Radio România Internațional

Tag: legislative election

A pro-European Parliament in Moldova

Legislative
elections held in the Republic of Moldova on July 11 have set this ex-Soviet
state on the path to European integration, the goal of Maia Sandu, who last
year won the presidency. The snap election brought a landslide victory for the
Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), founded five years ago by Maia Sandu, which
grabbed 63 of the 101 seats. 32 seats went to the Bloc of Communists and
Socialists, led by the pro-Russian former presidents Vladimir Voronin and Igor
Dodon. The other 6 seats were grabbed by Shor Party, founded by the controversial
billionaire Ilan Shor. In her speech before Parliament on Monday, President
Maia Sandu said the new regime will show zero tolerance to corruption, and
warned deputies that order should start with the new Parliament.

The
Republic of Moldova will soon mark 30 years of independence. After so many
failures, at least now, after 30 years, we can build a country for all the
people, not for privileged groups that have been abusing citizens’ confidence
to amass unjustified fortunes and subjugate the state in their own interest.

In a
country shaken for many years by top-level corruption cases, many of which are
still pending, the new Parliament has now a difficult task ahead: to reform the
judiciary and accelerate the investigation of high-level fraud. It is time to
revolutionize the way the country is being governed. We need a Parliament that
abides by the law. New pieces of legislation must first be submitted to public
debate. People must be encouraged to voice their opinion, and experts must also
contribute, president Sandu said. As regards the future Cabinet, Maia Sandu
said she expects it to deliver a new model of economic development. To
overcome poverty and ensure prosperity for all, we need to develop the economy.
[…] We have been presented with a historic opportunity of aligning politics to
the citizens’ interests. It is all up to us. The country is what we make of it.
We reap what we sow. Speaking about Maia Sandu’s chances of turning Moldova
around and making it a citizen-oriented country, professor Dan Dungaciu told
Radio Romania: It would be the first time this happens outside the EU, a
European process implemented without proper integration. In that respect,
however optimistic the outlook, we need to realize this is an experiment and keep
our feet on the ground. The way things are progressing, the situation seems
positive. Pro-European forces have never had a more robust and comprehensive
regime, professor Dungaciu went on to say. (VP)

27 July 2021
December 8, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 IN
ROMANIA – Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday said the first
batch of the 3 million COVID-19 ordered tests will be arriving within the week.
Days from now the authorities are also expecting the delivery of the 300
ventilators for intensive care units. The President on Tuesday met with interim
Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciucă and with Health Minister, Nelu Tătaru to discuss
the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccination campaign. On Tuesday another 7,439
new COVID-19 infections and 213 related deaths were announced. 1,276 people are
in intensive care. The total number of infections has exceeded 524 thousand.
Nearly 80% of people infected have recovered. The National Committee for
Emergency Situations decided to extend remote teaching for all education
systems in Romania until December 23.

ELECTION
– Defense Minister Nicolae Ciucă on Tuesday took over his mandate as interim Prime Minister
of Romania, designated by President Klaus Iohannis following the resignation of
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban. Nicolae Ciucă will hold this position pending the
swearing-in of the new Cabinet. In his first press conference, Prime Minister Nicolae
Ciucă said the Government’s immediate priorities include anti-COVID-19
measures, the vaccination strategy, the end of the 2020 budget year and
preparing the 2021 budget year. Outgoing Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Monday
decided to resign, over a year since he took over this position. Orban said he
stepped down because he wants to start negotiations over the designation of a
new Government following the result obtained by the National Liberal Party in
Sunday’s parliamentary election. After centralizing over 99% of the votes, the
Central Election Bureau announced the Social-Democratic Party grabbed 29.81% of
the vote in the Senate and 29.38% of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies. The
National Liberal Party is in second place with 25.56% of the vote in the Senate
and 25.16% in the Chamber of Deputies. The Save Romania Union – PLUS Alliance
came in third with 15.44% in the Senate and 14.96% in the Chamber of Deputies.
The Alliance for the Union of Romanians won 9.1% of the vote in the Senate and
8.69% in the Chamber of Deputies. Finally, the Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians grabbed 6% of the vote in the Senate and 5.98% in the Chamber of
Deputies.

