Radio România Internațional

Tag: measures

  • July 24, 2020 UPDATE

    July 24, 2020 UPDATE

    Coronavirus Romania. Hospital beds and staffing are the main focus of concern for the Romanian authorities, amid a sharp increase in the number of new coronavirus cases. Romania is approaching 42,400 cases, with a new daily record of 1,119 new infections. Almost 6,000 people are in hospital with coronavirus, of whom 301 in intensive care. 24 new deaths were also reported, taking the death toll to 2,150. People must understand that this is a difficult moment, the health minister Nelu Tataru warned once again. In another move, the government approved yesterday new social protection measures for the staff of companies hit by the coronavirus crisis. The healthy employees of the companies closed down by the public health authorities will be on furlough by the end of the year. An official statement says financial support is needed to prevent job loss, more social exclusion and wider social and economic gaps between the people whose jobs were directly affected by the epidemic and the rest of the population.



    Coronavirus world. Coronavirus cases are on the rise around the world. More and more governments are considering reintroducing restrictions. At least 15.6 million cases have been confirmed globally, while the death toll passed 630,000. The United States, who recorded the first coronavirus death at the beginning of February, has 4 million cases, most of them in California, Texas and Florida. Europe has also seen a rise in the number of new cases. Spain is making efforts to isolate the outbreaks that have appeared since lockdown was lifted a month ago. New outbreaks have also been reported in Italy, in Lombardy and the Lazio area where Rome is located. On Friday, Italy announced introducing 14-day quarantine requirements for people coming from Romania and Bulgaria. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia have also seen new cases. The state of emergency in the Republic of Moldova was also extended until the end of August. The UK, with 45,000 deaths, Italy, with 35,000, France with 30,000 and Spain with 28,000 are the worst hit countries in Europe.



    Corruption. The former anti-corruption prosecutor Mircea Negulescu was arrested for thirty days on Thursday following a ruling to this effect by the Supreme Court. He was working for the Ploiesti branch of the National Anticorruption Directorate. Last year, Negulescu was expelled from magistracy as a disciplinary measure following a number of scandals linked to controversial cases. He is now accused of abuse of office, unfair repression and forgery for making up evidence in two cases, including the so-called Tony Blair case, in which the former Social Democratic prime minister Victor Ponta was accused of organising a visit by the former British prime minister to Romania to score electoral points in the 2012 elections.



    I3M The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu and the US Ambassador to Bucharest Adrian Zuckerman Friday discussed preparations for the summit of the Three Seas Initiative (I3M), due this autumn in Tallinn. They also attended a conference call with officials for the I3M Investment Fund, which Aurescu described as a fundamental instrument for funding regional inter-connection projects. He also discussed the role of I3M in consolidating the strategic partnership between the EU and the US. Bogdan Aurescu said the US plan to earmark up to 1 billion USD for I3M projects is a major contribution to the development of the region and of the trans-Atlantic partnership in general. I3M is a flexible and informal political platform bringing together the 12 EU member states located between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Sea (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).



    Border police. The border police was on the front line of the authorities’ efforts to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, said prime minister Ludovic Orban in a statement made on Friday on the anniversary of the Romanian Border Police Day. He added that the work of the border police, which he described as very complex and demanding, involves constant training, professionalism, courage, moral integrity and a huge sense of responsibility with respect to citizens and their country. Orban congratulated the border police for the exemplary way in which they mobilised to secure Romania’s land, sea, river and air borders in the context of the current health crisis, at the standards required of a EU member state and an aspiring Schengen area country.



    Helicopters. Ten Americal Black Hawk helicopters are arriving today in Romania at the military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu, in the south-east of the country, on a mission as part of the Atlantic Resolve operation. The aircraft are from the 101st Aviation Brigade, the US army’s most decorated unit of its kind. The Atlantic Resolve operation involves regular rotational deployment of US troops to Europe aimed at enhancing interoperability between NATO member states and improving links between allied and partner troops by means of cross-border training. (CM, AMP)

  • July 22, 2020 UPDATE

    July 22, 2020 UPDATE

    Coronavirus Romania. Romania reports a record 1,030 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours and 27 new deaths. The number of confirmed cases thus hits 40,100, while the death toll rises to 2,101. Almost 25,000 people have recovered. A law regulating the conditions for quarantine and isolation came into force on Tuesday, which, according to the health minister Nelu Tataru, lays down the instruments required in order to reduce the number of new cases. The minister warned however that the next two weeks will be difficult, with lots of active cases. As of Wednesday, the village of Cartojani in Giurgiu County in the south is under lockdown, after reporting 32 infections through community spread for a total population of 3,600. Local authorities say epidemiological risks are extremely severe, given that current protection measures are not observed. Another village in Prahova County, also in the south, is under a 2-week lockdown as well, while similar measures are being considered in several localities in Arges County.



