Radio România Internațional

Tag: lifting

February 13, 2022

UKRAINE In the context of the
Russian-Ukrainian standoff, the Romanian foreign ministry has raised the alert
level for Ukraine and advises Romanian citizens to avoid travelling to that
country. The foreign ministry firmly recommends avoiding travels to Crimea, to
the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and to Ukraine’s borders with Russia and
Belarus. Romanian nationals currently in Ukraine are urged to notify their
presence to Romania’s embassy or consular offices and to reconsider staying in
that country. The foreign ministry also calls on Romanian citizens, including
journalists, to avoid big crowds, to stay up to date with information from
reliable sources and to adjust their plans to the security situation there. A
growing number of countries, including the US, Britain and Germany, are urging
their citizens to leave Ukraine, as Western powers warn that a Russian invasion
may be imminent. Moscow has massed around 100,000 troops and military equipment
along the Ukrainian border and started military exercises at the Black Sea and
in Belarus, but denies any aggressive plans. The US president Joe Biden has
once again warned the Russian leader Vladimir Putin, over the telephone, of the
prospective consequences of an invasion.

NATO Meanwhile, US Stryker armoured
vehicles have reached the Mihail Kogălniceanu military base in southern Romania,
where 1,000 US troops will also be relocated from Germany to strengthen NATO’s
eastern flank. With the arrival of Task
Force Cougar, the number of American troops in Romania reaches nearly
2,000. France
has also voiced willingness to deploy troops to Romania. A NATO member since
2004, Romania was already hosting 900 American, 250 Polish and 140 Italian
troops. A unit of the US Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), comprising around 150
troops and 8 F-16 Fighting Falcons, are conducting joint training missions with
Romanian troops and aircraft for 2 weeks. A senior Pentagon official also announced the US decided to send an
additional 3,000 troops to Poland as well.

COVID-19 The number of new COVID-19 cases
continues to drop in Romania, with nearly 12,000 new cases reported on Sunday
and 81 related deaths. Over 1,140 patients are currently in intensive care. The largest number
of infections since the start of the pandemic,
40,018, was reported on February 1. The health minister Alexandru Rafila said the number of new reported cases remains high,
although it is falling quickly, and once again pleaded for vaccination,
especially among vulnerable categories. As for lifting the restrictions, the
health minister did not specify a deadline, but stressed that relaxation will
be as quick as the situation allows it. In turn, the head of the
vaccination programme Valeriu Gheorghiţă said that in the future vaccination
will be seasonal, just like for the flu, and the vaccine will be adjusted to
the variant circulating at a particular time. He also said the
vaccination rate in Romania stands at 50.5% of the adult population.

PANDEMIC This weekend restrictions were eased off in Italy, Spain and
Iceland, while France and Germany are planning
to do the same in the coming weeks. Norway lifted the last protection measures
in the country in spite of a rise in the number of Omicron cases. However, the
protests initiated by truck drivers in Canada 2 weeks ago, and spreading to
several other countries on Saturday, are still going on. European drivers
headed to major capital cities to protest the compulsory vaccine and digital
certificate. Protests were organised in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia
and New Zealand. (A.M.P.)

13 February 2022
COVID restrictions eased off in Romania

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

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

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

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

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

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

25 June 2021
May 22, 2021

COVID-19 The number of new Covid-19
cases in Romania on Saturday was 455, out of over 28,000 tests. In hospitals, the
number of coronavirus patients is under 3,700, 623 of them in intensive care. Also,
59 COVID-related deaths were reported for the past 24 hours. The vaccine
rollout continues, with several vaccination marathons scheduled this weekend in
various cities. Drive-thru centres are also operational in several parts of the
country. Since the end of December, over 7 million vaccine doses have been
administered in Romania, with more than 3 million people receiving the booster
dose as well.

PILGRIMAGE Tens of thousands are taking part today in the traditional Catholic Whitsun pilgrimage in Şumuleu Ciuc, in central Romania. The organisers have taken measures to ensure the event complies with the Covid-19 safety rules. Hundreds of volunteers have been mobilized to this end, alongside hundreds of gendarmes, police, firefighters, mountain rescue workers and ambulances. Last year, the pilgrimage on Mount Şumuleu, which brought together over 100,000 people from around the world every year, was cancelled over the pandemic. In 2019, on June 1, Pope Francis travelled to Şumuleu Ciuc, where he held a service devoted to Mary, the Mother of God. The Şumuleu Ciuc pilgrimage dates back more than 450 years.