MOLDOVA – Moldovan acting
President Igor Dodon on Tuesday ratified the law whereby the Intelligence and
Security Service is transferred from the President’s control back under
Parliament’s jurisdiction, despite a Constitutional Court ruling against this
move. Moldova’s Socialist-controlled Parliament recently passed this law, along
with legislation limiting the president’s prerogatives and strengthening the
statute of the Russian language. The move is seen as an attempt by Socialist
President Dodon to preserve control over the Intelligence and Security Service
after losing the presidential race to pro-European Maia Sandu. This piece of
legislation, together with other controversial bills tabled by the Socialists,
have sparked massive street protests in the capital-city Chişinău in the last few days. Protesters are calling for early elections,
something which the opposition in Parliament, as well as the President elect,
Maia Sandu, both want.

EUROSTAT
– The number of employees went up by 1% in the Eurozone and by 0.9% at European
Union level in the third quarter of the year, compared to the previous three
months, a Eurostat report published on Tuesday reveals. The increase is the
most significant reported since the Eurostat started tracking these figures in
1995. The biggest increases in the number of employees in the European Union
were reported in Ireland, Spain and Austria, while the biggest decreases were
reported in Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania, minus 1%.

VACCINATION
– The anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign started in Great Britain on Tuesday.
Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandmother, became the first person in the
world to be given the anti-COVID Pfizer jab outside clinical trials. British
Health Minister Matt Hancock said vulnerable categories and people over 80
years of age will be vaccinated first, along with health workers and care
staff. Britain has ordered 40 million doses of vaccine which will be
administered to 20 million people, as two courses are needed. 800,000 doses of
the Pfizer vaccine have been dispensed in the UK so far.

BREXIT -
European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič on Tuesday hailed Britain’s
decision to ditch internal market clauses going against a potential UK-EU trade
deal, as well as Britain’s promise not to introduce similar measures in its
taxation bill. The EU official said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be trying to overcome the
deadlock in negotiations in an upcoming meeting over the coming days. Britain
and the EU have reached an agreement in principle, especially with regard to
the protocol on Northern Ireland. Prime Minister Johnson however said a trade
deal with the EU is still looking very difficult at the moment. (V. Palcu)

8 December 2020
December 7, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another
3,660 new infections with SARS-CoV-2 and 127 related deaths were reported in
last 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication announced on Monday. The
total number of infections has thus climbed to 517 thousand, while the death
toll stands at 12,447. 1280 people are currently in intensive care. 80% of
people infected with COVID-19 have recovered. Several towns and villages in
Romania are still in quarantine. In Sibiu County, where the infection rate is 5
per thousand inhabitants, authorities have decided to extend the quarantine for
another week in Sibiu and 6 villages.

ELECTION – According
to the partial results of Sunday’s legislative election in Romania, the Social
Democratic Party grabbed the highest number of votes both in the Chamber of
Deputies and in the Senate, some 30%. The National Liberal Party is in second
place with 25%, followed by the Save Romania Union – PLUS Alliance with 15%,
the Alliance for the Union of Romanians with 9% and the Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians in Romania with 5% of the vote. Romanians in the Diaspora
voted over the course of two days, on Saturday and Sunday. Italy, Moldova,
Spain, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Germany and France reported high voter
turnout rates. The new Parliament will have 465 seats – 136 Senators and 329
Deputies. Sunday’s voter turnout stood at 32%, the lowest in the last 30 years.

MOLDOVA – Thousands protested
on Sunday in the Moldovan capital-city Chişinău, calling for the demise of
Parliament, at present controlled by a pro-Russian majority. The Moldovan
Parliament recently voted for limiting the president’s prerogatives and
strengthening the status of the Russian language. The rally was staged
following a public appeal launched by the pro-European President elect, Maia
Sandu. Sandu’s call was answered by leaders of parliamentary parties in
opposition, but also of non-parliamentary political parties. Protesters accused
Parliament and the Government of promoting corruption and the misappropriation
of public funds, also calling for snap elections. Maia Sandu said Sunday’s
protest is not advocating any ideology or political party, but is simply aimed
at voicing the will of the people, who have grown tired of corruption and want
a better life. The acting president, Igor Dodon, as well as members of the
Socialist Party in Parliament, have refused to comment on the allegations.

BREXIT – Representatives of
Great Britain and the European Union continue negotiations in Brussels with a
view to reaching consensus on a post-Brexit agreement, the absence of which
would have serious economic consequences for both sides. On Sunday evening the
chief negotiators conveyed diverging messages on how talks are progressing. EU
officials said they are close to solving one the major obstacles, related to
the fishing rights agreement, whereas the British side dismissed the
information. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission
President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to make an assessment tonight on
the progress reported so far in striking a trade agreement, which both the
British and the European Parliament must ratify before taking effect on January
1, 2021. London’s future relation with Brussels is also expected to rank high on
the agenda of the summit in Brussels, to be held on Thursday and Friday. The UK
is still subject to EU legislation following its official withdrawal on January
31, 2020.

