Radio România Internațional

Tag: measures

  • March 29, 2021 UPDATE

    March 29, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The vaccination rate is expected to reach 100,000 people per day in April, the PM of Romania Florin Cîţu announced on Monday. This is when several million doses of vaccine are scheduled to reach the country, including the new type produced by the US company Johnson & Johnson, which does not require a second dose. A new batch of Pfizer/BioNTech doses arrived on Monday in Romania, where the national vaccine rollout is in full swing. Two million people have so far got the vaccine and half of them the booster dose. On the other hand, 3,825 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Romania on Monday, out of over 14,000 tests. The total number of infections is over 940,000, and the death toll passes 23,200, according to the Strategic Communication Group. Also on Monday 120 new deaths were reported, and a new record of nearly 1,400 patients are in intensive care. The infection rate remains high in Ilfov County, over 8.5 per thousand, and in Bucharest, over 7 per thousand. New measures to contain the epidemic came into force on Sunday. In regions with an infection rate above 4 per thousand, a night curfew is in place over the weekend between 8 pm and 5 am, two hours earlier than in the rest of the week. Shops must close at 6pm at weekend, and in regions with an infection rate above 7.5 per thousand the same restrictions are applicable the entire week. The new measures have sparked protests in Romania’s big cities, where people took to the streets on Monday chanting anti-government slogans.




    MOTION A simple motion against Romanian agriculture minister Adrian Oros was discussed on Monday in the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest. The Social Democratic Party in opposition, which tabled it, is blaming the minister for having failed to take the right measures to offer compensations to the farmers affected by the drought. This is the worst period for the Romanian agriculture, heavily affected by the drought and the pandemic and also by the minister’s incompetence, the Social Democrats said. The document is to be voted upon on Wednesday. This is the third simple motion tabled by the Social Democrats in the present Parliament season. The other two, tabled against the ministers of health and economy, have been dismissed by Parliament.




    ANTI-SEMITISM The Prosecutors Office attached to the Bucharest District 1 Court ordered the 24-hour detention of a young man in a case involving death threats and anti-Semitic emails received by the actress Maia Morgenstern, director of the State Jewish Theatre in Bucharest. The message was made public by Maia Morgenstern on Theatre Day and the Jewish holiday of Passover, and was signed “On behalf of AUR. The leader of this parliamentary party, George Simion, condemned the attack, claiming the sender cannot be a member of his party. The Governments special representative for promoting remembrance policies and fighting anti-Semitism and xenophobia, Alexandru Muraru, said however he had reservations as concerns the statements of this party, which he described as a neo-fascist group known for its public anti-Semitic and nationalist views. Politicians and public figures in Romania condemned the message, and the case was given international coverage as well.




    EXAMS Romanian 8th-graders started mock exams in preparation of secondary school graduation, with the Romanian language and literature test held on Monday. The math test is scheduled on Tuesday. The mock exams are held in schools, in regions where the COVID-19 infection rate is not over 6 per thousand. In places where the rate is higher, the mock exams can be postponed, but will not be held later than May 15. The national assessment exam will take place as originally scheduled, between June 22 and 25, after authorities considered delaying it over the pandemic. Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, classes have been held mostly online this year, and the education process has been disrupted. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Covid-19 red zone expands in Romania

    Covid-19 red zone expands in Romania


    The week did not begin too well for Romanians: the number of coronavirus infections is growing steadily, hospitals and ICUs are once again overcrowded, and as a result on Monday several cities in the country were included in the so-called “red zone. This means additional restrictions in places where the infection rate is over 3 per thousand.



    The red zone includes the capital city Bucharest and the neighbouring county, Ilfov, as well as Constanţa, in the south-east, and the counties of Timiş, Hunedoara, Cluj, Braşov, Alba and Sălaj, in the west of the country.



    Ilfov County, where most localities are virtually satellites of Bucharest, reports the highest infection rate, and most of its towns and villages are under lockdown.



    The authorities say they are not considering similar measures in Bucharest, the biggest, most dynamic and most populated city in Romania. Many Ilfov residents work in Bucharest and commute on a daily basis, and their children go to school in the capital city.



    With growing scepticism as regards lockdowns, commentators are noting the failure of this measure in Timişoara, where after 2 weeks in lockdown the number of new COVID-19 cases is higher than before. The same happened in 4 villages near the city.



    A member of the National Liberal Party, just like most government members, the chairman of the Timiş County Council Alin Nica said the head of the Department for Emergency Situations Raed Arafats decision to extend the zonal lockdown in Timşoara was abusive and that legal action against it was considered.



    Local authorities in Bucharest, from the prefect to the mayor general and sector mayors, say they want to avoid a lockdown and will step up checks and inspections in shopping malls and farmers markets at the weekend.



    Also a Liberal, PM Florin Cîţu said in turn he was trying to keep the economy open, which is why he would listen to all opinions and suggestions coming from experts. The PM has once again urged citizens to observe the containment measures introduced by the authorities, which in his opinion are among the most relaxed in the EU. It is high time the solutions came from the local authorities, the PM argued.



    The Social Democrats in opposition claim the Cabinet fails to take responsibility for their handling of the new wave of this pandemic and is trying to shift responsibility to local authorities.



    Meanwhile, people seem to have run out of patience. This past weekend, just like in many other places in Europe, protests were held in Bucharest and other cities against the pandemic containment measures imposed more than a year ago. (tr. A. M. Popescu)

  • Vaccine rollout enters final stage

    Vaccine rollout enters final stage

    As of Monday the 3rd and final phase of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is operational. For the time being, vaccines are available in places where the infection rate is over 4.5 per thousand, such as Braşov (centre) and Timişoara (west). The rest of the population may put their names down on waiting lists on the electronic platform, also starting on Monday.



    According to the authorities, 500,000 people have already created accounts on the electronic appointment platform, and are trying to get a vaccine.