MOLDOVA In the Republic of Moldova the campaign for next months snap elections has officially started. Political analysts say this would be a tough race between pro-European and pro-Russian parties. The pro-European Action and Solidarity Party, founded by the incumbent president of the country, Maia Sandu, promised a fair and clean campaign, to gain citizens trust. Their main opponent is the Socialists Party headed by the former president Igor Dodon, which forms a pro-Russian electoral bloc together with Vladimir Voronins Communists. Also running for seats in parliament is the party headed by the mayor of Bălţi town, Renato Usatyi, which aims to win over a chunk of the pro-Moscow electorate, and a party headed by Ilan Shor, the hideaway tycoon who lives in Israel after having been sentenced to 7 years in prison by a court of first instance, following the USD 1 billion bank fraud scandal.

PANDEMIC As of Monday Spain opens its borders to travelers from countries deemed safe, such as the UK, Austria, China, Israel and Japan, without healthcare restrictions, the Radio România corrspondent in Madrid reports. As of June 7 travellers who have completed a full vaccination scheme approved by the WHO or the European Medicines Agency will also be welcomed to the country. Austria has also revised entry conditions, with the new measures to be enforced as of the end of June. People travelling to Austria from countries for which travel alerts are not in place, Romania included, are exempt from self-isolation requirements. Entry into Austria is allowed for those who produce a vaccination certificate, a negative SARS-CoV-2 test or an anti-body test taken in the past 3 months. Tests are not required for children up to 10 years of age.

EUROVISION 26 countries are competing tonight for the 2021 Eurovision trophy. The worlds largest televised song competition is held this year in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This is the years first major global performance, although held under strict COVID-19 containment measures. Only 3,500 people will be allowed in the venue, to watch artists from the entire Europe. The public must present negative COVID-19 tests and will wear face masks. Romania failed to qualify into this years Eurovision final. Over the years, Romanias best performances in this competition were two 3rd places (in 2005 and 2010) and a 4th place in 2006. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

22 May 2021
June 11, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 The number of COVID-19 cases in Romania is now over 21,100, with the death toll standing at 1,369. Over 15,200 patients have recovered. More than 3,300 Romanian nationals living abroad have so far tested positive for the virus, and 114 died. President Klaus Iohannis called on Parliament to approve an extension of the state of alert, due to end in mid-June, arguing that there is no significant drop in the number of new cases. Political groups in Parliament are negotiating on a possible extension, with several parliamentary parties unhappy with the proposal put forth by the Liberal Government. The Social Democratic Party, the main party in Opposition, disagrees with an extension of the restrictions in place over the past 30 days.

PANDEMIC The European Commission Thursday recommended the lifting of all travel restrictions within the EU and the Schengen area as of June 15, as well as the reopening on June 15 of the Unions external borders to Western Balkan citizens, AFP reports. The final decision however rests with the individual Member States. The World Health Organisation warned that the coronavirus pandemic is not yet over and voiced deep concern as regards countries whose healthcare systems are struggling to cope with it. In the US, the total number of infection cases passes 2 million. Over 112,000 Americans have so far died because of the COVID-19, making the US the worst hit country in terms of total cases, followed by Brazil, Russia and the UK. In the EU, where 4 countries alone (the UK, Italy, France and Spain) have reported a combined 130,000 deaths, the number of new cases is decreasing and containment measures are gradually lifted.

EUROBAROMETER According to the latest Eurobarometer, six out of ten Romanians believe that their everyday lives are affected by corruption. The survey was carried out at EU level in December 2019 and was made public on Wednesday. As compared to 2017, the figure is by 4% smaller, but still twice the European average. Eight out of ten Romanians believe that corruption is a wide-spread phenomenon in Romania, and this perception is close to the EU one. According to the survey, corruption is unacceptable to a considerable European majority, 69%. The highest rate of rejection was reported in Portugal (88%) and the lowest in Hungary (36%). Some 48% of the Romanians say corruption is unacceptable.

QS WUR The University of Bucharest and the ‘Babes Bolyai’ University of Cluj-Napoca are the only higher education institutions in Romania included in the Quacuarelly Symonds World University Rankings 2020. The rankings are made following an analysis of the performance of more than 1000 universities across the globe, taking into consideration certain criteria: academic reputation, reputation as an employer, the number of students, the number of quotations for faculties, international faculties and international students. As regards the classification by fields of study, the University of Bucharest is included in ten fields and subfields of the 53 analyzed. It is the only university in Romania included in the series 201-250 in the linguistics sub-field.