HANDBALL – The Romanian
women’s handball team is today playing Norway in the last fixture in Group D at
the European Championships in Denmark. Romania has already secured its presence
in the main group phase, after defeating Poland 28-24 on Saturday. On Thursday,
in the first match, Romania lost 19-22 to Germany, whereas Poland lost to
Norway. The first three teams in each group will advance to the main group
phase. (V. Palcu)

7 December 2020
Special measures for the election

On Sunday,
December 6, Romanians will hit the polls to elect the Senators and Deputies who
will be representing them for the next four years. Special measures related to
the COVID-19 pandemic are already in place. According to the Permanent Election
Authority, some 18 million eligible voters are expected to cast their votes.
Some 740 thousand Romanians officially residing abroad are also expected to
vote. Of these, over 39 thousand have opted for postal voting, while nearly 4
thousand registered for physical voting in one of the polls opened abroad. In
Romania, the authorities have set up 18 thousand voting polls.

The vote will
take place on Sunday, starting 7 AM and ending 9 PM. Unlike those at home,
Romanians in the Diaspora will have two days to exercise their constitutional right,
and will be able to vote starting Saturday in one of the 748 polls. Due to
different timezones, the Foreign Ministry launched an interactive map of
polling stations abroad, as well as a call center where Romanians living or
residing abroad can receive accurate information. According to the Ministry,
the map allows Romanian citizens to identify polling stations of their choice
and plan their vote, so as to avoid the overcrowding of past years. In case
some stations are relocated for pandemic-related reasons, the interactive map
will provide real-time updates. Voters taking part in the election must observe
a number of special health safety measures the authorities have introduced due
to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Romania, authorities gave assurances the vote will
take place in optimal conditions, as they have taken all measures to keep the
risk of infection at a minimum. People living in quarantined areas will be able
to cast their vote based on a signed declaration specifying the place and
purpose of their movements, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban announced. Exempted to
this rule will be people placed in quarantine following a decision of the local
Directorate for Public Health. The latter will be able to vote by means of the
mobile ballot box. The Central Election Bureau has certified four institutes
and companies to conduct exit polls on Sunday. Exit poll results will be made
public at 9 PM with the closure of polling stations. (V. Palcu)

4 December 2020
November 28, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another
8,134 SARS-CoV-2 infections and 161 related deaths were reported in the last 24
hours in Romania, the Group for Strategic Communication announced on Saturday.
465, 982 people have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the
pandemic, while 11,045 people have died to the virus. Most infections were
reported in Bucharest, Constanța, Cluj, Ilfov and Iași. Over 70% of infected
people have recovered. 1,249 people are currently in intensive care. 6,914 Romanians
living abroad have tested positive for COVID-19, 127 of them have died.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – More
and more countries around the world are preparing their national strategies for
anti-COVID-19 vaccination. The United States and the European Union hope to
start the vaccination campaign in December. The first vaccines to be
administered will be those produced by Pfizer and BioNTech and Moderna. So far
Pfizer and BioNTech announced a 95% efficiency rate for their vaccine, Moderna
says its vaccine has a 94.5% efficiency while the Russian Sputnik V vaccine is
rated with a 91.4% efficiency. The AstraZeneca British vaccine is the cheapest
and doesn’t require cold storage, although additional tests are still needed.
China also claims its Sinopharm vaccine works, with zero infection cases
reported for 1 million people who’ve taken the vaccine, which is still in an
experimental phase.

UNION – Restricted ceremonies on
Saturday marked 102 years since the completion of the historic process of
Bukovina’s union with Romania. The event prefaced the Union with Romania on
December 1, 1918, of not just Transylvania, but also Banat, Maramureş and
Crişana,
which had also been part of the Habsburg Empire. Previously, in March 1918,
Bessarabia, another Romanian province, had united with the mother-country. Preparations
are underway in Romania to organize the military parades celebrating December
1, the National Day of Romania. In Bucharest, the traditional parade will be
held without public attendance in a restricted format, due to the coronavirus
pandemic. The National Day will be celebrated abroad by means of online events
organized by Romania’s embassies or by branches of the Romanian Cultural
Institute.

