dans la section consacrée aux documentaires. La
production raconte l’histoire d’une famille ayant vécu 20 ans dans l’espace
sauvage du delta de Văcăreşti, en plein cœur de la capitale roumaine, avant que
ce périmètre ne devienne le premier parc naturel urbain de Roumanie. Un autre
film roumain, « Colectiv », du réalisateur Alexander Nanau, sera
présenté dans la section « Spotlight », du même festival. Le documentaire
retrace les événements qui ont eu lieu pendant la première année après l’incendie
tragique de la discothèque bucarestoise Colectiv, soldé par 64 morts.

Loi – En Roumanie, une loi adoptée l’année dernière entre aujourd’hui
en vigueur. Elle permet aux forces de l’ordre de pénétrer dans une habitation
sans l’accord du propriétaire, s’ils détiennent des informations relatives à
une personne qui se trouverait à l’intérieur et qui serait en situation de
danger imminent ou qui serait l’auteur d’un délit grave ou un terroriste présumé,
ainsi que dans des cas de violence familiale. Les policiers sont habilités à
prendre des mesures immédiates contre les agresseurs, par exemple les évacuer
temporairement de l’habitation, même s’ils en sont les propriétaires, ou
émettre des ordres de restriction. Le refus de présenter des pièces d’identité
sera sanctionné d’une amende qui passe de 500 lei (environ 100 euros) à 1.500
lei (quelque 300 euros).

Tennis – La joueuse de
tennis roumaine Simona Halep sera, à partir du 3 février, la joueuse née après
1980 ayant été présente au Top 10 WTA le plus grand nombre de semaines consécutives. Elle
atteindra « la borne » des 315 semaines, dépassant ainsi le record de 314 semaines consécutives détenu
par la Suissesse Martina Hingis.

Simona Halep, numéro 3 mondial, jouera cette nuit
contre la Belge Elise Mertens (17 WTA), dans les huitièmes de finale
de l’Open d’Australie, premier tournoi du Grand Chelem de l’année. Egalement,
le double roumano-japonais Monica Niculescu/Misaki Doi s’est qualifié à
Melbourne dans les huitièmes de finale de l’Open australien, après avoir battu
en deux sets, 6-2, 7-5, la paire japonaise Nao Hibino/Makoto Ninomiya.

Handball – En handball féminin, une double confrontation roumano-danoise a lieu
ce samedi. Dans le Groupe B de la Coupe de la Fédération européenne de
handball, l’équipe roumaine Măgura Cisnădie accueille à domicile l’équipe Copenhague Handball, tandis que dans le Groupe C, les
Roumaines Gloria Bistriţa reçoivent également à
domicile les Danoises d’Odense. Jusqu’à présent, les deux équipes roumaines
comptabilisent, dans leurs groupes respectifs, trois défaites pour Măgura, et
deux défaites et une égalité pour Gloria. Samedi, dans les groupes principaux de la Ligue des champions, l’équipe
roumaine tenante du titre national, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea, a vaincu sans appel l’équipe slovène RK Krim Mercator
Ljubljana, score 31 à 16, tandis que le club vice-champion de Roumanie, CSM Bucarest,
a perdu, aussi sans appel, au score de 23 à 33, le match en déplacement contre Ferencvaros
Budapest.

Météo – En
Roumanie, il fait beau et surtout plus chaud que d’habitude à cette époque de l’année.
Les températures maximales vont de 3° à 13°, avec 8° à Bucarest, à midi.

26 January 2020
January 25, 2020 UPDATE

PARLIAMENT The 2 chambers of Romanias Parliament will convene on January 28 for a special session focusing on a bill scrapping the so-called special pensions paid to magistrates, which are not based on the principle of previous contributions. The Judicial Inspection Division says the bill tramples on the principles of judge independence and immovability, and comes against provisions in the Constitution and regulations by the European Court for Human Rights. On January 29, Parliament also convenes in a joint session to discuss the bill reintroducing the 2-round voting system in local elections, for which the Government takes responsibility before Parliament. The Orban Cabinet says the bill is intended to strengthen democratic standards at local community level. President Klaus Iohannis had previously requested a special Parliamentary session to this end. The Social Democrats, in opposition, reiterated that jointly with the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, they will table a no-confidence motion against the Liberal Government.

HOLOCAUST The Romanian PM Ludovic Orban takes part on Monday in an official ceremony celebrating 75 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, organised by the Polish authorities on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. According to a news release issued on Saturday by the Romanian Government, officials from several countries, Holocaust survivors and members of Jewish associations will be attending the ceremony, held under the patronage of the president of Poland Andrzej Duda. The Government of Romania, the release also reads, reconfirms its pledge to carry on Holocaust education and research efforts, to commemorate the Holocaust victims and to take responsibility for the countrys history.

