COVID-19 Over 1,600 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours were reported on
Tuesday in Romania, along with 147 deaths, 17 of which from a previous date. Doctors
warn that although ambulance services are receiving fewer requests for home
testing, a large number of teams are still being deployed. After several states
announced finding the Omicron variant of the virus, which has over 50 mutations,
tests in Romania are now taking into account this strain as well. Meanwhile,
the vaccination rate remains low, with only around 9,500 people getting the
first dose and almost twice as many the booster dose on Tuesday. However, the
low number may be owing to the fact that October 30 was a banking holiday in
Romania.
REPATRIATION The Romanian nationals stranded in South Africa following
the suspension of flights to the EU over the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, were
brought to the country on Tuesday. The Tarom aircraft that brought them landed
at the Military Base 90 instead of Otopeni Airport near Bucharest, as
originally announced. The measure was taken because of concerns with infection
risks. All the passengers will be tested and quarantined. The seats available
in the Tarom aircraft that flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member
states to repatriate their own citizens, as part of the European civil
protection mechanism. In related news, PM Nicolae Ciuca said the 72 Romanian
tourists stranded in Morocco will also be repatriated by a Tarom aircraft on
Thursday. Meanwhile, the authorities will try to find out whether there are any
other Romanian nationals in the area. The foreign ministry urges citizens to
analyse the situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the
new coronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section
on the institution’s home page.
NATO A meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga, Latvia,
continues on Wednesday, with the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu taking
part. The meeting is a major landmark in preparing negotiations on NATO’s new
Strategic Concept and for the summit due in Madrid next year. Minister Bogdan
Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s support for preparing the new Strategic Concept,
able to provide adequate response instruments to the challenges of the current
security environment. According to the foreign ministry, Aurescu will also
discuss the latest security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
need to carry on efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in
a coherent and comprehensive manner for the entire Eastern Flank, including the
Black Sea region.
ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
celebrated on Tuesday St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron
saint of Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in
today’s Dobrogea, on
the Black Sea coast. St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped
cross in the city of Patras, in Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named
after St. Andrew the Apostle.
NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
as foreign military will take part on Wednesday in a parade celebrating
Romania’s National Day in Bucharest. According to the defence ministry, 100
combat vehicles will also participate. In turn, the city of Alba Iulia will
host a military parade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed
a national holiday after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, December 1 marks the completion of the
Romanian nation state in 1918, after World War 2, by the union of all
territories with predominantly Romanian population.
FAIR Romania is taking part, until December 2, in the 2nd
edition of Egypt’s International Defence Expo, EDEX 2021, hosted by Cairo. Public
defence companies as well as private operators will be present. Some 400
companies from around the world are taking part in this year’s edition,
showcasing the latest technologies in the field of defence. (tr. A.M. Popescu)