MOLDOVA – Authorities have
declared a state of emergency in the Republic of Moldova, in place until
January 15, 2021. All nightclubs have been closed, while restaurants, bars and coffee
shops will close before 10 PM. Colloquiums and sports competitions with
physical attendance have been banned. Theatres, cinemas and concert halls have
also shut down. Public and private institutions will have to introduce special
working hours, with the physical presence of only those workers who cannot work
from home. According to our correspondent on the ground, restrictions were previously
introduced in the Republic of Moldova, although they were not fully observed,
not even by the authorities. Socialist Prime Minister Ion Chicu organized his
son’s wedding party, while in the campaign for the presidential election, the
acting President, Igor Dodon, held a rally with hundreds of participants.

CAMPAIGN – The campaign for the
legislative election due on December 6 continues in Romania. As in the case of
the local election, held on September 27, the authorities have limited the
number of participants to election rallies and introduced strict health safety
regulations. Citizens will be able to cast their votes in all polling stations
on election day, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has said, adding that citizens
infected with COVID-19, currently in quarantine or isolation, will be able to
vote with the help of the mobile ballot box. More and more towns and villages
across Romania are entering quarantine against the growing infection rate.
Romanians living abroad will be able to vote on December 5 and the 6. Representing
the Romanian Diaspora will be four deputies and two senators.

VACCINATION – The Government decree
on the vaccination strategy was adopted in Friday’s Government session. The
first to be immunized will be employees working in healthcare, social
assistance, people in at-risk categories and key personnel, Ionel Dancă, the
head of the Prime Minister’s Office, told a press briefing. The Government also
decided to increase the bonus of medical and auxiliary personnel directly
dealing with COVID-19 patients up to 85% of their base salary. The Government
also debated a draft law providing financial assistance to companies in the
hospitality industry. One measure provides for a grant covering losses incurred
in 2020 up to 20% of last year’s turnover.

HANDBALL – Romania’s women’s
handball team are preparing for the European Championship hosted by Denmark
between December 3 and 20. Romania is playing in Group D in the final
tournament, alongside Norway, Germany and Poland, with the games taking place
in the town of Kolding. Denmark is the sole host of the tournament after the
second designated host, neighboring Norway, pulled out. On November 16, only 17
days before the first game was due, Oslo announced that healthcare constraints
related to the COVID-19 pandemic prevent it from organizing the competition.
(V. Palcu)

28 November 2020
November 23, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another 4,207 new infections
with SARS-CoV-2 and 130 related deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours
in Romania, the Group for Strategic Communication has announced. The national
death toll has risen to 10,177. Since the beginning of the outbreak, 422,825
people got infected with coronavirus, of whom over two thirds have recovered. 6,864
Romanians living abroad have so far tested positive for COVID-19, of whom 126
have died. President Klaus Iohannis has summoned the ministers of Defense,
Healthcare and Interior Affairs to discuss Romania’s COVID-19 vaccination
strategy. The vaccination campaign will begin once the vaccine will be approved
and green-lit for mass-distribution. Romania will receive 10.7 million
anti-COVID-19 shots from the European Commission in several batches.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – Over 59 million people worldwide
have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak, according to
the latest worldometers.info update. Over 1.3 million people have died to the
virus. In the United States, the total number of infections stands at 12.5
million, with over 262 thousand people dead. In Europe, all people arriving in
Spain via air or sea must produce a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours at
the date of entry. The rule is applied to all passengers coming from high-risk
countries, including Romania. Also today the British Government is due to
announce the lifting of lockdown restrictions before Christmas, allowing people
to visit their relatives even in red-listed countries. Germany and France too
are expected to announce new regulations for the winter holidays.

BUDGET ADJUSTMENT – The Government is today
presenting the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, a project whereby Romania
will absorb €30 million worth of European funds for development, starting next
year. The money will be invested in healthcare, education, infrastructure and
digitization. In fact healthcare is one of the sectors that will be getting
additional funds under the third budget adjustment this year, to be adopted
later today by the Government. During the pandemic the budget deficit climbed
to some €20 billion. Finance Minister Florin Cîţu said the budget deficit will
stand at 9.1% of the GDP, adding that expenses have gone up due to the
pandemic, while budget revenues are on the wane after the Government handed out
tax breaks and other benefits to companies severely affected by the economic
fallout of COVID-19.