REPATRIATION 77 Romanian nationals who were in Saudi Arabia and were affected by air transport restrictions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic were brought back to the country in a joint operation by the Foreign, Transport and Interior ministries. According to the Foreign Ministry, thanks to the efforts of the Romanian authorities, another 13 Serb citizens, 9 Bulgarians, 2 French and 2 Syrian citizens, and one citizen each from Hungary, Jordan, Croatia, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Bosnia Herzegovina were able to return to their countries of residence. The Romanian Foreign Ministry emphasises the importance of carefully checking relevant travel information and alerts prior to leaving the country.

COMMEMORATION Investigations into the June
1990 miners’ raids have been stalling for 30 years, and we still don’t know who
is responsible for the over 1,000 victims, president Klaus Iohannis warned on
Thursday in a meeting with officials for the University of Bucharest,
commemorating 3 decades since the events. The so-called miners’ raids of June
13-15, 1990 ended a large scale protest in Bucharest against the leftist party
that seized power after the communist dictatorship collapsed in December 1989. After
violent clashes between the police and the protesters in University Square on
June 13, coal miners from the Jiu Valley area in the centre-west reached the
capital city on June 14. They attacked the protesters, raided political party
offices and university buildings. Six people died and over 1,000 were wounded
or abusively arrested. Among others, the then president of Romania Ion Iliescu is
probed into in this investigation.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, M. Ignatescu)

11 June 2020
June 9, 2020 UPDATE

MEASURES President Klaus Iohannis announced on Tuesday that extending the state of alert beyond June 15 is necessary, given the absence of a significant drop in the number of new COVID-19 cases. The head of state also announced further easing of containment measures starting mid-June, including a possible reopening of shopping malls, kindergartens, private schools, gyms and outdoor pools. However, hygiene and physical distancing measures will have to be strictly complied with. The extension of the state of alert must be approved by Parliament, which is why the president called on MPs to be responsible, and said this is the only way the authorities can contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

COVID-19 In Romania, 9 more people infected with the novel coronavirus died, taking the death toll to 1,354, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Tuesday. According to the latest data, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania is over 20,700. Of these, more than 14,900 have recovered, while 152 patients are in intensive care units. Around 3,300 Romanian nationals living abroad have so far tested positive for the virus, mostly in Italy, Germany and Spain, and 114 of them died. The head of the Emergency Department, Raed Arafat, emphasised that full relaxation is, for the time being, out of the question.

PARLIAMENT The simple motion tabled
by the Social Democratic Party in opposition against labour minister Violeta
Alexandru was discussed and passed by the Senate on Tuesday. The Social
Democrats requested the Labour Minister to step down over the emergency order
on furlough and other measures concerning vulnerable categories, which was
poorly written and required several successive changes. The minister was also
criticised for how she handled the situation of the Romanian nationals who left
the country to work abroad. Violeta Alexandru dismissed the accusations. The
Chamber of Deputies decided on Tuesday to discuss and vote on the motion
against the development minister Ion Stefan at a later date. The finance
minister Florin Cîţu is also invited on Wednesday to present explanations to
the Senate’s economic and budget-finances committees concerning Standard&Poor’s decision with
respect to including Romania in their investment-grade category.

ECONOMY The year-on-year economic growth rate in the first quarter of this year, 2.4%, is primarily owing to consumption, which went up 3.8%. According to preliminary data made public on Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute, the GDP was 0.3% higher in the first quarter, in real terms, than in the 4th quarter of 2019. Romanias trade balance deficit also deepened by roughly 201 million euros in Q1 compared to the previous quarter.

EU PM Ludovic Orban took part on Tuesday in a conference call organized by the Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU, with the ambassadors of EU countries in Bucharest. The PM emphasised that the Government now focuses on economic recovery, and mentioned measures to support the companies and the employees affected by the pandemic. Ludovic Orban also said the Cabinet is considering measures to ensure cashflows, to support investments in vital sectors and to improve the efficiency of EU fund absorption. In turn, the ambassador of Croatia to Romania and the Republic of Moldova, Marija Kapitanovic, commended the Government of Romania for its handling of the health crisis and the repatriation of Romanian citizens from the countries affected by the pandemic.