    Citizens eligible for the second phase, i.e. people over 65 years of age, chronic patients and workers in essential sectors, who have not yet received the vaccine, can still make appointments and will have priority on the waiting lists.



    Appointments can be made online or via a call centre. The online platform lists both the existing vaccination centres, and centres scheduled to become operational next month.



    Doctor Valeriu Gheorghiță, the coordinator of the national vaccination programme, announced that at this stage youth between 16 and 18 years of age may also receive the vaccine, but only in those centres where Pfizer doses are available, because this is the only product authorised for this age group.



    Authorities continue to promise that the immunisation campaign will be stepped up. The rate is already over 40,000 shots per day nation-wide, and the number of doses administered so far is over 2 million.



    This month, Romania should receive a total of 2.6 million doses of the 3 vaccines approved in the EU—Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca—while in April the country is scheduled to receive 3 million doses from Pfizer alone.



    Vaccination is not mandatory, the authorities pointed out once again, but it is the only solution if we are to return to normal as soon as possible.



    Meanwhile, with the alarming rise in the number of cases and in the number of patients in intensive care, infectious disease experts warn that the COVID-19 vaccination should not make us feel excessively relaxed, because immunised people can still catch and transmit the coronavirus. This is why they call for strict observance of the current protection measures. Doctors also say that the only means to put an end to the pandemic is to have as many people vaccinated as possible, so as to reduce the number of those vulnerable.



    In the meantime, new containment measures are introduced. The state of alert has been extended, which keeps the already existing restrictions in place while also introducing new ones. The night curfew now starts at 10 pm instead of 11pm, and accommodation facilities in mountain resorts may only run up to 70% of their total capacity. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • March 13, 2021 UPDATE

    March 13, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 On Saturday the Strategic Communication Group reported nearly 5,000 new COVID-19 cases in Romania, with 79 new deaths and over 1,200 patients in intensive care. The total number of infections so far is over 855,000, with the death toll standing at over 21,400. As of March 14, Romania extends the state of alert by another 30 days, amid growing numbers of COVID-19 cases. All restrictions valid so far will be maintained, and a night curfew will be in place between 10 pm and 5 am, one hour longer than at present. Accommodation facilities in mountain resorts will only be allowed to receive guests at 70% of their capacity. Meanwhile, the vaccine rollout continues, with nearly 1.4 million people immunised since late December, most of them with the Pfizer vaccine. Romania has temporarily suspended the use of an AstraZeneca vaccine batch, but continues to use doses from other batches. The decision came after several European countries reported severe side effects and even deaths among people who have received doses from the respective batch.




    PANDEMIC The World Health Organisation said there are no reasons not to use the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, after several European countries announced they had suspended it as a precaution, according to WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris. The European Commission calls on states to follow the advice of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which says that so far nothing points to higher blood clot risks in people having received the AstraZeneca shots. Meanwhile, the “digital green passport project to be presented in Brussels on Wednesday will only take into account the COVID-19 vaccines authorised by the EMA, a senior EU official said on Friday. Four vaccines are authorised for use in the EU at this point–Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Oxford and Johnson & Johnson. The Chinese vaccine Sinopharm, used in Hungary even by PM Viktor Orban, is not included, and neither is Russias Sputnik V, ordered by Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia and under EMA assessment since March 4. Around the world, according to worldometers, over 119 million people have so far caught the virus. Some 95 million people recovered and more than 2.6 million died.




    FRIGATE The Romanian frigate ‘Regina Maria’ Saturday joined the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG-2), operating in the Black Sea. The frigate, with a crew of 238, will carry out NATO monitoring missions along with 5 other vessels from Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Turkey, as part of SNMG-2, subordinated to the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM).




    CRASH An An-26 military aircraft flying from Kazakhstans capital city Nur-Sultan crashed on Saturday while landing on Almatî Airport. Four of the 6 people on board died, according to the countrys ministry for emergencies. The Russian news agency Interfax quoted one source as saying the aircraft was part of Kazahstans border service in the Committee for National Security.




    MOLDOVA The president of R. of Moldova Maia Sandu presented the government with a set of measures to help the economy overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Under the plan, small enterprises and farmers would have easier access to financial resources thanks to a Loan Guarantee Fund. Maia Sandu explained in a Facebook post that the Fund would be increased to over 1.5 billion Moldovan leu. Procedures will also be simplified, the Moldovan president promised, and added that she was counting on solidarity on everybodys part, including banks.




    HANDBALL The best Romanian womens handball teams, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea and CSM Bucharest, played on Saturday against each other in the second leg of the Champions League eighth-finals. The Bucharest side moved up into the quarter-finals, although they lost to SCM Ramnicu-Valcea 27-21. In the first leg, CSM Bucharest had won 33 – 24, playing away from home. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • March 8, 2021

    March 8, 2021

    COVID-19 Romania’s PM Florin Cîţu announced he asked the
    coordinator of the national vaccination programme Valeriu Gheorghiţă and the
    health minister Vlad Voiculescu to take steps to initiate the 3rd
    vaccination phase sooner than planned, because in March Romania will receive
    2.6 million anti-COVID vaccine doses, which is more than originally estimated.
    The PM said that where citizens entitled to vaccines in the 1st and
    2nd stages of the programme decline getting the jabs, the respective
    doses should go to the general public scheduled for immunisation in the 3rd
    phase. So far 1.16 million people have received the vaccine in Romania. On the
    other hand, more than 830,000 infections have been reported in Romania since
    the start of the pandemic, with the death toll standing at nearly 21,000. Face-to-face classes continue for senior-year middle and
    high school students, but in a mixed system, with half of the children
    attending classes online, under a joint order issued by the education and
    health ministries. The measure is in place up to a COVID infection rate of 6 per
    thousand



    POLICE The Romanian interior ministry intends to increase the number of police forces monitoring compliance with the new COVID-19 containment measures introduced as of Monday in Bucharest and in Timişoara (west). The city of Timişoara and several villages in Timiş County are under lockdown as of midnight, as the number of coronavirus cases is on the rise. Bucharest is also subject to new restrictions, such as the closing of restaurants, cafes and bars. These measures add to the ones already in place in other red-code regions in the country, where the COVID-19 infection rate is over 3 per 1,000.