ELECTION – Citizens living in
quarantined areas will be able to vote in the December 6 legislative election.
On Monday Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said there will be no restrictions
introduced in this respect, adding that citizens infected with COVID-19 and
those in quarantine or home isolation will be able to vote with the help of the
mobile ballot box. More and more towns
and villages across Romania are entering quarantine as the infection rate
continues to go up.

CoD – Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu is today opening the 32nd
edition of the Council of Democracies (CoD), this year held in videoconference
format under the Romanian presidency of the Council. For two days participants
will exchange views regarding the promotion of the principles stipulated in the
Warsaw Declaration, the founding document of the CoD. Romania is holding the
presidency of the Council from September 2019 until September 2021. Its priorities
are to promote democracy at global level, facilitate the involvement of young
people in democratic processes, as well as the relationship between democratic
processes and information technology. Founded in 2000 and totaling 106 member
states, the Council of Democracies is the widest platform for exchanging views
and know-how in the field of global democracy.

GAUDEAMUS – The 27th edition of the
Gaudeamus International Book Fair, organized by Radio Romania, came to a
close on Sunday. For seven days, the online event was followed by some 50,000
viewers who attended over 200 cultural online events. Iartă-mă că te-am iubit,
written by Ela E. H., born in Romania and settled in the United Kingdom, has
been designated the most popular book in the fair. (V. Palcu)

23 November 2020
Parties submit lists of candidates for Parliament

Thursday was the last day when parties could submit
their lists of candidates for the legislative election in Romania. While some
voices argued in favor of postponing the election for next spring, due to the
pandemic, the election is very likely to be held as scheduled, on December 6,
something that President Klaus Iohannis and the Liberal Government both want.
The National Liberal Party’s list for the Romanian Parliament includes most of
the current ministers. Romania is fortunate to have a Government acting in its
national interest, the Liberal vice-president Raluca Turcan said, herself
seeking to win a new mandate in Parliament.

In the long term we want to restore Romanians’ trust
in Parliament, because Parliament makes good decisions and passes laws for
every Romanian.

In turn, the co-leader of the Save Romania Union -
PLUS Alliance, Dan Barna, hopes the Alliance will get a good score, allowing it
to be part of a potential governing alliance.

We need to hold the election as soon as possible, in
order to have a stable Government and a Parliament that should support the reforms
and measures Romania needs to take in order to deal with the pandemic.

On the other hand, the Social-Democratic Party, now in
opposition, has included on its list for Parliament new people and experts from
various fields. One of them is Professor Alexandru Rafila, Romania’s
representative at the WHO, while another is Professor Adrian Streinu-Cercel,
the manager of the Matei Balş Institute for Infectious Diseases in Bucharest,
both of them closely involved in the fight against the coronavirus. Here is
Social-Democrat President Marcel Ciolacu:

I am proud of every Social-Democratic candidate
running for Parliament. By far we have the best solutions for every sector.

The PRO Romania Party and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats decided to merge ahead of the election and submit joint candidates,
with former Social-Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta and former Liberal
Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu on the two top positions. In turn, the
People’s Movement Party has picked Elena Băsescu, the youngest daughter of
former President Traian Băsescu, as one of their top candidates. National
minority groups have also submitted their candidates, and the Democratic Union
of Ethnic Hungarians will this year try to secure a strong presence in
Parliament. A total of 8 candidacies have been submitted for MPs representing
the Diaspora, six from political parties and two by independent candidates. The
appealed version of the lists will be published on November 2, and the campaign
is due to start on November 6.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

23 October 2020
Parties build their lists for Parliament

2020 is a very difficult year for Romania, with two scheduled
elections, one already postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Originally
slated for June, the local election was held at the end of September. The
National Liberal Party, which won the highest number of seats in county and
local councils, is racing against the Social-Democratic Party, which holds
majority in Parliament, for winning the legislative election scheduled for
December 6. Both parties are striving to strengthen their ranks with credible
candidates who would boost their election score. Constantly accused of favoring
the access of high-ranking party officials to key positions, the
Social-Democrats have recently enrolled two leading doctors, Alexandru Rafila,
the country’s representative at the World Health Organization, and Adrian
Streinu-Cercel, the director of the Matei Balş Institute for Infectious
Disease. The former features extensively on TV news, invited to better explain
the pandemic to the masses. The latter was himself a favorite of media outlets,
until news came out of a visionary, if not utopic, reform of the health system,
one that would help combat the pandemic and which he spearheaded. Even so,
Streinu-Cercel still enjoys the respect of his peers.