FESTIVAL This year, the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) will hold a special, online edition, scheduled between June 12th and 21st, the organisers have announced. FITS #online Empowered will be fully accessible online, on the Festivals homepage and Facebook and YouTube channels. According to the organisers, for 10 days the public will be able to watch some of the best ever theatre, dance, music, and opera performances online. Between June the 15th and 17th, over 100 performing artists and companies will take part online in the Sibiu Performance Exchange, the only event in Romania that brings together performing arts professionals, cultural managers and agents.

REPATRIATION Romanias Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that 166 Romanian nationals were repatriated from the UK, including students, airline personnel as well as people who could no longer extend their stay for various reasons. A special flight by the Romanian airline Tarom was used for this operation, and 3 British citizens were taken to the UK on the same occasion.

PARTNERSHIP A Romanian defence ministry team will return to the country on Wednesday after a mission to support the Alabama state authorities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a Defence Ministry news release, the 15 military and civilians in the team work in emergency military hospitals in the country and in the field of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence. The cooperation between Romania and the state of Alabama is part of a State Partnership Program initiated in 1993 and coordinated by the US European Command. So far more than 200 bilateral operations have been conducted, with an emphasis on interoperability between military structures, at NATO standards, support for civilian authorities, aid provision and support in the deployment of Romanian units to theatres of operations.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 June 2020
The Week in Review 31 May – 6 June

COVID-19 restrictions further eased in Romania

June 1 came with a new stage in easing restrictions in Romania, even though the threat of the novel coronavirus is not yet behind us. With the death toll recently passing 1,300 out of 20,000 infection cases confirmed in the 3 months since the virus first hit Romania, the country now lifts another set of restrictions.

Some of the measures introduced on March 15 to contain the spread of the virus had already been lifted two weeks ago, when the state of emergency was replaced by a state of alert. As of May 15, for example, people could leave their homes without needing a sworn statement to travel within the locality. Parks and museums reopened, and things took a turn to normalcy.

The results of an analysis run by decisionmakers now, 2 weeks into implementing the new rules, prompted them to announce that as of June 1 Romania would take further steps to lift containment measures.

These steps include the reopening of outdoor bars and restaurants and beaches, as well as the organization of outdoor performances with up to 500 people in attendance. Sports competitions that do not require direct contact between athletes are also resumed, and so is international road and railway transport. People can also travel freely from one locality to another. But even though some restrictions were eased, president Klaus Iohannis reiterated, caution is still needed.

Constitutional Court rulings

Romanias Constitutional Court ruled down any extension of local elected officials terms in office, and the date of the forthcoming elections must be agreed on by the Government and Parliament. On Wednesday, the Court ruled that a government emergency order extending the terms in office of local elected officials was unconstitutional. The Court also dismissed a bill passed by Parliament on the term in office for local public authorities and on the date of the local elections.

Judges argued that an extension of these terms in office can only be regulated by law, and not by a government order. Parliament had passed a bill extending the term in office in local administration until the end of the year, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, and giving Parliament the right to set a date for local elections.

Constitutional Court judges argued however that institutional cooperation between Parliament and Government is necessary, and that local elections must be scheduled before the end of local authorities current term in office, on June 21. This means that as of next week parliamentary parties must start to prepare and table legislation to regulate the forthcoming local elections.

New economic recovery measures

The IMM Invest programme has been improved by the Government, which announced plans to also increase the budget earmarked for this programme, so as to triple the number of companies benefitting from these funds in a few weeks. Moreover, the Government has put together a plan to also support large companies affected by the crisis, similar to the programme devoted to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The finance minister Florin Cîţu said the programme to support large companies will have a budget of around 1.6 billion euro, and will be ready within a month. He also announced that Bucharest will have to deposit guarantees of 393 million euro to be able to access funds under the EUs SURE programme, which targets active employment measures and which could channel up to 5 billion euros into Romania.

Festivals postponed in Romania

Major festivals, which had become a tradition in Romania and used to be scheduled every summer, were officially cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic and of relevant restrictions. Untold was due to take place between July 31 and August 2 in Cluj-Napoca (north-west), while Neversea was scheduled for early July in Constanţa, on the Black Sea coast.

According to organisers, the decision was made in the context of the uncertainties looming over the events industry and of the strict conditions under which people are allowed to meet. The Culture Ministry presenting Parliament with a bill banning events with more than 1,000 people in attendance until August 31, 2020, did not help either.

Summer Well, held every summer for the past few years near Bucharest, was also rescheduled for next year, and so was Electric Castle, another festival due in Cluj in mid-July. Also in Cluj, another landmark event, Jazz in the Park, was cancelled over the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who have purchased tickets for this years festivals may choose to use them for the forthcoming editions, or to get a refund, where possible.