    WOMEN Romania ranks first in the EU by number of women holding top corporate posts, according to a release issued by a women-founded business centre, which quotes a Eurostat report. According to these figures, 34% of the total senior executive positions in Romania are held by women. Also, over 500,000 active businesses in Romania have women as shareholders. Across Europe, women account for 37% of managers, 28% of board members and 18% of the senior executives. The European Parliament is celebrating today the International Womens Day, in a plenary session. In a conference on “Women on the frontline and lessons learned from managing the crisis, women in politics, healthcare and gender equality share personal experiences and good practices with MEPs.



    PANDEMIC The European Union begins talks today with the United States of America to secure the supply of US-made materials for anti-COVID vaccines, which are subject to tight export controls. The point is to coordinate efforts so as to avoid bottlenecks, AFP reports, quoting EU sources. These components include bags fitted to the manufacturers vats, as well as vials, syringes and so-called “nanolipid particles used to encapsulate some messenger RNA vaccines. Meanwhile, Hungary introduces new containment measures on Monday, with most shops closed for 2 weeks. The UK on the other hand is beginning to lift restrictions, and millions of children are returning to schools after a 2-month break. In turn, Israel is returning to normal. Some restrictions were lifted on Sunday, 15 days ahead of national elections, and Israelis can now go to cafes, restaurants and schools. Worldwide, according to worldometers updates, nearly 117.4 million people have caught the virus, of whom 93 million have recovered and 2.6 million died since the start of the pandemic a year ago.



    FILM Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, the most recent film of Romanian director Radu Jude, won the Golden Bear at the 71st edition of Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale, held online. The film looks into the relations between the individual and society when the leaked sex video of a school teacher goes viral on the Internet, turning her life upside down.



    TENNIS Several Romanian athletes are playing today in the main draw on the Dubai tennis tournament, which has over 1.84 million US dollars in prize money. The first Romanian in the competition, Ana Bogdan (100 WTA) lost to Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Republic, (20 WTA), in 2 sets. Sorana Cîrstea (67 WTA) takes on the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko (142 WTA), Irina Begu (72 WA) is facing Garbine Muguruza of Spain (16 WTA), and Patricia Țig (61 WTA) plays against Latvias Jelena Ostapenko (51 WTA). Two Romanians are also taking part in the doubles competition. Last years winner of the Dubai tournament, the Romanian Simona Halep, 3 WTA, is not taking part in the competition this year. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Fresh anti-Covid regulations for those entering Romania

    Fresh anti-Covid regulations for those entering Romania


    The worlds countries are in an incessant race in an attempt to contain the spread of the novel Coronavirus, particularly its new more contagious strain. Immunization, the main pillar in the prevention strategies, seems to be only partly effective due to the delays and interruptions in the vaccine production and deliveries. The other measure states resort to consists of increasingly tougher entry restrictions. The latter method was tested last year and since it proved functional wasnt totally scrapped not even after the virus had given deceitful signs of remission. Although the EU zone has always promoted and implemented the free circulation, countries in the bloc cannot avoid the global measures aimed at containing the spread of the dreadful virus.


    Romania has a daily number of infections relatively small, the situation is stable and infections with the mutating virus are just a few. However, a scenario under which the country is spared by the more aggressive strain of the virus is not plausible. For this reason, authorities in Bucharest decided to enlarge the list of high-risk countries in the so-called yellow zone and toughen entry conditions for those travelling to Romania.


    Starting February 12th, people coming to Romania from the yellow zone must produce a Covid-19 negative test taken 72 hours before their entry. Furthermore, they will be subjected to a 14-day quarantine with the possibility to break it in the 10th day, if they are willing take another RT-PCR test on the 8th day and that proves negative. There are a few categories exempted from the rules though, such as children under three, those who can prove they have taken an anti-SARS-Cov-2 vaccine and that ten days have passed since they took the booster dose as well as those who got infected 90 days before their entry into Romania.


    Also exempted are truck drivers with the authorized carrying capacity over 2.4 tons, drivers of transport vehicles with more than 9 passengers as well as drivers whose job implies travelling from their country of residence to another EU member irrespective of their travel means. The list also includes flight crews, members of various diplomatic missions, consular offices and other diplomatic representations accredited to Bucharest as well as crew members of Romanian ships who are repatriating and foreign workers coming to Romania from the neighboring countries like Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine or the Republic of Moldova.


    (bill)




  • January 6, 2021 UPDATE

    January 6, 2021 UPDATE

    VACCINE A third batch of 15,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine has arrived in Romania on the airports in Bucharest, Cluj Napoca and Timisoara. Romanias immunization programme started on December 27th, and over 58,000 medical workers have been immunized so far. The campaign’s second stage is to commence at the end of next week and will be addressing vulnerable people and workers in key sectors. Authorities estimate that the third stage of the programme, targeting the entire population, may begin in April. Since the onset of the pandemic, roughly 654 thousand people have been infected on Romania’s territory and nearly 16,300 died.



    PARTNERSHIP Romania joined the effort of several EU member states for the development of a European mechanism for the access of Eastern Partnership countries to the anti-COVID-19 vaccine. The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and his counterparts from Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia sent a joint letter to the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and to other top European Commission officials. The document voices support for a EU mechanism enabling Eastern Partnership countries to have access to anti-COVID-19 vaccines, similar to Western Balkan countries. The 13 foreign ministers emphasized that the initiative will indirectly benefit millions of citizens in the Eastern Partnership countries and will strengthen health security within the EU.