Social-Democrat president
Marcel Ciolacu says the new list of candidates include people of integrity,
professionals widely known in their fields of activity. Romania, Ciolacu
argues, is undergoing the most severe health and economic crisis in history,
and a competent and responsible Government should work with specialists to take
Romania through this deadlock. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the
country is on the brink of disaster, Marcel Ciolacu went on to say. According
to the Social-Democrat leader, the Social-Democratic Party must build a strong
team for Parliament, one that should implement the governing program, solve the
health crisis and boost the economy and people’s living standards.

The Liberals
were quick to respond. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban believes Rafila and
Streinu-Cercel will be criticized by the public for their decision to run for
Parliament on behalf of the Social-Democratic Party, and that any opinion the
two would voice regarding the pandemic is no longer trustworthy. The Liberal
leader finds it hard to understand how the two doctors chose the Social-Democratic
Party, which he claims has been systematically undermining the efforts of the
authorities and specialists in the last months to limit the spread of the
pandemic. On the other hand, the National Liberal Party has also enrolled the
current Defense Minister, Nicolae Ciucă, the former chief of general staff in
the Romanian army. Meanwhile, the Save Romania Union – PLUS Alliance surprised
everyone with internal quarrels over available places on the lists for
Parliament. Some voices within the Alliance are disgruntled with the fact that
the Alliance has not nominated the people who are in the first line of battle
with traditional parties. In turn, the People’s Movement Party are staking
their odds on credibility and professionalism, by putting former Foreign and Justice
Minister Cristian Diaconescu on the top position on their lists for the Senate.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

19 October 2020
October 13, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The infection rate
has exceeded 2 per thousand inhabitants in the capital city Bucharest and another
two counties. The rate stands at 1.5 in another 12 counties, where the
authorities have introduced new restrictions. Yesterday, Prime Minister Ludovic
Orban announced he would recommend the cancelling of private events, or capping
the maximum number of attendants to 20. Many events organizers do not comply
with health safety measures, the Prime Minister said. Another 2,069 new
infections were reported in Romania on Sunday, most of these signaled in
Bucharest and in Iaşi and Prahova counties. 56 new fatalities were also
recorded, while 628 patients are in intensive care.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – Governments across
the globe are talking about a second wave of the pandemic and introducing
harsher restrictions to stop the virus from spreading. Over 38 million
infections have been reported since the start of the pandemic 10 months ago. 29
million of the people infected with the coronavirus have recovered. After being
one of the most affected countries in the world in March this year, when it
reported some 36,000 fatalities, Italy today has released an update of
anti-COVID measures for the next month. Bars, restaurants and clubs in the
Czech Republic will remain closed starting tomorrow until November 3, while
most schools in this country will move to remote teaching. In Jerusalem, the
Ministerial Committee for coronavirus is today convening to analyze the latest
developments. Israel has entered the fourth consecutive week with restrictions
in place at national level. Meanwhile, American researchers have reported the
first confirmed case of coronavirus reinfection, which takes the global number
to five. The other cases of reinfection were reported in Belgium, the
Netherlands, Hong Kong and Ecuador. The international community needs to do
more to deal with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMF
General Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Monday.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL – President Klaus
Iohannis will be attending the European Council meeting held in Brussels on
October 15 and 16. According to the Presidency, high on the agenda are hot
topics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, EU-UK relations as well as combating
climate change. Concerning the ongoing health crisis, talks will focus on the
current status of the pandemic, measures to limit the spread of the virus, the
economic and social impact of the pandemic, economic recovery and the
development of COVID-19 vaccines.

ELECTION – Over 20,000
Romanians living abroad have registered for postal voting for the December 6
legislative election. Eligible voters residing abroad who wish to cast their
votes in the election must register until October 22 on www.votstrainatate.ro.
State Secretary with the Department for Romanians Worldwide, Ovidiu Burduşa,
said there might be fewer voting polls this year set up abroad, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.

STATISTICS – The National
Liberal Party in power grabbed the highest number of votes at national level in
the recent local election, both in terms of the number of city halls, 34.58%,
and in terms of the local and county councils. According to data published by
the Central Election Bureau, ranking second is the Social-Democratic Party in
opposition, with a score of 30.34% of the total number of city halls. The
Social Democrats outrank the Liberals in terms of mayor and county councilmen
seats. Ranking third at national level is the Save-Romania Union, with a little
under 7%.