    Coronavirus world. Global coronavirus infections near 15.1 million, while the death toll nears 620,000. In his coronavirus press briefing, which he resumed after many weeks of interruption, US president Donald Trump told Americans that the pandemic may get worse before it gets better and urged them to wear face coverings where they cannot maintain physical distance, something he had previously opposed. The US saw more than 600,000 new cases for the 8th day in a row. On Tuesday, the World Health Organisation said it would bring together scientists and experts from various fields as part of a project to combat disinformation, a relatively new threat to public health. In another move, a number of British researchers told the British Parliament that people would have to live with the pandemic for many years, believing it is unlikely for a possible vaccine to eliminate this coronavirus definitively.



    Industry President Klaus Iohannis and a governmental team headed by PM Ludovic Orban Wednesday discussed
    means to correlate the 2 national plans through which Romania will have access to
    nearly 80 billion euro under the European Union’s post-coronavirus economic
    recovery plan. Some of the money may be accessed this year, if the related national plan
    is prepared quickly, as the Cabinet intends, the President explained. Also on Wednesday, but in Craiova, in the south, Iohannis said that the automotive industry is vital for Romania and it
    still has a lot of growth potential. He visited the Ford production unit in
    Craiova, southern Romania, which has resumed its 3-shift working hours, and has
    a production volume comparable to the one before the pandemic. The management
    announced having initiated additional investments of 30 million USD for parts
    and components. The American carmaker has already invested over 1.5 billion
    euro in the plant in Craiova, which employs nearly 6,000 people. Another major
    carmaker operating in Romania is the French company Renault, producing the
    Dacia brand in Pitesti, in the south of the country, and employing over 17,700 workers.



    Deficit. Government deficit grew both in the eurozone and in the European Union in the first quarter of the year compared with the previous quarter, because of the lockdown to contain the spread of the pandemic, according to the latest figures published by Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office. In the eurozone, the government deficit grew from 0.7% of GDP in the last quarter of last year to 2.2% in the first quarter of this year. Malta, with 8.5%, Romania, with 7.2%, and Belgium, with 6%, have the highest deficit levels in the European Union.



    Judiciary. The Romanian senators rejected a bill to dismantle the special department to investigate offences in the judiciary. The Save Romania Union, the party that initiated the bill, said the department is criticised by magistrates, European institutions and various organisations in the field, while the Social Democratic Party said it guarantees the independence of the judiciary. The Chamber of Deputies has already rejected the bill, but the Senate was the decision-making body in this case.


    (translated by: CM, Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • July 9, 2020

    July 9, 2020

    COVID-19 Romania ranks 1st in the EU by number of new coronavirus cases confirmed in 24 hours, with 555, which is more than during the state of emergency. The death toll is over 1,800. The number of patients in intensive care is also close to the highest number reported during the state of emergency. The number of cases has grown lately due to failure to comply with containment rules, an attitude reinforced by fake news and by peoples distrust of the authorities, says dr. Virgil Musta, head of the COVID ward at the Victor Babeş Hospital in Timişoara (west). He explained that unless measures are taken immediately, the virus may spread at alarming rates and the healthcare system might become unable to handle the situation. The health minister Nelu Tătaru said he is not considering a new state of emergency at this point, but a decision in this respect will be based on further assessments. Tǎtaru also mentioned that new relaxation measures are also out of the question until the number of new cases is steady.



    BILL A bill on self-isolation and quarantine drafted by the Government is on the agenda of the Chamber of Deputies as of today. The Government passed the bill on Monday, after the Constitutional Court dismissed previous bills on compulsory isolation and quarantine as unconstitutional, on grounds that they are lacking in clarity and predictability, and do not guarantee that certain fundamental rights and freedoms are complied with. The Constitutional Court also found that introducing quarantine under a government order is a violation of fundamental rights. The Social Democrats in opposition announced they would substantially alter the text of the bill, because it comes against citizen rights and freedoms. On the other hand, the Government accuses the Social Democratic Party of irresponsibility over postponing debates on this bill, which according to the Cabinet enhances the efficiency of COVID-19 containment measures while at the same time complying with the Constitutional Court ruling. The Senate will cast the decisive vote on this bill early next week.