    GOVERNMENT Financial
    audits in all companies and institutions subordinated to ministries and the
    possible reopening of schools on February 8 were the main topics of Wednesday’s
    government meeting. By February 4, ministers are to present the PM Florin Cîţu reports
    on the financial state of all subordinated companies and solutions and
    deadlines to making them efficient. Meanwhile, the education minister Sorin
    Cîmpeanu announced schools may reopen in the second half of the academic year. He
    explained a decision will be made by the end of January. Sorin Cimpeanu added
    that in the meantime schools remain closed and classes are taught exclusively
    online.


    ALERTS Hydrologists have extended and broadened code-yellow and orange alerts for flooding on several rivers in northern, central and southern Romania. Scores of towns and villages in 11 counties across Romania have been affected by flooding in the past days. Heavy rainfalls have caused damage and temporarily disrupted traffic on several national and county roads. Rail traffic has also been disrupted and special teams have intervened to pump water out of households and unblock roads and railways in several regions.



    DONATION The Romanian Defence Ministry Wednesday donated COVID-19 personal protective equipment to the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Moldova. The new batch, consisting in face masks, face shields and overgarments follows a previous donation made last spring and is part of a support package for the Republic of Moldova, reiterated by the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis during a recent visit to Chişinău. According to the Romanian Defence Ministry, this reconfirms Romanias commitment to supporting the Moldovan authorities and their efforts to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

    AMBASSADORS Nine
    candidates for ambassador posts were interviewed by Parliament’s specialised
    committees on Wednesday. Daniela Popescu, the candidate for Romania’s ambassador
    to the UK, and Cristian Istrate, the candidate for Romania’s ambassador to the Russian
    Federation, are among those who received the greenlight. The interviews had
    been scheduled for last November, but were deferred.


    HOLY DAY January 6th is a major date for Orthodox and Catholic believers in Romania, a country with an Orthodox majority, which today celebrated Epiphany or the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. On Wednesday priests gave special services and distributed holy water to believers. Because this holiday involves the participation of numerous people, in all the churches across Romania, measures were taken to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Winter holidays in Romania are due to end on Thursday with a festivity celebrating the birth of St. John the Baptist. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 4, 2021 UPDATE

    January 4, 2021 UPDATE

    TALKS The government of Romania will hold talks this week on the 2021 state budget. According to Liberal Prime Minister Florin Citu, the budget is going to be based on a 7% deficit and will be submitted for Parliament approval by the end of the month. According to the Prime Minister, the 7% target is proof of the firm commitment to fiscal consolidation without hindering the economy. The budget will allow for an extension to June 30th of economic measures triggered by the pandemic, including compensations to employees during the suspension of employment and financial support for employers. A state aid scheme for the hospitality industry and travel agencies, totalling 500 million euros and financed from EU funds, will also be in place. The government might also discuss this week a bill raising the national minimum wage, while all wages in state-owned companies are to be frozen at the level of December 2020.




    COVID-19 – In the past 24 hours Romania has reported over 3,100 fresh cases of Covid-19 infections, out of 10,000 tests carried out nationwide, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Monday. Roughly 644,000 people have been infected with the virus since the first case was reported in Romania in February last year. Out of these, 577,000 have recovered. Another 78 people died to the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll since the onset of the pandemic to 16,057. 1,100 are in intensive care and the authorities are bracing up for a new wave of infections after the winter holidays. According to Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations, although the immunization campaign in Romania has commenced, prevention measures, like face covering, hand washing and social distancing remain mandatory. The vaccination campaign has been extended in Romania, which is to activate over 90% of the 376 centres for healthcare personnel and care centres. Nearly 13,500 medical workers were immunized in the first week since the vaccine was brought to Romania, with authorities targeting a daily 20,000 vaccination rate in the forthcoming period. The coordinator of the vaccination programme, Valeriu Gheorghiţă, says the second stage of the programme, targeting patients in care centres, may be initiated in mid-January.




    FLIGHTS The National Committee for Emergency Situations in Romania has updated their list of countries and areas in the COVID-19 red zone and decided to resume flights to and from the UK. People coming to Romania from this country are to isolate themselves for 10 days and must have taken a Covid-19 test at least 48 hours before their arrival. Flights to the UK were suspended on December 20th after a fresh, more contagious virus strain had been discovered in Britain. Italy has been included on the list of countries with a higher risk of transmission.




    AUTOMOTIVE The number of new car registrations went up 16% in Romania in December 2020 compared to December 2019, to 15,974 units, according to the Romanian Association of Automotive Makers (ACAROM). However, for the entire year 2020 the number dropped by 22%. As regards used vehicles registered in Romania for the first time, the number dropped by 5% in December 2020 compared to 2019, to 34,174 units. The best selling new cars in Romania in 2020 are Dacia, followed by Skoda, Renault, Volkswagen and Ford.




    ENERGY The European Commission Monday greenlighted the acquisition by the Europe Division of MIRA investment fund (Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets) of electricity production and supply assets held by the Czech group CEZ. In October 2020, CEZ Group announced the sale of its assets in Romania to MIRA, the worlds largest infrastructure management company. The transaction involved 7 companies, including electricity distribution and supply networks and Europes largest onshore wind farm, in Fântânele – Cogealac (south-eastern Romania).




    SAVINGS Four out of ten Romanians managed to save during the pandemic, as compared to two-thirds before. A survey conducted by the Romanian Research and Strategy Institute (IRES), and commissioned by the Romanian Banks Association, also shows that two-thirds of the household and corporate savings are in the local currency, mostly in short-term deposits. According to the survey, if they had money to spare, 28% of Romanians would invest in their or their familys education, 23% would keep the money in banks, 16% would start up a company and 10% would buy hard currency. The poll was conducted in December 2020.