CORONAVIRUS China has announced extending the lockdown and introducing several other measures, such as suspending tour services abroad, in order to contain the newly discovered coronavirus, initially identified in Wuhan. In Hubei, a province in central China, bus, underground and ferry services have been suspended, and outbound planes and trains cancelled. The Chinese army has sent medical teams to the outbreak region, as the total number of cases is now over 1,300. Hong Kong has declared the highest state of emergency. The virus has reached Europe as well, with 3 cases confirmed in France. The European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides will have a meeting on Monday with relevant officials from member countries, to discuss ways to respond to the spread of the new virus.

EARTHQUAKE At least 22 people died, more than 1,200 were injured n a major earthquake that hit eastern Turkey on Friday night, Turkish authorities have announced. 2,000 rescuers are searching for survivors in the collapsed buildings. The 6.8 magnitude quake was followed by scores of aftershocks. The earthquake, centred 550 km east of the capital city Ankara, in Elazig province, was also felt in Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Turkey is frequently affected by major tremors. In 1999, 17,000 people died and half a million lost their homes in a 7.6 earthquake in the north-west of the country, while another one hit the eastern province of Van in 2011, killing more than 500.

FILM “Home, Romanian director Radu Ciorniciucs first film, premieres on Sunday in the international documentary competition of the most important American independent film festival, Sundance. “Home is the first Romanian documentary selected into this festivals competition, next to 11 other documentaries from around the world, in the World Cinema Documentary category. The film documents the life of a family who lived for 20 years in the Văcărești Delta, up until the place was declared a protected area and was renamed Văcărești Nature Park, the first urban nature park in Romania. Another Romanian film, Colectiv, by Alexander Nanau, will be screened in the festivals Spotlight section. This is a documentary on the events taking place in the first year after the fire in the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, in which 64 young people died.

IMPEACHMENT Donald Trumps lawyers Saturday began to present their opening arguments in Senate, in the impeachment trial. They argued that removing the US president from office would set a very dangerous precedent in an election year. You will find that the President has done absolutely nothing illegal, the White House counsel Pat Cipollone, Trumps lead impeachment lawyer, has said. The Democrats accuse Trump of abusing his powers and obstructing Congress. The President will likely be cleared in the Senate, where the Republicans have a majority, but the impact of the trial on the public opinion remains to be seen.

TENNIS The Romanian player Simona Halep, number 3 in the world, has moved up into the 4th round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, after defeating the Kazakh Iulia Putintseva (38 WTA) 6-1, 6-4, on Saturday in Melbourne. On Sunday Halep is to take on Belgian Elise Mertens (17 WTA), who beat CiCi (Catherine) Bellis (600 WTA) 6-1, 6-7, 6-0 in the 3rd round. Last year in Melbourne Halep lost in the 4th round, and in 2018 she reached the Australian Open final. Also on Saturday Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Misaki Doi (Japan) moved up into the next round of the doubles tournament, having defeated the Japanese Nao Hibino/Makoto Ninomiya 6-2, 7-5. Niculescu and Doi are to play next against Hao-ching Chan and Latisha Chan (Taiwan).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

25 January 2020
R.P. Chineză, R.A.S. Hong Kong și R.A.S. Macao – Pneumonie virală (Coronavirus)

Conform datelor comunicate de către autoritățile din cele două regiuni administrative speciale, în Hong Kong au fost confirmate cinci cazuri de infecție cu acest tip de pneumonie virală, iar în Macao două cazuri, informează Ministerul Afacerilor Externe.

Autoritățile din R.A.S. Hong Kong și R.A.S. Macao au intensificat controalele de sănătate în toate punctele de trecere a frontierei, au anulat festivitățile prilejuite de aniversarea Anului Nou chinezesc și au prelungit vacanța școlară până la data de 20 februarie 2020.

Suplimentar acestor măsuri, R.A.S. Hong Kong a decis să introducă obligativitatea ca orice persoană care intră în Hong Kong să completeze pe propria răspundere o declarație de sănătate. Completarea acestei declarații cu informații false se pedepsește cu 6 luni de închisoare sau cu o amendă de aproximativ 650 USD (cu echivalent în moneda locală).

Cetățenii români pot solicita asistență consulară la numerele de telefon ale Consulatului General al României la Hong Kong: +85225233813 și +85225233817, apelurile fiind redirecționate către Centrul de Contact și Suport al Cetățenilor Români din Străinătate (CCSCRS) și preluate de către operatorii Call Center, în regim de permanență.