    EU The German Chancellor Angela Merkel presented the European Parliament with the programme of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, which Berlin will be holding for the next 6 months. The German official once again called for solidarity and unity among member states, so that they may emerge stronger from the coronavirus crisis. Merkel described this health crisis as the biggest challenge for the EU and explained that the future multi-annual budget as well as the post COVID-19 recovery fund must not only help in the short run, but also lead to a long-term reform of the Union. In turn, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen warned politicians and institutions not to disregard the multi-annual budget in favour of the economic recovery instrument, dubbed “Next Generation EU. Member states must overcome divergences over a number of issues, such as the funds earmarked for the recovery plan, its duration, the loan-to-grant ratio or the criteria for fund allotment to member countries.



    DEFENCE The Romanian Army Chief of Staff, lieutenant-general Daniel Petrescu, takes part in a meeting of the EU Military Committee in Brussels. According to the Defence Ministry, the agenda includes topics like the EU-NATO cooperation, assessments of security threats, and the prospects of military training missions in the Central African Republic, Mali and Somalia. Participants will also discuss the security issues related to migration flows and the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic for command and control structures.



    PANDEMIC The total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide is over 12.1 million, with the death toll reaching 552,000, according to worldometers.info. One-quarter of the total number of cases were confirmed in the US, while Brazil, the second hardest hit country, has more than 1.7 million infection cases. The US secretary of state Mike Pompeo says progress has been made in the talks with the EU on reopening borders to travellers from the US, France Presse reports. EU countries agreed to reopen EU and Schengen borders as of July 1 to passengers from 15 countries, in a list that includes China, under certain conditions, but not the USA. The list, based on epidemiologic criteria, was approved by EU member states following difficult negotiations, at the start of the summer tourist season. The US had in turn introduced travel restrictions for EU citizens during the pandemic. The US president Donald Trump said at that time that the large number of infections in the US was owing to the travellers coming from Europe, because, he claimed, the EU failed to ban travel to and from China in due time.



    FOOTBALL FCSB is the first team to qualify into the Romanian Cup final, after defeating another Bucharest-based club, Dinamo, 3-0 and 1-0 respectively. The other semi-final, due tonight, is pitting CSM Poli Iasi against Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe. In the first leg, Sepsi won 5-1 on home turf. The games are played without public. the final is scheduled on July 22 in Ploiesti. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Pandemic and information for the population

    Pandemic and information for the population

    Following the gradual relaxation of the restrictions imposed in a move to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, Romania has been recently faced with a worrying surge in the number of contaminations. Consequently, the hospitals receiving patients infected with COVID-19 are becoming more crowded, with fewer free beds left in the intensive care units.



    A recent Constitutional Court decision has invalidated the law that imposed quarantine and isolation measures during the state of emergency or alert, thus prompting a wave of discharges from hospitals upon the patients’ request, which increased the risk of spreading the virus around. Even if the Liberal government has come up with a new law in the field, it is still waiting for Parliament, dominated by the Social Democratic opposition, to validate it.



    At the same time, people have been rather reluctant to observe the sanitation and health safety rules and the authorities seem to have relaxed themselves, going easy on undertaking controls and giving fines.



    Epidemiologist Adrian Marinescu, with the Matei Bals Institute in Bucharest says that people should be better informed so as to understand why they should be hospitalized and isolated: “Communication is important, just as the way the information is presented. We are obviously talking about a contagious disease, which spreads easily and in relation to which precise rules should be observed. People should know clearly that once a person tests positive for COVID-19, even if that person shows no symptoms at all, he or she may transmit the virus to their family members or at their work place. It is very clear that isolation should be one of the rules. Isolation may be in hospital or at home, but this depends on each and every situation. Isolation is a must, to prevent the spread of the virus.”



    A special situation was reported in the southeastern city of Galati, where all hospitalizations in the Emergency Hospital have been restricted after a coronavirus hotbed was identified last week. The number of employees having tested positive for COVID-19 has exceeded 50. The patients having tested negative for coronavirus, with a stable health condition, hospitalized in the contaminated sections, have been discharged, and those with chronic diseases or needing treatment have been transferred to other sections. The patients infected with the new coronavirus, needing treatment, have been transferred to support hospitals. At present almost 400 people are still hospitalized in the Galati Emergency Hospital.



    On Tuesday, a Romanian Parliament committee started investigating the purchases made during the state of emergency and how the government managed the respective period. The government was asked to provide details about the setting up of the Strategic Communication Group. The committee also intends to collect information from the citizens who came to Romania during the peak of the pandemic and also from the people who have been quarantined or hospitalized. (tr. L. Simion)

  • Controls and fines during the pandemic

    Controls and fines during the pandemic


    As Romania has recently seen a significant increase in the number of Covid infections following the latest relaxation measures, authorities have stepped up controls to see how the present health and prevention measures are being observed. They have recently focused on crowded tourist places, such as the Black Sea coast in the east of the country and the mountain resorts in the Prahova Valley, central Romania.