    AIR FORCES MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft and around 90 US Air Force personnel are deployed for the next few months to ‘Gen. Emanoil Ionescu’ 71st Air Base in Câmpia Turzii, north-western Romania. According to the Romanian Defence Ministry, the Romanian Air Forces will provide technical, logistic and operational support to the MQ-9 Reapers intelligence, surveillance and recon missions as part of NATO operations. The US-Romanian cooperation is designed to strengthen the defence capacity and enhance security in the region. (tr. A. M. Popescu)

  • Government keeps public spending in check

    Government keeps public spending in check

    Less than a week after the Liberal Florin Citu took over the prime minister seat, his rigour as finance minister, a position he previously held, started to be felt. The coalition government, made up of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the USR-PLUS Alliance and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) decided on Wednesday, through an emergency order, not to increase the salaries of public servants next year. Salaries, just like bonuses, compensations and food subsidies have been capped at their level this month. The decision applies to the entire staff working in the central and local public administration, including dignitaries. The ordinance postpones by one year the payment of the so-called special pensions of mayors, pensions that do not comply with the contribution principle. According to PM Citu, all these measures are aimed to keep public spending in check and to increase investment.



    The budget deficit target for 2021 has been set at 7% of the GDP. Under the emergency order, over 3 billion euros from the national budget will be saved. The document also provides support for the hospitality industry, the payment of technical unemployment and of 41.5% of the salary of the employees whose jobs are preserved. Another emergency order extends by another three months the deadline for interest rate postponement applications. The payment of interest rates can be postponed for 9 months at the most.



    Vasile Dancu, head of the National Council of the Social Democratic Party, in the opposition, says that the new cabinet governs in an anti-social manner, as the promises made by the parties in power during the election campaign were in fact empty words. Apart from the political games, trade unions in the healtcare system say that the salary cap will also affect those who fight directly with the pandemic, that is the medical personnel. Employees with the Interior Ministry are also unhappy with the measure and have sent their message to the Interior Minister Lucian Bode. Clerks have also threatened with protests both in Bucharest and in half of the prefect’s offices in the country.



    Moreover, the recent announcement of the Electoral Authority that political parties will ask for the repayment of more than 30 million euros, representing some of the expenses made during the parliamentary elections this year, has increased the state of irritation at society level. The amount is almost four times bigger than at the 2016 parliamentary elections, although less than one third of the electorate went to the polls this year and that only 9% of Romanians said they trust political parties, thus making the legitimacy of the latter even more questionable. (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • December 30, 2020

    December 30, 2020

    Government — The Romanian government is meeting today to pass an emergency decree on measures related to the state budget for 2021. The government intends to maintain state aid for the hospitality industry and that intermediated by the IMM INVEST Program until June 30. PM Florin Citu announced that, in case he gets all the necessary approvals, the government agenda will also include a law that will introduce the AGRO IMM INVEST Program for agricultural producers, similar to the existing one for the other small and medium-sized enterprises. Also today, the government intends to increase the minimum gross salary to 2,300 lei (about 470 euros), a regulation that will come into force on January 1, 2021. Holiday vouchers will continue to be granted in 2021 as well, vouchers amounting to 1,450 lei (that is about 300 Euros), to stimulate Romanian tourism. The PM added that the government wants to extend such active measures as the indemnity granted to employees for the period of individual labor contracts suspension and the support of employers by paying part of the gross salary granted to the employees that are still working.



    Vaccination – The anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign starts today at the Marius Nasta Pulmonology Institute and the University Hospital in Bucharest. About 3,000 medical staff from the front-line hospitals fighting the COVID-19 pandemic were vaccinated in the first three days of the national vaccination campaign. The authorities announced that, in the three days since the start of the campaign, the vaccinated persons reported common and minor side effects, such as pain at the injection area and several general reactions. On Tuesday, the second tranche of more than 140 thousand doses of Covid-19 vaccines reached Romania. The vaccination campaign started in Romania on Sunday, as in most EU countries.



    COVID-19 Romania — Over 4,600 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Romania on Tuesday, out of approximately 24,000 tests made in 24 hours. Most of the new cases, over 1,300, were registered in Bucharest which is followed by Timiş County (west). As regards the contamination rate for a period of 14 days, the worst situation is reported in Ilfov County, near Bucharest, with almost five cases per thousand inhabitants. The authorities have also announced 135 COVID-19 related deaths, with 1,162 patients being in ICUs. Almost 88% of the people contaminated with the new coronavirus since the onset of the pandemic have recovered.



    Earthquake — Rescue teams are still searching for survivors among the debris resulted following Tuesdays 6.4 magnitude earthquake from Croatia, which occurred in the area of ​​the historic town of Petrinja (center). According to first estimates, at least 7 people have died and several scores have been wounded. According to France Presse, more than 20,000 people have spent their night outdoors, for fear of possible aftershocks. In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis said that Romania is by Croatia and its citizens’ side and it is ready to provide help. Other countries in the region and the European Commission have offered their support.



    Post-Brexit agreement — The long-awaited post-Brexit agreement was signed on Wednesday by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council President Charles Michel. The agreement regulates the relations between the EU and the UK starting on Friday, January 1, 2021. The European leaders considered the moment “of historic importance” and “a major step forward”, an extremely important turning point. The documents will go to London to also be signed by the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Brussels and the UK have managed to reach an agreement on post-Brexit relations on the last minute, on the Christmas Eve, after many months of difficult negotiations. The new regulations will take effect on 1 January, and the document is to be ratified by the European Parliament and the parliaments of the 27 member states. At the same time, the British Parliament will meet, also today, in a videoconference, to debate this ‘historic’ trade agreement, and to put it to the vote. The UK, which officially left the EU on 31 January 2020, will definitively leave the EU single market and the customs union on 31 December, but following this agreement, no tariffs will be imposed on the merchandise originating in the EU or the UK. (tr. L. Simion)

  • December 19, 2020 UPDATE

    December 19, 2020 UPDATE

    GOVERNMENT The 466 Romanian Deputies and Senators elected on December 6 Saturday started the procedures for taking over their seats and forming the new Parliament. President Klaus Iohannis convened the first meeting of the new legislative on Monday, December 21st. Representatives of the future right-of-centre ruling coalition Saturday continued their negotiations on the governing programme, after having announced on Friday night an agreement on the distribution of key positions in the new parliament and cabinet. Specifically, the coalition agreed that the Chamber of Deputies speaker position will be held by the Liberals, and the Senate speaker post will go to the USR PLUS Alliance. The PM designate will be the incumbent finance minister Florin Cîţu. The Liberals will get 9 ministries in the new cabinet, USR PLUS – 6, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, 3. The latter 2 parties will also appoint 2 deputy prime ministers. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party, which came first in the general election, insists that the fair solution in the current circumstances is a government of national union, headed by Alexandru Rafila, who represents Romania at the World Health Organisation. The Social Democratic president Marcel Ciolacu said his party will never endorse a government made up of the National Liberal Party, USR PLUS Alliance, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, which, he says, keeps Romania in an ongoing crisis.