On the other hand, the 19th Transylvania International Film Festival, deferred because of the coronavirus containment measures introduced this spring, will be held between July 31 and August 9. TIFF comes with a summer edition with lots of outdoor screenings, holiday atmosphere and a programme adapted to the context. The screenings will be held in specially designed areas, with seats placed a safe distance from one another.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

6 June 2020
June 1, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 As of Monday, a new stage in relaxing the coronavirus containment measures began in Romania. Outdoor restaurants and bars, as well as beaches, reopened on Monday, and some outdoor sports competitions were resumed, but without public. Also on Monday travel restrictions were lifted, both for domestic and international road and railway traffic. Shopping centres, schools, kindergartens and playgrounds remain closed however, and flights to and from certain countries continue to be grounded. Self-isolation or quarantine for travellers coming into the country is still compulsory. Over 19,400 coronavirus infection cases have been reported in Romania since the start of the pandemic, 3 months ago. Around 13,400 of them have recovered, and 1,276 died. Among the Romanians living abroad, the number of cases passed 3,100, with the death toll standing at 106.

EMPLOYMENT As of June 1, Romanian employers who decide to hire people over 50 years of age, under open-ended full time contracts, will be reimbursed by the government 50% of the employees salary, up to roughly 500 euros. The government decided to grant the same facility to companies that hire youth aged 16 to 29. Meanwhile, furlough will be paid in those sectors where the COVID-19 containment measures are to remain in place. The government has also decided to pay the employees who have been on furlough and return to work 41.5% of the basic salary, via their employers.

CHILDREN The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in a Childrens Day message on Monday that, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, children have made extraordinary efforts and adapted to online schooling, proving quite aware of the importance of education. He thanked children for being understanding and for protecting their families, especially their grandparents, who are the most vulnerable to this disease. President Iohannis called on all children to comply with safety and hygiene rules and be his allies in the fight against the virus, and assured them that this period will be overcome. Other public officials also posted messages on International Childrens Day.

STATISTICS The number of youth has dropped steadily in Romania over the past few years, the National Statistics Institute reports. Early this year, Romania had little over 4 million children, and 2019 was the first year when the number of newborns dropped under 200,000. Experts expect that by 2060 the number of preschoolers and children will be over 50% smaller than in 2015 in around half of Romanias counties.

PANDEMIC The number of novel coronavirus cases worldwide is nearly 6.3 million. Of these, 2.85 million patients have recovered, and some 375,000 died. The country with the largest number of cases is the US, followed by Brazil, with over 500,000 cases, accounting for over half of the total number of cases in Latin America. In Europe the situation is begining to settle, with Britain, the country with the largest number of deaths (over 38,000) starting to lift containment measures on Monday. Groups of up to 6 people are allowed to meet as of Monday, with social distancing measures still in place. Italy, which at some point was the European country the worst hit by COVID-19, continues to ease restrictions, and authorities are focusing now on restarting tourism, which is a major sector of the Italian economy.

PROTESTS Clashes between protesters and police were reported in cities across the US, sparked by the killing of an African American citizen upon arrest. According to the BBC, violence was reported in tens of cities, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. In Washington, near the White House, police used tear gas against the protesters who set fire and threw rocks at the police forces.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

1 June 2020
June 1, 2020

COVID-19 As of today, a new stage in relaxing the coronavirus containment measures begins in Romania. Outdoor restaurants and bars, as well as beaches, reopen today, and some outdoor sports competitions are resumed, but without public. Also today travel restrictions are lifted, both for domestic and international road and railway traffic. Shopping centres, schools, kindergartens and playgrounds remain closed however, and flights to and from certain countries continue to be grounded. Self-isolation or quarantine for travellers coming into the country is still compulsory. Over 19,400 coronavirus infection cases have been reported in Romania since the start of the pandemic, 3 months ago. Around 13,400 of them have recovered, and 1,270 died. Among the Romanians living abroad, the number of cases passed 3,100, with the death toll standing at 106.

EMPLOYMENT As of June 1, Romanian employers who decide to hire people over 50 years of age, under open-ended full time contracts, will be reimbursed by the government 50% of the employees salary, up to roughly 500 euros. The government decided to grant the same facility to companies that hire youth aged 16 to 29. Meanwhile, furlough will be plaid in those sectors where the COVID-19 containment measures are to remain in place. The government has also decided to pay the employees who have been on furlough and return to work 41.5% of the basic salary, via their employers.