Cetățenii români care se confruntă cu o situație dificilă, specială, cu un caracter de urgență, au la dispoziție și telefonul de permanență al Consulatului General al României în Regiunea Administrativă Specială Hong Kong a Republicii Populare Chineze: +85296137370.

Sursa: MAE

25 January 2020
January 25, 2020

PARLIAMENT The 2 chambers of Romanias Parliament will convene on January 28 for a special session focusing on a bill scrapping the so-called special pensions paid to magistrates, which are not based on the principle of previous contributions. The Judicial Inspection Division says the bill tramples on the principles of judge independence and immovability, and comes against provisions in the Constitution and regulations by the European Court for Human Rights. On January 29, Parliament also convenes in a joint session to discuss the bill reintroducing the 2-round voting system in local elections, for which the Government takes responsibility before Parliament. The Orban Cabinet says the bill is intended to strengthen democratic standards at local community level. President Klaus Iohannis had previously requested a special Parliamentary session to this end. The Social Democrats, in opposition, reiterated that jointly with the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, they will table a no-confidence motion against the Liberal Government.

HOLOCAUST The Romanian PM Ludovic Orban takes part on Monday in an official ceremony celebrating 75 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, organised by the Polish authorities on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. According to a news release issued on Saturday by the Romanian Government, officials from several countries, Holocaust survivors and members of Jewish associations will be attending the ceremony, held under the patronage of the president of Poland Andrzej Duda. The Government of Romania, the release also reads, reconfirms its pledge to carry on Holocaust education and research efforts, to commemorate the Holocaust victims and to take responsibility for the countrys history.

IMMIGRANTS Romanian border police caught 9 citizens of Egypt, Iraq and Somalia attempting to cross the border into Hungary illegally, with the help of 2 Romanian citizens, the Romanian Border Police announced on Saturday. The investigations revealed that the 7 men and 2 women, aged between 21 and 52, had applied for asylum in Romania. They are currently probed into for attempted illegal border crossing, while the Romanian citizens are facing human trafficking charges.

CORONAVIRUS China has today announced extending the lockdown introduced in order to contain the newly discovered coronavirus, initially identified in Wuhan. Five cities in Hubei, a province in central China, have been added to the 13 where all bus, underground and ferry services have been suspended, and all outbound planes and trains cancelled. The Chinese army has sent medical teams to the outbreak region, after the death toll has reached 41, out of a total of over 1,300 cases. The virus has reached Europe as well, with 2 cases confirmed in France. The World Health Organisation has decided not to class the virus as an international emergency.

EARTHQUAKE At least 21 people died, more than 1,000 were injured and several buildings collapsed in a major earthquake that hit eastern Turkey on Friday night, Turkish authorities have announced. The 6.8 magnitude quake was followed by scores of aftershocks. The earthquake, centred 550 km east of the capital city Ankara, in Elazig province, was also felt in Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Turkey is frequently affected by major tremors. In 1999, 17,000 people died and half a million lost their homes in a 7.6 earthquake in the north-west of the country, while another one hit the eastern province of Van in 2011, killing more than 500.

FILM “Home, Romanian director Radu Ciorniciucs first film, premieres on Sunday in the international documentary competition of the most important American independent film festival, Sundance. “Home is the first Romanian documentary selected into this festivals competition, next to 11 other documentaries from around the world, in the World Cinema Documentary category. The film documents the life of a family who lived for 20 years in the Văcărești Delta, up until the place was declared a protected area and was renamed Văcărești Nature Park, the first urban nature park in Romania. Another Romanian film, Colectiv, by Alexander Nanau, will be screened in the festivals Spotlight section. This is a documentary on the events taking place in the first year after the fire in the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, in which 64 young people died.

TENNIS The Romanian player Simona Halep, number 3 in the world, has moved up into the 4th round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, after defeating the Kazakh Iulia Putintseva (38 WTA) 6-1, 6-4, on Saturday in Melbourne. On Sunday Halep is to take on Belgian Elise Mertens (17 WTA), who beat CiCi (Catherine) Bellis (600 WTA) 6-1, 6-7, 6-0 in the 3rd round. Last year in Melbourne Halep lost in the 4th round, and in 2018 she reached the Australian Open final. Also on Saturday Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Misaki Doi (Japan) moved up into the next round of the doubles tournament, having defeated the Japanese Nao Hibino/Makoto Ninomiya 6-2, 7-5. Niculescu and Doi are to play next against Hao-ching Chan and Latisha Chan (Taiwan).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