DRAFT LAW – Romanian deputies
are today debating a draft law tabled by the Social Democratic Party on the
payment of hazard bonus to teaching staff and auxiliary personnel, who are
exposed to COVID infections. The hazard pay will stand at €400 and €300 per
month, respectively. The beneficiaries will get the additional financial
payment throughout any state of emergency or alert. The Chamber of Deputies is
the decisional body in this case.

QUALITY OF AIR – Environment
Minister Costel Alexe on Tuesday is holding a press conference jointly with
Minister for European Funds, Marcel Boloş. The two will be signing a funding
contract for the modernization and expansion of the National Network for
Monitoring Quality of Air. The project seeks to build a national air pollution
forecast system for large urban centers. Earlier this year, Costel Alexe
announced another 60 new monitoring stations will be added to the network, an
investment worth € 3.17 million, of which €2.17 million is covered by the
Environment Fund Administration, while the rest will be funded by the EU. Right
now the network totals 148 operational stations, 8 of which in the capital city
Bucharest.

(Translated
by V. Palcu)

13 October 2020
October 5, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – 1,591 new cases of COVID-19 and
45 new fatalities have been reported nationwide in the last 24 hours, the Group
for Strategic Communication has announced today. The total number of infections
stands at 137,491, while the death toll stands at 5,048. 108,526 patients have
recovered. There are currently 592 people in intensive care. 6,702 Romanians living
abroad have tested positive for SARS CoV-2, while 126 have died. Most of these
cases have been reported in Germany, Italy and Spain. The negative evolution of
the COVID-19 pandemic in recent days does not require the reintroduction of the
state of emergency, authorities say, insisting however on the importance of
basic health safety measures, such as the wearing of face masks, observing
physical distance and rigorous hand hygiene. The head of the Department for
Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, warned that harsher restrictions might be
introduced in those areas where the infection rate has gone up significantly.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – The global number of infections has
exceeded 35 million while over 1 million people have died to the virus, the
latest worldometers.info update reads. The United States continues to be the
most affect country. New evidence has surfaced pointing to the existence of a
new wave of infections in Europe, where record high numbers were reported in an
increasing number of countries in the last few days. The Czech Republic and
Slovakia have reintroduced the state of emergency starting today. For the first
time the United Kingdom reported over 10,000 cases in a single day. A third of
the UK is under new regulations banning social interaction between people from
different homes. Over 50 universities in this country have been declared
hotbeds of infection. Poland too has confirmed over 100,000 cases since the
start of the pandemic, reporting over 2,000 infections in the last 24 hours. In
Russia there are over 10,000 cases reported in the last day, the highest report
in the last 5 months. France too is reporting concerning figures. A health
alert has been declared in Paris and another 3 neighboring districts.

PRIME MINISTER – On Monday Prime Minister Ludovic Orban asked
he be tested against COVID-19, after one of the people he came in contact with
on a TV shooting set last week tested positive for the virus, the Government
has announced. According to the source, the Prime Minister has suspended all
his meetings pending the release of the medical certificate.

ELECTION – The investigation of fraud allegations in the
local election and the elimination of taxes for three years in the hospitality
industry rank high on Parliament’s agenda this week. Another topic under debate
is the proposed postponement of the legislative election for March 14, 2021.
The set date for the legislative election is December 6. Unaffiliated MP Adrian
Dohotaru, who filed the said proposal, claims the legislative election should
be postponed due to the alarming increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2
infections in Romania and the rising pressure on the health care system.

NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE-
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 has been awarded jointly to
researchers Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice for the
discovery of Hepatitis C virus. The recipients of the Nobel Prize for
physics, chemistry, literature and peace will also be announced this week. The
winner of the Nobel Prize for Economy will be made public on October 12. With
the latter’s exception, the other Nobel Prizes were created by the Swedish
industrialist Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), the inventor of the dynamite. In 2020,
each Nobel Prize will be accompanied by a $1.1 million check, which is more
than in previous years. In 2019 the Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to
American researchers William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza and to British researcher
Peter Ratcliffe for their study on how cells sense and adapt to oxygen
availability. The Nobel Awards organizers have announced that, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the prize recipients will most likely receive their awards
in their home countries, without having to attend the awards ceremony in Stockholm.