    Teams made up of gendarmes, police troops and representatives of several authority institutions have run checks on various businesses and individuals in the HORECA industry in Romania. The authorities have reiterated that the campaigns main objective is the prevention of future outbreaks and not the idea of applying sanctions.


    However, severe sanctions have been applied where the health and prevention rules have been blatantly violated. So, some resorts on Romanias Black Sea coast have seen fines of up to 35 thousand euros only in a night, whereas 170 HORECA locations have been checked and 100 fines have been given in the Prahova Valley. Roughly 180 people who refused to wear masks in public areas have been fined in Arges county, southern Romania. Fines of about 10 thousand euros have been applied to a company which failed to observe the prevention measures while staging a festival in Brasov, central Romania. A club has been fined and temporarily closed down in Bucharest last weekend.


    On Friday night, about 8000 Interior Ministry employees applied fines of roughly 100 thousand Euros and according to the authorities the checking operations are likely to continue all throughout the state of alert mainly on the Black Sea coast as well as in other crowded places like trade centers, outdoor restaurants and clubs and cafes.


    Interior Minister Marcel Vela has underlined that businesses refusing to comply with the prevention rules and regulations run the risk of having their license suspended. The official has informed that checking operations are to be stepped up as additional police troops have been deployed to various resorts on the Romanian Black Sea coast and voiced hope that beaches will remain open.


    A hotline was inaugurated on July 4th for people to report any violation of the aforementioned prevention rules. We recall that with some exceptions the fines given in spring this year have been ruled as unconstitutional by Romanias Constitutional Court and more legal ways have been created for their cancellation. By early May, authorities had fined 300 thousand Romanians and the total value of fines stood at more than 120 million Euros. According to the Finance Minister, the sum is not that big as people had 15 days to pay half the fine and many of them even refused to pay.


    (translated by bill)




  • July 1, 2020

    July 1, 2020

    COVID-19 So far 27,296 coronavirus infection cases have been reported in Romania, with 326 new cases confirmed over the past 24 hours Over 20,749 of them have recovered, and 1,667 people died. The healthcare minister Nelu Tătaru announced 2 days ago that the increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases prompted the authorities to postpone the lifting of further restrictions as of July 1. Three relaxation stages have been introduced since mid-May, when Romania switched from a state of emergency to a state of alert. Among the Romanians living abroad, 4,795 have so far tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and 115 of them died.




    ECONOMY In Bucharest, in the presence of president Klaus Iohannis and Cabinet members, PM Ludovic Orban is presenting tonight a national economic recovery plan following the coronavirus crisis. The PM has recently stated that the regulations required for the implementation of this plan will be adopted shortly. According to the prime minister, infrastructure investments are a fundamental pillar in upgrading and restarting the economy, because Romanias priority is modernisation through investments in transport, energy, healthcare, communications, education and agriculture.




    NATURAL GAS The Romanian natural gas market is fully liberalised as of July 1. Tariffs are no longer regulated by the government, but by demand and supply mechanisms. The liberalisation comes at a time when the energy market is highly concentrated, with 2 companies accounting for 90% of the household consumers. These companies have sent their clients offers with the same prices as before, and unless they receive an answer, the new contracts will take effect by default. A week ago, the Energy Minister, Virgil Popescu, told AGERPRES news agency that households should pay 10-15% less for natural gas after deregulation. He explained that unless major suppliers cut down prices, the Competition Law enables the government to intervene in the market for a 6-month period.




    PARLIAMENT The Parliament of Romania convenes until mid-July for a special session. The Chamber of Deputies is set to discuss a number of bills, including the one setting the date of local elections and an initiative banning people with criminal records from running for public office. On Monday the Deputies will hear PM Ludovic Orban on the procurement contracts signed during the pandemic. In turn, Senate is also to vote on the local elections bill, after the Government decided the election should take place on September 27.




    EU Germany will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next 6 months, taking over from Croatia. The coronavirus crisis and its aftermath is the main challenge for Berlin during this term in office, according to a plan approved by the German government on June 24, and entitled “Together for Europes Recovery. Germanys priorities also include the completion of the Brexit negotiations and topics like environment protection, digitisation and Europes relations with China and the US. With the EU facing the deepest economic recession since World War 2, member states must agree in the following months on a multi-annual budget for 2021-2027 and on the operation of the 750-billion euro European Recovery Fund designed by the European Commission to support the economies of the countries that were hit the worst by the pandemic, particularly Italy and Spain.