25 January 2020
Nachrichten 24.01.2020

In Rumänien ist der 24. Januar Tag der Vereinigung der rumänischen Fürstentümer Moldau und Walachei. Am 24. Januar 1859 wurde Alexandru Ioan Cuza, der eine Woche zuvor zum Herrscher der Moldau gewählt worden war, von der Wahlversammlung in Bukarest ebenfalls einstimmig auch zum Herrscher der Walachei gewählt. Damit wurde er zum Herrscher der Vereinigten Fürstentümer ausgerufen, die den Grundstein des modernen Rumäniens legten. Unter Cuza wurden ein Zivil- und Strafgesetzbuch nach französischem Vorbild verabschiedet, und eine nationale Armee geschaffen. Die verpflichtende Grundschulbildung wurde eingeführt und die ersten Universitäten gegründet.

Der rumänische Justizminister Catalin Predoiu nimmt an einem informellen Treffen des EU-Rates für Justiz und Inneres in Zagreb, Kroatien, teil. Dies ist das erste Ministertreffen des Rates während der kroatischen EU-Ratspräsidentschaft. Wichgtigstes Thema der Fachgespräche der EU-Justizminister sind die Fortschritte im Hinblick auf die strategischen Leitlinien im Bereich Freiheit, Sicherheit und Recht, die Justizausbildung und die Bedeutung der justiziellen Netze im zivilen und kommerziellen Bereich. Weitere Schwerpunkte sind die Zusammenarbeit im zivil- und strafrechtlichen Bereich, der Grenzschutz, die Modernisierung und Digitalisierung der Justizsysteme sowie die Anpassung an die Auswirkungen der künstlichen Intelligenz.

Die im Ausland lebenden Rumänen sind eine “wertvolle Ressource” und ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Gesellschaft, und der rumänische Staat und die Behörden haben ihnen gegenüber eine gro‎ße Verantwortung. Das sagte Premierminister Ludovic Orban am Freitag in einer Erklärung an eine Tagung der Auslandsrumänen in Bukarest. AmTreffen beteiligen sich über 300 Vertreter des rumänischen Vereinslebens im Ausland, der akademischen Gemeinschaft, kirchlicher Kreise sowie Journalisten, Schriftsteller, Diplomaten und Experten für internationale Beziehungen. Die Diskussionen konzentrieren sich unter anderem auf die Vertretung der rumänischen Gemeinden aus dem Ausland im Parlament in Bukarest und auf Lösungen, um sie zur Heimkehr zu ermutigen.

Die Präsidentin der Europäischen Kommission Ursula von der Leyen und der Präsident des Europäischen Rates Charles Michel haben das vom Vereinigten Königreich gebilligte Brexit-Abkommen unterzeichnet. Am Donnerstag wurde das Abkommen in Gro‎ßbritannien nach der Ratifizierung durch die Königin, eine Woche vor der Trennung und nach mehr als drei Jahren seit dem Referendum, zum Gesetz. Premierminister Boris Johnson wird das Rückzugsabkommen in den kommenden Tagen offiziell unterzeichnen. Nach der Verabschiedung in Gro‎ßbritannien muss das Abkommen am 29. Januar auch vom Europäischen Parlament ratifiziert werden.

Die chinesischen Behörden haben einen deutlichen Anstieg der Zahl der Infizierten mit dem neuen Coronavirus angekündigt, das bereits mindestens 26 Menschen getötet hat. Mehr als 870 Menschen wurden infiziert und zehn chinesische Städte stehen unter Quarantäne. Die Behörden haben die Feierlichkeiten zum chinesischen Neujahrsfest in Peking abgesagt. Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation hat beschlossen, den internationalen Alarmzustand nicht auszurufen. Das Virus, das in der Stadt Wuhan auftrat, ist offenbar vom gleichen Stamm wie das SARS, das 2002 und 2003 weltweit den Tod von 800 Menschen verursacht hat und auch in China aufgetreten war. Fälle von Coronavirus wurden auch aus Japan, Südkorea, den Philippinen, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Saudi-Arabien, Singapur, den Vereinigten Staaten und den chinesischen Gebieten Hongkong und Macao gemeldet.

