STATISTICS – The unemployment rate in Romania in the last quarter of 2017 stood at 4.7%, just like in the same period of 2016. Data released by the National Institute of Statistics, INS, on Wednesday show the highest unemployment rate of over 21% was registered among youngsters. In the same time-span, Romanias active population accounted for some nine million people, of which 8.5 million were employed, the rest being jobless. In another move, the average number of pensioners in Romania exceeded five million last year, that is lower than in the previous year. The average pension increased by some 13%, exceeding 1,000 lei (215 Euros), data issued by INS also show.
IMMUNOGLOBULIN CRISIS – Romanian health minister, Sorina Pintea, has announced that 1,000 immunoglobulin doses arrive in Romania today. She made clear that these doses are not part of the package purchased under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, but they are bought from foreign producers by the medicine supplier of the Romanian Health Ministry. Three weeks ago, Romania requested international aid, as it had run out of immunoglobulin doses. Romania has also resorted to the NATO Mechanism for imunoglobulin. The discontinuous supply of immunoglobulin has been caused by the withdrawal from the market of producers who provided over 80% of the necessary doses in Romania. Immunoglobulin contains antibodies, which are proteins made by the immune system to fight antigens, such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins. They are used to help people who are having treatment for certain diseases or certain types of cancer, such as leukaemia.
CONDOLENCES – The “Colectiv GTG 3010 Association pays homage, at the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, to the victims of Wednesdays fire in Siberia. “Colectiv GTG 3010 was set up after a devastating fire ripped through the Bucharest-based Colectiv club, on the night of October 30, 2015, which took 64 lives, and brings together close friends and families of the victims as well as survivors of the disaster. A day of national mourning has been declared today in Russia, in memory of the victims of Sundays fire in Kemerovo. Sources with the local authorities say 64 people died in the fire, of which 41 children. President Vladimir Putin has pledged that all those proven guilty will be punished, irrespective of the positions they hold and he urged people not to believe rumours propagated on social networks, according to which people died in their hundreds in the fire.
PROTESTS – Romanian policemen who are members of SNPPC Trade Union on Wednesday picketed the headquarters of the Interior Ministry. They are discontent about labour conditions and the level of salaries in the sector. The aforementioned trade union had previously got a one-week approval from the Interior Ministry to picket key buildings. On Saturday, some 10,000 policemen protested before the headquarters of the Interior Ministry and the Government, respectively.
CINEMATOGRAPHY – One Step Behind the Seraphim by first time director Daniel Sandu is the big winner of the Gopo Awards Galla, which acknowledges the best achievements of Romanian cinematography in the previous year. The film won, among others, the prize for best picture, best direction, best script – Daniel Sandu – and best actor in a leading role – Vlad Ivanov. The prize for best actress in a leading role went to Diana Cavaliotti, for her role in “Ana, mon amour, by Călin Netzer, and the prize for best short- reel was grabbed by Adrian Silişteanu for Written/ Unwritten. The prize for lifetime achievement went to actors George Mihăiţă and Vladimir Găitan. The festival bears the name of and pays homage to the outstanding Romanian film-maker Ion Popescu-Gopo, who, decades ago, won the Palme dOr, at Cannes, for best animated short film.
FOOTBALL – Romanias national football team on Tuesday defeated Sweden, 1-0, in a friendly match played on home turf, in Craiova, southern Romania. This was the first match between the two national squads since 1994, when the Romanians lost to the Swedes, in penalty-kick shootout, in the quarterfinals of the World Cup hosted by the United States- the best performance in the history of the national football team. On Saturday, Romania defeated Israel, 2-1, in a friendly match played away from home. In another move, Romanias Under 19 team has failed to qualify for the European Championships due in Finland in July, after losing to Ukraine, 1-2, on home soil. After two wins secured in the first two matches, with Serbia, 4-0, and Sweden, 2-1, Romania needed only a draw to win the preliminary group.