    COVID-19 5,158 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Saturday, out of nearly 25,800 tests conducted across the country. Another 188 COVID-related deaths were also reported, taking the total death toll to 14,296. 1,274 patients are currently in intensive care. Since the start of the pandemic, nearly 588,000 cases have been reported in Romania, over 493,000 of whom have recovered. President Klaus Iohannis warned that until enough people have received vaccines, all restrictions must be complied with. Containment measures are to remain in place during the winter holidays.



    COMMEMORATION Romania continues to commemorate the heroes that died in the anti-communist Revolution of December 1989. Timişoara celebrates on December 20th Victory Day, when the city was declared free from communism. The uprising first started in this western Romanian city 31 years ago, on December 16th. The following day, the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu ordered the use of lethal ammunition against street protesters. On December 19, to cover the massacre, the communist authorities implemented the so-called Operation “Rose, with bodies taken from the Timişoara morgue to be incinerated in Bucharest. The protests in Timișoara, which left around 100 dead and some 350 wounded, were the spark that led to the collapse of the Ceausescu dictatorship a few days later, in one of the most violent revolutions in south-eastern Europe.



    PANDEMIC India reported on Saturdayover 10 million coronavirus cases, the 2nd-largest number in the world. The US, the worst hit country, as of this weekend has a second vaccine ready for delivery, the one produced by Moderna, which is easier to ship and store than the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The European Medicines Agency announced a decision on the Moderna vaccine is scheduled on January 6, while the Pfizer one will be approved next week. Meanwhile, tough restrictions are announced in Italy during the winter holidays. Restaurants and bars will be closed between December 24 and January 6, and so will most shops, except for 4 days. People will be allowed to receive only 2 guests at home, and as of Monday all citizens entering the country have to be quarantined for 14 days. Britain also introduced strict anti-COVID measures after a surge in infections, possibly caused by a coronavirus mutation.



    SPORTS Romania won the silver medals in the European Artistic Gymnastics Championship held in Mersin (Turkey), on Saturday, after they held the best place in Thursdays qualifications. Romania was outperformed by Ukraine, which won the gold. Third came Hungary. On Sunday, Romania will have competitors in all the apparatus finals, with star gymnast Larisa Iordache qualified in 4 finals (beam, floor, uneven bars and vault). Ioana Stănciulescu will compete in the vault final, Silviana Sfiringu in the beam final and Irina Antonia Duţă in the floor event. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • The Week in Review November 21-18

    The Week in Review November 21-18

    Romania, 9 months since its first coronavirus case


    Nine months after the first coronavirus infection was reported in the country, during which hundreds of thousands of other cases have been confirmed, the daily number of Sars-CoV-2-related deaths remains high, and so does the number of patients in intensive care.



    Experts warn that although the daily number of new cases has been on a slight decrease since the beginning of this week compared to last week, this is not enough to be optimistic. They believe that only after 14 days with a positive trend can the situation be assumed to be stable.



    Authorities introduced local lockdowns in areas with high infection rates. The results are already evident, and the rate is dropping. The restrictions introduced nation-wide, such as the compulsory face covering both indoors and outdoors, nighttime curfews and the switch to online classes in schools have also played a part.



    President Klaus Iohannis said Romania will not go under full lockdown after the general election due on December 6. However, this is not the time for relaxation, he said, and urged citizens to continue to observe the safety measures and to spend the winter holidays with the members of their own households.



    The president also voiced hopes that as soon as conclusive data is published, Romanians will be less skeptical with respect to a vaccine. According to a poll run by the Avangarde Social and Behavioural Studies Group, only 30% of the Romanians would get the coronavirus vaccine as soon as one is available in the country.



    Meanwhile, Romanian authorities are presenting the anti-COVID vaccination strategy, which is seen as a matter of national security. The strategy will be submitted for endorsement by the Supreme Defence Council next week. Healthcare and other key sector personnel and high-risk social categories will be the priority groups to receive the vaccine.



    The National Defence Ministry will play a very important role in supporting inter-institutional efforts during the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, providing the logistic means for this national campaign. The distribution strategy also takes into account the specific transport and storage requirements for each vaccine.



    The government approved the 3rd budget adjustment this year


    The Romanian Government Monday adopted the 3rd and last budget adjustment this year, one that takes the budget deficit to roughly 19.5 billion euros. Unlike earlier predictions, the budget deficit will reach 9.1% of GDP by year end, and the economy will shrink by 4.2%.



    PM Ludovic Orban said the adjustment was required in order to cover the expenditure incurred with the COVID-19 pandemic, with the payment of increased pension benefits and balancing local budgets. He explained that new challenges and expenses had to be handled, as the pandemic and a number of recent laws have increased the pressure on the state budget.



    Additional funds will be earmarked to the Labour Ministry for pension, furlough and flexible working time payments. The Health Ministry will also get more money for the anti-COVID efforts, including bonuses for ambulance staff, who had not been included in the original regulation providing bonuses to healthcare staff fighting the pandemic.



    The finance minister Florin Cîţu announced an increase in Romanias contribution to the EU financial effort to produce a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. He explained that this budget adjustment also ensures that public investment projects worth around 11 million euros will be carried on. Public education and agriculture have also received additional funds. The Agriculture Ministry will therefore be able to pay compensations to the farmers affected by this years drought. On the other hand, budget cuts were operated, affecting the Finance Ministry and the Interior Ministry, the Presidential Administration and the Chamber of Deputies.