TENNIS -
Romania is no longer represented in this year’s Roland Garros competition. On
Sunday, Horia Tecau of Romania and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands lost to
Mate Pavic of Croatia and Bruno Soares of Brazil in the round of 16 in the
men’s doubles. Also on Sunday, the number 1 seed in the women’s singles, Simona
Halep, was also ousted by Polish player Iga Swiatek.

(translated
by V. Palcu)

5 October 2020
October 2, 2020

MEETING – On the second day of the European Council meeting held in
Brussels, President Klaus Iohannis will be pleading for a robust and
consolidated single market, capable of supporting the development of Member
States. Klaus Iohannis believes developing the transport, energy and environment
infrastructure, as well as digital infrastructure, is key in countries such as
Romania, situated at the geographical periphery of the Union. According to the
President, the single market comes with undeniable opportunities, but also
challenges at the level of society. President Iohannis will therefore underline
the need to protect vulnerable groups, including seasonal workers, whose situation
needs to be improved via the concerted action of European institutions and
member states. On the other hand, the Romanian president will hail the
importance of the digital transformation of Europe, referring to significant
funds that will be allotted to the development of advanced digital
technologies. EU heads of state and government are today in Brussels,
discussing possibilities of tapping the full potential of the single market,
creating a promising industrial policy and capitalizing on the opportunities
arisen from the latest digital breakthroughs.

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – 2,343 new cases of COVID-19 and 53 deaths have
been reported in the last 24 hours in Romania. 571 patients are currently in
intensive care. So far, 4,915 people have died to the virus, while the total
number of confirmed infections exceeds 132,000. The high number of infections
has determined Prime Minister Ludovic Orban to call on the relevant authorities
to ensure the daily observance of health safety measures. The Prime Minister
warned that wherever the infection rate has exceeded 1.5 cases per 1 thousand
inhabitants in the last 14 days, bars, restaurants and other enclosed areas
will be shut down pending an improvement in the epidemiological context. On the
other hand, 344 schools across the country have switched to online teaching
exclusively. Over 770 children have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last
week, Health Minister Nelu Tătaru has announced.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – The global number of infections has reached 34.5
million cases, while some 1.02 million people have died. Over 25.6 million
people have recovered, the worldometers.info website reads. In Brazil there are
nearly 145,000 deaths and over 4.8 million confirmed infections, making it the
second-most affected country in the world after the United States. The US
President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that both himself and his wife, the
First Lady, Melania Trump, have tested positive for COVID-19. In Israel, the
infection rate stands at 13% of the total number of people tested. Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the current mobility restrictions introduced
at national level aren’t paying out, so the authorities are planning on
introducing new measures to prevent the disease from spreading. In Europe major
cities in Spain but also the capital city of France will further tighten health
safety measures as of Monday. Even a viable vaccine against the coronavirus won’t
be able to get life back to its normal track next spring, British scientists
have warned. Over 200 vaccines against COVID-19 are being developed by
scientists around the world at unprecedented speed, the BBC reports.

LEGISLATIVE ELECTION – Bucharest is today playing host to a press
conference devoted to the organization of the legislative election abroad, held
by Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu and other officials representing the
Permanent Electoral Authority. So far, Malta and Nigeria are the only countries
that cannot set up polls on their territory, Minister Aurescu announced on
Thursday. Bogdan Aurescu said there are states that traditionally host the
election only within the confines of Romania’s diplomatic missions, such as
Canada. On the other hand, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said the Government
will be running an awareness-raising campaign addressing Romanian in the
Diaspora, to inform them as to their possibility to vote by post in the
legislative election due in December, in those countries where voting polls
will not be set up due to health safety restrictions.

FOTOBALL – Romanian champions CFR Cluj have qualified for the second
year in a row to the Europa League playoffs after defeating on Thursday evening
KuPS Kuopio of Finland 3-1 at home. The draw for the Europa League group phase is
today being held in Nyon, Switzerland.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, world no. 2 and seeded
first at Roland Garros, is today playing Amanda Anisimova of the United States
(29 WTA) in the third round at the Paris Open. Halep last year lost to
Anisimova in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, 6-2, 6-4. Also today, in the
women’s doubles, Monica Niculescu of Romania and Misaki Doi of Japan are
playing Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, while the
Romanian pair Andreea Mitu – Patricia Tig are playing Varvara Gracheva of
Russia and Jasmine Paolini of Italy. In the men’s doubles, Horia Tecău and Jean-Julien Rojer of
the Netherlands are today playing Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Jonny
O’Mara of Great Britain.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

2 October 2020