    PANDEMIC The total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide passes 10.5 million, with the death toll standing at 514,000, and 5.8 million patients recovered, according to Worldometers.info. In the US, the last 24 hours brought over 47,000 new cases, the highest daily rate since the start of the pandemic, Reuters reports. More than 126,000 Americans died and millions have lost their jobs. The economy collapsed in the first quarter, and is expected to further drop in the second one. Meanwhile, the EU has approved today a list of safe countries for non-essential travel. The list, which includes 14 countries (Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay) will be updated every 2 weeks, depending on local COVID-19 developments.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 28, 2020 UPDATE

    June 28, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The number of COVID-19 cases in Romania passes 26.300, with the death toll standing at 1,612. Of those who tested positive for the virus, 18,814 recovered. PM Ludovic Orban requested enhanced mobilisation of the authorities and more inspections. Meanwhile, Romanian researchers say the patients who have recovered from the COVID-19 are unlikely to get infected again. They reached this conclusion after having analysed the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the country, which they traced back to Wuhan, China. Most likely, the virus reached all parts of the country through community spread.



    PANDEMIC On Sunday the total number of coronavirus infections worldwide went over 10 million, a major benchmark for the pandemic which has so far killed nearly half a million people. According to the World Health Organisation, the number of COVID-19 cases is almost double the number of severe flu cases reported every year. The US, which is the worst hit country, reports more than 2.5 million cases, and states with record-high figures like Florida and Texas reintroduced containment measures, after the authorities had eased restrictions over the past few weeks. In turn, Europeans disagree over the list of countries whose citizens will be allowed to enter the EU as of July 1. According to France Presse sources, talks will continue on Monday, and the green lighted countries may include Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Serbia, but not the US. The European Union closed all external borders in mid-March, and now the countries that rely heavily on tourism, such as Greece, want the borders reopened as soon as possible. Restrictions will be lifted gradually however, with bimonthly assessments, and countries with decreasing infection figures will be privileged.



    COMMEMORATION Romania, the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian diaspora commemorated on Sunday 80 years since the eastern Romanian territories were annexed by the Soviet Union. On June 28, 1940, following an ultimatum, Soviet troops occupied Bessarabia and northern Bucovina, Romanian regions totalling around 55,000 sq km, with a majority ethnic Romanian population. Hundreds of thousands of families sought asylum in Romania, and tens of thousands were deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan. The territories annexed by Moscow are currently part of the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine.



    EARTHQUAKE A 3.1 Richer earthquake took place on Sunday afternoon, at 2:47 pm, 85 km underground in Vrancea, eastern Romania, the National Institute for Earth Physics announced. According to the said source, a total of 20 earthquakes, ranging between 2.4 and 3.9 degrees on Richter scale, have occurred in Romania in June alone. A 5.2 magnitude quake, the biggest this year, took place on January 31, also in Vrancea County.



    FINLAND The Romanian Foreign Ministry marked on Sunday the celebration of 100 years of diplomatic relations with Finland, and voiced Romanias desire to further consolidate the cooperation between the 2 states, at bilateral, European and global level. According to the Foreign Ministry, Romania recognised Finlands independence on April 8, 1920. At economic level, bilateral trade has been on an upward trend since 2013, from 267 million euros to 402 million euros in 2019, when a 3.46% increase was reported since the previous year. Finland is the 30th biggest foreign investors in Romania, with over 200 companies incorporated in Romania with Finnish capital and investments of over 70 million euros. The cooperation between Romania and Finland has been strengthened over the past few years, and at EU level the 2 countries were part of the same trio at the EU Council presidency, alongside Croatia, between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 28, 2020

    June 28, 2020

    COVID-19 The number of COVID-19 cases in Romania passes 26.300, with the death toll standing at 1,612. Of those who tested positive for the virus, 18,814 recovered. PM Ludovic Orban requested enhanced mobilisation of the authorities and more inspections. Meanwhile, Romanian researchers say the patients who have recovered from the COVID-19 are unlikely to get infected again. They reached this conclusion after having analysed the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the country, which they traced back to Wuhan, China. Most likely, the virus reached all parts of the country through community spread.