Inzwischen ist eine dritte Person in Rumänien an der gewöhnlichen Wintergrippe gestorben. Es handelt sich um einen 78-jährigen Mann aus dem Kreis Arges (Süden) – einer der am stärksten betroffenen Regionen, neben Brasov und Cluj (im Zentrum des Landes) und der Hauptstadt, wo Hunderte von Grippeerkrankungen bestätigt wurden. In mehreren Schulen und Kindergärten wurde der Unterricht vorübergehend ausgesetzt. Auf nationaler Ebene bestätigten Labortests bei mehr als einem Viertel der Patienten mit Krankheitssymptomen die Grippe. Die Impfung bleibt zur Zeit die einzig wirksame präventive Ma‎ßnahme, so die Ärzte. Die Zahl der Rumänen, die bisher gegen Grippe geimpft wurden, ist höher als im vergangenen Jahr. 2019 starben fast 200 Rumanen an den durch die Grippe verursachten Komplikationen.

24 January 2020
January 23, 2020

FORUM -
President Klaus Iohannis is today attending the fifth edition of the World
Holocaust Forum, marking 75 years since the liberation of the
Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, titled Remembering the Holocaust,
Fighting Antisemitism. This is the widest public event ever hosted by the Yad
Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. Previously, President Iohannis ensured
his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin, that Romania would continue to support
the preservation of Holocaust memory, combat anti-Semitism, prevent
discrimination and any means of violence. Romanian Crown custodian Margareta on
Thursday sent a letter to the Israeli president, reminding of the Romanian
Royal Family’s contribution to eradicating anti-Semitism, racism and
xenophobia. HM Queen Margareta and
Prince Radu were the first members of the Romanian Royal Family to visit the
State of Israel in April 2014. Representing King Mihai I, the two visited the
Yad Vashem Memorial Museum, observed a moment of silence before the engraved
tomb devoted to Queen Elena, while Queen Margareta lit the eternal flame in the
Hall of Remembrance.

JHA -
Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu is as of today attending the two-day informal
meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council hosted by Zagreb,
Croatia. This is the first ministerial meeting hosted under the Croatian
Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In the justice section, line
ministers will address progress on strategic policies in the fields of liberty,
security and justice, legal education and the importance of legal networks in
the civilian and trade sectors. According to a Romanian Justice Ministry
release, talks focus on civil and criminal law cooperation, border protection,
modernizing and digitizing judicial systems and adapting to the impact of AI.

FUNDS -
Romania has so far absorbed 11.04 billion euros from EU structural funds over
2014-2020 under the Cohesion and Common Agricultural policies. Adding to this
sum is another 7.92 billion euros in direct payments to farmers, Carmen Moraru,
State Secretary with the Romanian Ministry for European Funds, has said.
Romania’s absorption rate has thus reached 36%, 3% below the European average.
The Romanian official recalled that in the 2014-2020 period Romania was
allotted 22.4 billion euros under the Cohesion Policy. As regards the 2021-2027
financial framework, Romania will be earmarked 30.6 billion euros. Carmen
Moraru attended a series of meetings in Brussels at the European Commission and
European Parliament, and paid a visit to the Orsi Academy in Ghent, Belgium, a
pioneering research project funded under the Cohesion Policy.

FLU VIRUS -
A 78-year-old man from Arges County has died to the flu virus , raising the
death toll at 3 since the start of the winter season. Arges is one of the most
affected counties, alongside Brasov and Cluj and the capital city, where
hundreds of cases have been reported. Classes were temporarily suspended in
several schools and kindergartens. At national level, over a quarter of
patients presenting symptoms were officially diagnosed with the flu virus.
Doctors warn the only real prevention measure is vaccination. The number of
Romanians who have taken the anti-flu shot this year is higher compared to
2019, when some 200 people died to complications caused by the flu virus.

CORONAVIRUS – The World
Health Organization (WHO) is today expected to decide whether to call the
viral outbreak in Wuhan China a global emergency. The so-called coronavirus has
so far killed 17 people and sickened hundreds of people. On Wednesday, after
long hours of debate at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, the members of the special
committee set up to advise on how to deal with the outbreak were equally
divided in their vote in favor or against calling a global emergency. In the
past the WHO has called international alerts five times: before the H1N1 viral
outbreak of 2009, in 2014 for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, in the
Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, again for an Ebola outbreak, for
poliomyelitis in 2014 and for the Zika virus in 2016. The new coronavirus has been
reported in 13 Chinese provinces and the Hong Kong and Macao special
administrative regions. 4 infections were reported in Thailand and 1 each in
Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States. Wuhan is currently on
lockdown, all means of public transport having been shut down.

TENNIS -
Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, seeded fourth at the Australian Open, has
today defeated Harriet Dart of Great Britain (173 WTA), in straight sets, 6-2,
6-4 in the competition’s second round. A finalist in 2018 in Melbourne, Halep
is the only Romanian left in the competition, after Sorana Cirstea (74 WTA) was
ousted on Wednesday by Cori Gauff of the United States. Romania is also
represented in the women’s doubles.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)

23 January 2020