CHILDREN The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in a Childrens Day message on Monday that, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, children have made extraordinary efforts and adapted to online schooling, proving quite aware of the importance of education. He thanked children for being understanding and for protecting their families, especially their grandparents, who are the most vulnerable to this disease. President Iohannis called on all children to comply with safety and hygiene rules and be his allies in the fight against the virus, and assured them that this period will be overcome. Other public officials have also posted messages on International Childrens Day.

STATISTICS The number of youth has dropped steadily in Romania over the past few years, the National Statistics Institute reports. Early this year, Romania had little over 4 million children, and 2019 was the first year when the number of newborns dropped under 200,000. Experts expect that by 2060 the number of preschoolers and children will be over 50% smaller than in 2015 in around half of Romanias counties.

PANDEMIC The number of novel coronavirus cases worldwide is nearly 6.3 million. Of these, 2.85 million patients have recovered, and some 375,000 died. The country with the largest number of cases is the US, followed by Brazil, with over 500,000 cases, accounting for over half of the total number of cases in Latin America. In Europe the situation is begining to settle, with Britain, the country with the largest number of deaths (over 38,000) starting to lift containment measures today. Groups of up to 6 people are allowed to meet as of today, with social distancing measures still in place. Italy, which at some point was the European country the worst hit by COVID-19, continues to ease restrictions, and authorities are focusing now on restarting tourism, which is a major sector of the Italian economy.

PROTESTS Clashes between protesters and police were reported in cities across the US, sparked by the killing of an African American citizen upon arrest. According to the BBC, violence was reported in tens of cities, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. In Washington, near the White House, police used tear gas against the protesters who set fire and threw rocks at the police forces.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

1 June 2020
May 12, 2020 UPDATE

Talks. Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis Tuesday had fresh talks with members of the government on measures to manage the Covid-19 outbreak. In a statement following the meeting, the head of state announced the measures to be introduced as of May 15. Wearing protective face masks becomes compulsory indoors, as does a distance of 1.5 m between people. Klaus Iohannis added that beauty salons, museums and shops that are not located inside shopping centres will reopen. Local authorities are urged to also reopen parks to the public. At the same time, the obligation to stay at home and to carry a written statement detailing the purpose of going out will be lifted. A written statement will only be required when leaving ones home locality. The president explained traveling outside ones home town or village will only be permitted for job-related purposes, individual sports and farm work. As for religious services, in a fist stage they can be held outdoors, with believers wearing face masks and keeping a 1.5 m distance from one another. Professional athletes may resume training under special conditions, but competitions are still suspended. Non-professional athletes may only resume individual sports and outdoor practice. The president concluded by saying that the bill regulating these measures must be endorsed immediately, and called on Parliament to do so as soon as possible.

Motion A
simple motion against the Romanian agriculture minister Adrian Oros, tabled by
the Social Democrats in opposition, will be debated on Monday. The Social
Democrat Petre Daea, former agriculture minister, argues that since the Orban
Cabinet took power, the normal course of agriculture programmes has been hindered.
He warns that farmers are now in a difficult position, among others because the
authorities have either blocked or delayed some ongoing programmes. The Social
Democrats also claim that the agriculture minister failed to take concrete
measures with respect to the drought and the grain exports during the corona
crisis. In response, Adrian Oros argues that the motion is proof that he has
disrupted certain groups of interests which controlled the ministry in recent
years.

Workers. The minister for labour and social protection Violeta Alexandru says she will travel to Germany to look into the working conditions of Romanian workers. She made this announcement hours after being heard by Parliament on the subject of Romanian workers abroad in the context of the pandemic. The minister said people should be respected the freedom to choose the country where they wish to work. She also called on Romanian workers abroad not to accept employment without a legal contract.

Covid-19 Romania. According to the latest toll, infections pass 15,770 in Romania and over 1,000 people have died. Almost 7,700 people have recovered. The highest number of cases was recorded in Suceava, in the north-east, and in the capital Bucharest. Among the Romanians living abroad, more than 2,800 have been infected and 102 have died.