    PANDEMIC Today the total number of coronavirus infections worldwide has gone over 10 million, a major benchmark for the pandemic which has so far killed nearly half a million people. According to the World Health Organisation, the number of COVID-19 cases is almost double the number of severe flu cases reported every year. The US, which is the worst hit country, reports more than 2.5 million cases, and states with record-high figures like Florida and Texas reintroduced containment measures, after the authorities had eased restrictions over the past few weeks. In turn, Europeans disagree over the list of countries whose citizens will be allowed to enter the EU as of July 1. According to France Presse sources, talks will continue tomorrow, and the green lighted countries may include Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Serbia, but not the US. The European Union closed all external borders in mid-March, and now the countries that rely heavily on tourism, such as Greece, want the borders reopened as soon as possible. Restrictions will be lifted gradually however, with bimonthly assessments, and countries with decreasing infection figures will be privileged.



    COMMEMORATION Romania, the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian diaspora are commemorating today 80 years since the eastern Romanian territories were annexed by the Soviet Union. On June 28, 1940, following an ultimatum, Soviet troops occupied Bessarabia and northern Bucovina, Romanian regions totalling around 55,000 sq km, with a majority ethnic Romanian population. Hundreds of thousands of families sought asylum in Romania, and tens of thousands were deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan. The territories annexed by Moscow are currently part of the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine.



    FINLAND The Romanian Foreign Ministry marks today the celebration of 100 years of diplomatic relations with Finland, and voices Romanias desire to further consolidate the cooperation between the 2 states, at bilateral, European and global level. According to the Foreign Ministry, Romania recognised Finlands independence on April 8, 1920. At economic level, bilateral trade has been on an upward trend since 2013, from 267 million euros to 402 million euros in 2019, when a 3.46% increase was reported since the previous year. Finland is the 30th biggest foreign investor in Romania, with over 200 companies incorporated in Romania with Finnish capital and investments of over 70 million euros. The cooperation between Romania and Finland has been strengthened over the past few years, and at EU level the 2 countries were part of the same trio at the EU Council presidendy, alongside Croatia, between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.



    POLAND Poland is electing its president today, in a ballot postponed over the coronavirus pandemic. The incumbent president Andrzej Duda, supported by the right-wing power, is challenged by the mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, representing the Civic Platform. Polls indicate that none of the candidates is likely to go over the 50% threshold required to win the election in the first round.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • The state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania

    The state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania

    When the pandemic started, it took 3 months for it to reach one million cases, now we see this number reached in 8 days, the World Health Organisation warned. The number of COVID 19 infections worldwide exceeds 9 million, the death toll is in the hundreds of thousands, and infection rates reach new peaks at the same time in several large countries. Equally disturbing is the fact that new outbreaks are reported in countries where restrictions have been eased.



    This is the case with Romania, where healthcare minister Nelu Tătaru says the number of new cases has gone up, with substantial community spread. Four months after the first COVID 19 case was reported in Romania, the country reports over 24,000 cases and more than 1,500 deaths.



    For about 2 weeks, a daily infection rate of 200-300 cases has been reported. Nearly 6% of the tests run over the weekend, for example, turned out positive, a proportion not seen since early May.



    And a growing number of hospitals announce they can no longer receive patients. In order to free up space, the authorities have decided that coronavirus patients with few or no symptoms will be hospitalized for only 10 days, followed by a 14-day home isolation period under supervision by the family doctor. The announcement was made by minister Nelu Tătaru in an interview to a private TV channel:



    Nelu Tătaru: “On the 7th day we will run a test, and if it comes out negative the patient is discharged on the 10th day. If however the test is positive, but the patient has not had any symptoms for at least 3 days, that patient will also go home, and self-isolate for up to 14 days under the supervision of their family doctor. We cannot send an asymptomatic patient home on the first day, because we cannot be sure of how serious the disease will be in that person.



    The health minister also added that, in case the situation in the country worsens, the authorities consider introducing restrictions in certain areas.



    Meanwhile, on Monday 5 other countries were included in the list of so-called “green states, no longer subject to quarantine requirements for travelers coming into Romania. The 5 states are Finland, Italy, Estonia, Ireland and France. Flights to and from these countries may be resumed, the National Committee for Emergency Situations decided.



    As of June 15, quarantine requirements are also lifted for travelers coming into Romania from 17 countries: Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Switzerland Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary, with flights to and from these states resumed.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Number of new coronavirus infections on the rise

    Number of new coronavirus infections on the rise

    For the better part of last week, Romania saw over 300 new COVID-19 cases every day. The total number now passes 24,000, with the death toll standing at 1,500. Around 17,000 patients have recovered, which is a piece of good news.



    What causes concern among the healthcare and governmental authorities is the high rate of daily new cases, putting constant pressure on the medical system. The authorities say they have been considering a rise in the number of cases, but admit that the situation seems to get worse than expected before deciding to further lift restrictions on June 15.