    Bucharest presents National Recovery and Resilience Plan


    The Government of Romania Thursday night presented the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which will use EU funding to help the Romanian economy overcome the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is designed to ensure the accelerated development of the country in the coming 4 years, and the EU money will be spent on new hospitals, hundreds of kilometres of motorway, school infrastructure and the digitization of public administration.



    Under the plan, over 30 billion euros will be invested in the most important sectors of the Romanian society. Of the total, non-reimbursable grants amount to nearly 14 billion euro, and loans at favourable interest rates contracted by the European Commission on behalf of the member states account for the balance.



    The plan has been subject to public debate as of Thursday, with civil society invited to make suggestions, to be reviewed by the Government. After that, the plan will be sent to Brussels. Several NGOs working in the education, healthcare and social fields have already voiced their intention to contribute to the document, which, they say, must include first and foremost support measures for vulnerable categories and pay special attention to underprivileged youth and children, helping them to complete their education. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 25, 2020 UPDATE

    November 25, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 President Klaus Iohannis Wednesday had a meeting with Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, Health Minister Nelu Tătaru and the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, to assess and present measures aimed at managing the COVID-19 pandemic. After the meeting, president Iohannis told a press conference that a downward trend in the number of infections has been noted since November 20, as a result of local lockdowns. He added the measures remain in place, and further restrictions will be introduced where necessary. Iohannis also said the authorities are not planning to introduce a nation-wide lockdown after the general election due on December 6. Also on Wednesday, the finance minister Florin Cîţu signed a 12-million euro advance payment to the European Commission for the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine. Romania wants to make sure it will be among the first countries to have access to the vaccine. In other news, the Romanian Red Cross has started a COVID-19 awareness raising campaign. On Wednesday, another 9,700 new COVID-19 infections and 168 related deaths were reported for the last 24 hours. Over 1,200 people are in intensive care.



    SURE Romania will receive in the ensuing days a first instalment of 3 billion euros of the loan granted by the European Commission under SURE scheme, the Romanian finance minister Florin Cîţu announced on his Facebook account. The total loan requested by Romania amounts to 4.1 billion euro. The money will cover the deficit generated by measures like furlough or flexible working hours in the context of the pandemic. Apart from Romania, another 15 EU member states have access to this scheme, including Italy, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Belgium. The SURE programme makes available a total 100 billion euros.



    INVESTMENTS 46% of the foreign investors in Romania have this year cancelled, reduced or suspended investments, while 51% made no changes to the planned projects, according to a survey made public on Wednesday. 41 out of 100 investors believe Romania will still be attractive after the end of the pandemic, in sectors like agriculture, IT and the automotive and transport industries. On the other hand, the main areas in which Romania should invest in order to increase its competitiveness include education, infrastructure and technology. At the end of last year, the biggest investors in Romania were the Netherlands, Austria and Germany. Another survey, focusing on the state of the national economy, reveals that 58% of the SMEs in the country only have reserves for the next 1-2 months, while 22% estimate their existing funds would be enough for 2-4 months.



    MEETING Prime Minister Ludovic Orban and Economy Minister Virgil Popescu Wednesday met with representatives of the hospitality sector, one of the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The talks focused on offsetting the losses incurred by this sector. PM Orban argued in favour of extending furlough for all employees whose activity has been affected by the health crisis and introducing flexible working hours so as to better meet the needs of the hospitality industry. Consultations between the Government and HoReCa operators will continue over the coming period. The Government has so far given tax breaks and continued to pay unemployment benefits to employees in furlough. The Government has also adopted a state-aid scheme whereby hospitality businesses are to receive 20% of the turnover they reported the previous year. All restaurants are currently shut down in Romania due to the high infection rate, and restaurants with outdoor seating have few clients because of the cold weather. Business owners in the sector say their losses amount even to 80%, and expect some 100,000 jobs to be lost by the end the year.



    MARADONA World football legend Diego Armando Maradona, 60, died of a heart attack on Wednesday, international news agencies report. Maradona was struggling with depression and an alcohol addiction. Early this month he was hospitalised for routine checks, but 3 weeks ago he underwent emergency surgery for a blood clot in his brain. Diego Armando Maradona will be remembered as the footballer who scored some of the greatest goals in history. He played for Argentina for 17 years (1977-1994), scored 50 goals in 115 games and won his country its second World Cup in 1986. He retired from football at the age of 37. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 22, 2020 UPDATE

    November 22, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania since the start of the pandemic passes 418,000. On Sunday, 5,800 new cases were reported. Another 131 coronavirus-related deaths were also confirmed, taking the death toll to over 10,000. A further 1,174 patients are currently in intensive care. The health minister said at present there are around 1,390 intensive care beds, with another 280 to be available in the coming period. Local lockdowns were introduced in several towns and villages with large number of cases, including around the capital Bucharest. President Klaus Iohannis said this is a measure that has proved effective in containing the epidemic. He added similar measures are being considered in many other localities, but that in the coming 2-3 weeks things will return to “somewhat normal parameters. Iohannis announced he would have a meeting on Monday with the health, interior and defence ministers, to clarify aspects related to the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, which he sees as a matter of national security.



    GAUDEAMUS Another 30 new events could be watched online on Sunday, the last day of the Gaudeamus Radio România book fair, held exclusively online this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A rich diversity of events could be accessed on the Fairs Facebook page and website. By Saturday night, the events website had reported more than 40,000 single users. Nearly 200 books were presented online. Apart from the virtual book releases on Facebook and on gaudeamus.ro, the vote for the publics favourite book continued. The Gaudeamus Radio România book fair is a cultural project with a tradition of more than 2 decades. Over 100 companies are taking part, including some of the biggest publishing houses in Romania and distributors of Romanian and foreign books, music and games.