Covid-19 world. The European Commission has forwarded to Member States a roadmap for the gradual lifting of COVID-19 containment measures. The document focuses on monitoring the pandemic. The lifting of restrictions on citizens freedom of movement should be proportionate and non-discriminating, the Commission warns, after several member countries initiated bilateral talks on border crossing provisions. Quarantine measures are to be regulated by national authorities, but the roadmap stipulates that such measures must be taken, maintained or lifted based on scientific and epidemiological criteria and in keeping with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control guidelines. The roadmap also requires countries to provide statistics on the coronavirus outbreak at national and regional level. According to the latest data, infections worldwide pass 4.2 million, while the death toll rose to 287,000. In the United States, which is the worst hit country in the world, the death toll hit 107,000. In Europe, the UK is the worst hit country, with over 32,000 deaths, followed by Italy (over 30,000) and Spain (over 26,000).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, CM)

12 May 2020
May 9, 2020 UPDATE

EUROPE DAY Europe is experiencing the most difficult period since WW2, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis says in a message released on Europe Day, May 9. He says that this is a time that tests our resilience, unity and humanity, and that, faced with the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Romania has once again proved to be a trustworthy partner. The president mentioned that teams of Romanian doctors and nurses went to Italy and the Republic of Moldova to support the efforts to fight the epidemic. Romania is also the first EU member state to manage a strategic stock of medical equipment for the entire Union, and under this mechanism vital equipment has already been delivered to the worst hit areas. May 9 marks the 1945 victory of the Allies against Nazi Germany in WW2, as well as the historic 1950 declaration of the French foreign minister Robert Schuman, proposing an economic cooperation plan between France and Germany, to do away with deep-rooted rivalries. On the same day, Romania celebrated its independence from the Ottoman Empire, proclaimed during the Russo-Turkish war in 1877.

COVID-19 The National Public Health Institute Saturday presented a draft list of measures to be implemented as of May 15, when the state of emergency introduced 2 months ago to contain the coronavirus outbreak ends. The list includes field specific measures and refers to the resumption of the activities suspended in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Among other things, appointments to dentist practices and beauty salons will be mandatory, and a distance of at least one and a half metres between clients will be secured. End-of-cycle students will only attend classes of 10 children at most, and will not spend more than 3 hours a day together. In open-plan offices and public transport, face masks will be compulsory. This set of measures is currently subject to public debate. The interior minister Marcel Vela urged companies with more than 50 employees to organise shifts so as to reduce pressure on public transportation. He added that the committee drafting the rules for lifting restrictions are still discussing whether the sworn statement required at present for those who leave their home should be maintained after May 15. According to the authorities, the total number of deaths in Romania is 929. The total number of cases so far is over 15,100. Of these, over 6,400 have recovered. Among the Romanians living abroad, 2,756 have tested positive for the virus, most of them in Italy and Spain, and 99 have died since the start of the pandemic.

NATO The Romanian Chief of Defence Staff, lieutenant general Daniel Petrescu, Friday discussed in a conference call with the chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Sir Stuart Peach. According to a news release issued on Saturday, talks focused on the management of the COVID-19 crisis at Allied level, NATOs operations, missions and commitments and the impact of the current context on the security environment. The NATO official emphasised the important role of the Allied solidarity in fighting the pandemic, the concentration of efforts for the mutual support of member states and the medium and long term repercussions of the current health crisis on the Alliance and its partners. In turn lieutenant general Petrescu highlighted the national commitment in theatres of operations and the efforts to consolidate a coherent deterrence and defence posture for NATO. The Romanian Armys experience in supporting local and central public authorities to fight the coronavirus outbreak was also presented and discussed.

TRANSPORT Airlines are bound to refund the price of tickets for cancelled flights, according to the EU legislation, the European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean announced. She said citizens must contact the relevant member states, because many countries have provided state aid to airlines precisely in order to help them cover their cash shortages. Adina Vălean also announced that next week she will make public a list of safety rules for various transport means, as cross-border traffic is being gradually resumed and the EU seeks to help the tourism industry recover. She also said the so-called green corridors for commodities will be preserved in the foreseeable future.

PANDEMIC The European Commission has called on all Schengen member and associate states to extend the temporary ban on non-essential travel in the EU until June 15. Although some member countries are already lifting the restrictions aimed at fighting the coronavirus pandemic, the situation is still fragile both in Europe and in the rest of the world, the Commission argues. This is why external border restrictions are still needed, in order to reduce the risk of the disease spreading through travel into EU countries. The number of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases worldwide is around 3.9 million, and the death toll stands at over 274,000. In the US, over 1.2 million people have tested positive, and in Spain, Italy and the UK the number of cases is over 200,000.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 May 2020
May 9, 2020