    Experts blame the increase on some peoples failure to strictly observe hygiene and physical distancing rules. At present, beaches and outdoor restaurants are open, and religious services may be held within churches. The question is whether the rules are complied with, and inspections have shown that this is not always the case.



    The head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, announced that such inspections will be stepped up in the coming period. They will be targeting primarily hospitality units and public transportation, to check whether people are wearing face masks and keeping their distance.



    The healthcare minister Nelu Tătaru hopes that the large number of new infections reported lately will not lead to a new wave of the epidemic. He said all relaxation measures had been based on peoples cooperation and responsibility, and that he was counting on them in the future as well.



    Nelu Tătaru: “There are certain regulations, some restrictions, or precautions, so to say, that are still in place and must be observed. We resorted to a third stage of relaxation precisely relying on citizens civic responsibility and on the fact that these terms will be complied with. We hope this will prove to be just a sporadic and progressive increase, and not an exponential one, so as to be able to consider further relation as of July 1, and a quasi-normal summer holiday after mid-July or early August.



    The only normal development for the time being is the political game. Two months into the truce entailed by the state of emergency, the Liberals in power and the Social Democrats in opposition have virtually resumed their battle. The Social Democrats spokesman, Lucian Romaşcanu, accused the Government, among other things, of hiding the truth about the number of novel coronavirus infections. The number of people tested varies with the temporary interests of the Liberals, Romaşcanu added.



    PM Ludovic Orban dismissed the accusations and argued that there is no way the coronavirus infection data can be manipulated. He explained that the information from all testing labs are recorded and centralised in a public system.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 17, 2020 UPDATE

    June 17, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 The Romanian Government decided to extend the state of alert by another 30 days, against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic. The measure came into force on Wednesday, though several restrictions have also been lifted. Among other things, fitness centres, betting and gambling centres and the shops inside malls have been reopened. Also, religious services are allowed inside churches. According to the authorities, although the trend has been downward, the number of cases of infection with the new coronavirus might grow anytime. Lately, new cases have been reported, raising the total to 22,760 infections. The death toll now stands at 1,451. Of those who tested positive, more than 16,100 recovered. In related news, 85 Romanian nationals working on a farm in Bavaria tested positive for the novel coronavirus. All are asymptomatic and quarantined.



    PENSIONS The Chamber of Deputies Wednesday endorsed a bill regulating the taxation of the so-called “special pensions, a controversial topic in Romanian society. With 307 votes in favour and just 1 against, the bill, endorsed by the Senate in 2019 as well, was backed by all parliamentary parties. According to Radio Romania News and Current affairs, the Deputies decided to introduce a tax on the balance between regular pensions, based on contributions to social security funds, and special pensions. Incomes from special pensions in excess of 7,000 lei (little under 1,500 euros) will thus be subject to an 85% tax. Unless it is challenged at the Constitutional Court, the bill will be forwarded to the President for promulgation. The Chamber of Deputies also passed a bill that provides that criminals convicted for manslaughter, rape, aggravated robbery, sexual abuse against children and exploitation of begging can no longer benefit from conditional release.



    FLIGHTS The Bucharest Airports National Company organized on Wednesday an event titled ‘Everything will be fine!’, which marks the resumption of flights after the break imposed by the global coronavirus crisis. Specifically, flights have been resumed to and from Austria, Germany and Switzerland, whereas those to and from the Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal and Scandinavian countries were resumed a while ago. A spokesman for the company said investments were not suspended or delayed in April and May, when the companys revenues fell by nearly 98%. At the same time, Wednesdays event was devoted to the anniversary of the first flight by a Romanian plane, designed, built and piloted by Aurel Vlaicu, on June 17, 1910.



    FOOTBALL The match pitting Romanias football team against Iceland, in the semi-finals of the European Championship playoffs, postponed twice over the coronavirus pandemic, will be played in Reykjavik on October 8, UEFA announced on Wednesday. Should it win, Romania will take on the winner of the match between Bulgaria and Hungary, on November 12. The goal is to qualify into the European Championship final tournament, rescheduled for the summer of 2021, which will be hosted by the same 12 European cities, including Bucharest. UEFA Nations League matches will also be played this autumn.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 12, 2020

    June 12, 2020

    COVID-19 Another 222 cases of COVID-19 were reported today in Romania, up to a total of 21,404, with the death toll standing at 1,380. All deaths were related to patients with previous serious conditions, the Strategic Communication Group said on Friday. Over 15,445 patients have recovered, and 171 are currently in intensive care units. At least 3,300 Romanian nationals living abroad have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and 114 have died. The Government will decide next week to extend the state of alert which was originally scheduled to end on June 16, PM Ludovic Orban has announced. In the meantime, a number of containment measures will be lifted as of Monday, June 15. Shopping centres will be reopened, except for indoor playgrounds, cinema halls and restaurants. Outdoor pools, lottery and bookmakers shops will also reopen.