    FILM The 5th BUZZ International Film Festival, based in Buzau and devoted to European cinema, is held exclusively online this year. Until Thursday, November 26, film lovers are invited to enjoy Romanian and European films free of charge. According to the organisers, the Festival has 4 competition sections: fiction features, documentaries, short films and student films. Most of the works in the competition are screened for the first time in Romania. This years surprises include Radu Ciorniciucs documentary, “Home, awarded in major international festivals. In the BUZZ Women section, the highlights include ‘Creativ’, a documentary by Ioana Grigore, and Nora Fingscheidts ‘System Crasher,’ winner of the Silver Bear – “Alfred Bauer Award in Berlin in 2019.



    G20 The leaders of the worlds 20 biggest economies, convening at the virtual G20 summit, hosted for the first time by Saudi Arabia, pledged to secure accessible pricing and fair access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, and that poorer countries are not affected. According to the meetings outcome document, the participants promised to support a global project on vaccines, tests and medicines. The main topic on the agenda of the summit was the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The French president Emmanuel Macron said, “We need to avoid at all costs a scenario of a two-speed world where only the richer can protect themselves against the virus and restart normal lives. In turn, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, proposed an international treaty on pandemic, which would be very useful, he argued, even if the World Health Organisation must remain at the forefront of future health crisis management.



    PANDEMIC The total number of Covid-19 cases worldwide is now over 58 million, with nearly 1.4 million deaths and over 40.5 million people having recovered from the disease, according to Worldometers.info. The US is the worst hit country, with over 12.4 million cases and at least 261,000 deaths. The American company Pfizer and their German partner BioNTech announced they have requested emergency authorisation of their COVID-19 vaccine in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration says the goal is to have the vaccine approved in the first half of December. The 2 companies claim to be able to supply the vaccine within hours of its approval. In turn, the EU may approve 2 vaccines by the end of December, the one produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and the one produced by Moderna. Madrid is to endorse on Tuesday a large-scale vaccination plan covering a large part of the population by next summer. The Madrid region will be under lockdown in the first half of December. The Italian government also announced plans to ease restrictions prior to the winter holidays, with tougher measures to be introduced between Christmas and New Years Eve. Portugal will also close schools ahead of 2 major national holidays, in a move to prevent the spread of the disease before Christmas. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • November 22, 2020

    November 22, 2020

    COVID-19 The total number of COVID-19 cases in Romania since the start of the pandemic passes 418,000. On Sunday, 5,800 new cases were reported. Another 131 coronavirus-related deaths were also confirmed, taking the death toll to over 10,000. A further 1,174 patients are currently in intensive care. Almost 70% of the total number of COVID-19 patients in Romania have recovered. Local lockdowns were introduced in several towns and villages with large number of cases, including around the capital Bucharest. President Klaus Iohannis said this is a measure that has proved effective in containing the epidemic. He added similar measures are being considered in many other localities, but that in the coming 2-3 weeks things will return to “somewhat normal parameters. The president also promised that efforts will be stepped up to improve the capacity of ITUs. Iohannis announced he would have a meeting on Monday with the health, interior and defence ministers, to clarify aspects related to the anti-COVID vaccination campaign, which he sees as a matter of national security.



    GAUDEAMUS Sunday is the last day of the Gaudeamus Radio România book fair, held exclusively online this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. By Saturday night, the events website had reported more than 40,000 single users. Nearly 200 books were presented online. Apart from the virtual book releases on Facebook and on gaudeamus.ro, the vote for the publics favourite book continues. The Gaudeamus Radio România book fair is a cultural project with a tradition of more than 2 decades. Over 100 companies are taking part, including some of the biggest publishing houses in Romania and distributors of Romanian and foreign books, music and games.



    G20 The online summit of the worlds 20 biggest economies, G20, hosted for the first time by Saudi Arabia, continues on Sunday. The main topic on the agenda is the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. On Saturday, the participants called for affordable and equitable access to vaccines and other tools to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including for poorer nations. The French president Emmanuel Macron said, “We need to avoid at all costs a scenario of a two-speed world where only the richer can protect themselves against the virus and restart normal lives. In turn, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged her counterparts to make sure the vaccine will reach poorer nations as well. Meanwhile, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, proposed an international treaty on pandemic, which would be very useful, he argued, even if the World Health Organisation must remain at the forefront of future health crisis management.



    FILM The 5th BUZZ International Film Festival, based in Buzau and devoted to European cinema, is held exclusively online this year. Until Thursday, November 26, film lovers are invited to enjoy Romanian and European films free of charge. According to the organisers, the Festival has 4 competition sections: fiction features, documentaries, short films and student films. Most of the works in the competition are screened for the first time in Romania. This years surprises include Radu Ciorniciucs documentary, “Home, awarded in major international festivals. In the BUZZ Women section, the highlights include ‘Creativ’, a documentary by Ioana Grigore, and Nora Fingscheidts ‘System Crasher,’ winner of the Silver Bear – “Alfred Bauer Award in Berlin in 2019.



    PANDEMIC The total number of Covid-19 cases worldwide is now over 58 million, with nearly 1.4 million deaths and over 40.5 million people having recovered from the disease, according to Worldometers.info. The US is the worst hit country, with over 12.4 million cases and at least 261,000 deaths. The American company Pfizer and their German partner BioNTech announced they have requested emergency authorisation of their COVID-19 vaccine in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration says the goal is to have the vaccine approved in the first half of December. The 2 companies claim to be able to supply the vaccine within hours of its approval. In turn, the EU may approve 2 vaccines by the end of December, the one produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and the one produced by Moderna. Madrid is to endorse on Tuesday a large-scale vaccination plan covering a large part of the population by next summer. The Madrid region will be under lockdown in the first half of December. The Italian government also announced plans to ease restrictions prior to the winter holidays, with tougher measures to be introduced between Christmas and New Years Eve. Portugal will also close schools ahead of 2 major national holidays, in a move to prevent the spread of the disease before Christmas. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)