EUROPE DAY Europe is experiencing the most difficult period since WW2, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis says in a message released today, on Europe Day. He says that this is a time that tests our resilience, unity and humanity, and that, faced with the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Romania has once again proved to be a trustworthy partner. The president mentioned that teams of Romanian doctors and nurses went to Italy and the Republic of Moldova to support the efforts to fight the epidemic. Romania is also the first EU member state to manage a strategic stock of medical equipment for the entire Union, and under this mechanism vital equipment has already been delivered to the worst hit areas. May 9 marks the 1945 victory of the Allies against Nazi Germany in WW2, as well as the historic 1950 declaration of the French foreign minister Robert Schuman, proposing an economic cooperation plan between France and Germany, to do away with deep-rooted rivalries. On the same day, Romania celebrates its independence from the Ottoman Empire, proclaimed during the Russo-Turkish war in 1877.

COVID-19 The Strategic Communication Group in the Government of Romania is to make public today a list of measures to be implemented by business operators and public institutions as of May 15, when the state of emergency introduced 2 months ago over the coronavirus epidemic ends. The interior minister Marcel Vela urged companies with more than 50 employees to organise shifts so as to reduce pressure on public transportation. He added that the committee drafting the rules for lifting restrictions are still discussing whether the sworn statement required at present for those who leave their home should be maintained after May 15. The SCG also announced today that the total number of deaths in Romania is 926. The total number of cases so far is over 15,100. Of these, 6,400 have recovered. Among the Romanians living abroad, 2,444 have tested positive for the virus, most of them in Italy and Spain, and 96 have died since the start of the pandemic.

TRANSPORT Airlines are bound to refund the price of tickets for cancelled flights, according to the EU legislation, the European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean announced. She said citizens must contact the relevant member states, because many countries have provided state aid to airlines precisely in order to help them cover their cash shortages. Adina Vălean also announced that next week she will make public a list of safety rules for various transport means, as cross-border traffic is being gradually resumed and the EU seeks to help the tourism industry recover. She also said the so-called green corridors for commodities will be preserved in the foreseeable future.

PANDEMIC The European Commission has called on all Schengen member and associate states to extend the temporary ban on non-essential travel in the EU until June 15. Although some member countries are already lifting the restrictions aimed at fighting the coronavirus pandemic, the situation is still fragile both in Europe and in the rest of the world, the Commission argues. This is why external border restrictions are still needed, in order to reduce the risk of the disease spreading through travel into EU countries. The number of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases worldwide is around 3.8 million, and the death toll stands at over 264,000. In the US, over 1.2 million people have tested positive, and in Spain, Italy and the UK the number of cases is over 200,000.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 May 2020
Talks about easing restrictions

In Romania, the most optimistic estimate for relaxing the restrictions designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus is mid-May, Bucharest says. Traffic has been restricted for five weeks now, with Romanians confined to their homes and only allowed to go out to buy food and medicines or for other emergencies. Not many of them are still going to work, to ensure the operation of vital sectors. Schools have been closed since March 11, and shops, except for the ones selling necessary items, are also temporarily closed down. So are restaurants, cafes and the like. And all these measures introduced across the country have an impact on the economy.

Under these circumstances, good news, in whatever area, would be a breath of fresh air for everybody. A piece of good news came on Tuesday from President Iohannis. At the end of a meeting with the prime minister, some of his Cabinet members and the head of the Department for Emergencies, he announced that “the time has come to think about a relaxation plan, when conditions will have been met.

Klaus Iohannis: “A presidential order is currently in force, concerning the state of emergency, which is due to end on May 15. So after May 15, if the number of infected people drops, if the number of deaths caused by the virus drops, if we all comply with the measures introduced by the authorities and things look up, we will be able to ease these restrictions. I would like to warn you from the very beginning however that this will be done step by step, rather than all at once, because experts tell us that the virus will not just go away, so we will have to continue to live with some restrictions in place. But these things will be determined by politicians, by the government, based on scientific and medical evidence.

So we are talking about a gradual lifting of containment measures, as of May 15 at the soonest and only if healthcare data clearly prove that the worst is over and things can be kept under control. And when the relaxation period begins, the responsibility of each and every citizen will increase, the President also warned:

Klaus Iohannis: “It is equally important for us to understand now, after having completed an important stage in this pandemic, to understand that relaxation means the authorities will be less involved in our lives and that, more than before, responsibility will be in your own hands, dear Romanians.

Romania is still on an uptrend in terms of the number of cases and deaths, the Healthcare Minister Nelu Tătaru cautioned in his turn, adding that a possible lifting of restrictions can only be discussed after an assessment due to be completed next month.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

22 April 2020