    ELECTIONS Romanias Senate Friday endorsed a bill extending the term in office of local elected officials. This is an emergency procedure, given that the current term in office ends on June 21st and local communities would be left without mayors. The bill was introduced on Thursday following an agreement between the Social Democrats, the Liberals and the Liberal Democrats, and extends the mandate of local officials to November 1. Under the law, the date of local elections must be set 60 days in advance, the minimum number of supporters for a candidate has been halved, and candidacy files may be submitted online. The bill is to be discussed by the Chamber of Deputies next week, for a final decision in this respect.



    THEATRE This years edition of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, which begins today, is held exclusively online. This years theme is “Empowered. For 10 days, 138 performances from 30 countries on 5 continents will be available free of charge on the Festivals home page, www.sibfest.ro, and on its Facebook page and YouTube channel. Adding to these are 12 special online conferences, an absolute first for the Sibiu Festival. According to the organisers, more than 250 hours of theatre, dance, music, contemporary circus, conferences, debates, play readings and childrens shows will be streamed free of charge until June 21st.



    INFLATION The annual inflation rate in Romania dropped to 2.3% in May, from 2.7% in April, with prices going up 25% for foodstuffs, 2.6% for services and 0.15% for non-foods, the National Statistics Institute reports. Consumer prices in May 2020 as against April 2020 rose by 0.05%. The finance minister Florin Cîţu recently estimated that this years inflation rate will fall below 2% this year, given the current downward trend. The National Bank of Romania also lowered its inflation forecast for the end of this year, from 3% to 2.8%.



    PANDEMIC The COVID-19 pandemic has killed at least 423,000 people worldwide since it first appeared in China in December, according to worldometers.info. A total of at least 7.5 million cases have been reported, with 3.8 million patients recovered. The US remains the worst hit country, with 116,000 deaths out of over 2 million cases, followed by the UK (41,000 deaths), Brazil (41,000 deaths), Italy (34,000), France (29,000) and Spain (27,000). The European Commission recommends the lifting of all travel restrictions within the EU and Schengen area as of June 15. Some EU member countries however, like Spain, decided to implement this measure at a later date. The Commission also considers a gradual opening of the EU external borders as of June 30, first of all to citizens from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia), where the epidemiological situation is comparable with or even better than the one in the EU.



    FOOTBALL Romanias football championship, scheduled to be resumed tonight, was once again postponed, after the doctor for FC Botosani in League 1 tested positive for COVID 19. The national championship was suspended in March over the pandemic. The defending champions are CFR Cluj, followed by FCSB. On the other hand, further to Wednesdays drawing of lots, the Bucharest clubs Dinamo and FCSB will play one of the semi-finals of Romanias Cup, with the other semi-final pitting Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe against CSM Poli Iasi. The two semi-final legs will be played on June 24 and July 8, with the final scheduled on July 22.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 11, 2020 UPDATE

    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)

  • June 10, 2020

    June 10, 2020

    COVID-19 In Romania, 6 more people infected with the novel coronavirus died, taking the death toll to 1,360, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Wednesday. 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. A large-scale testing programme begins in Bucharest today, aimed at determining the immunisation level, the City Hall announced. 10,500 people have been selected to take part, based on sampling conducted by the National Public Health Institute. The head of the Emergency Department (DSU), Raed Arafat, said on Tuesday night that the European Civil Protection structures are preparing for a possible second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that no one can predict at present whether this will be more severe than the first. Arafat argued that full relaxation is not recommended and that, should a second wave start, some measures will have to be taken.



    PARLIAMENT In Bucharest, the finance minister, Florin Cîţu, is invited today to present explanations to the Senate’s economic and budget-finances committees concerning the Standard&Poor’s decision with respect to including Romania in their investment-grade category. Yesterday, a simple motion tabled by the Social Democratic Party in opposition against labour minister Violeta Alexandru was discussed and passed by the Senate. 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.



    PROTEST The ”Ambulanţa” National Trade Union Federation organised a 2-hour protest across Romania, to warn against the postponement of regulations concerning the ambulance personnel and the organisation of ambulance services in the country. The unionists are also disgruntled, among other things, with the authorities failing to pay the COVID-19 bonus and other incentives, and overlooking a number of legislative initiatives coming from the Federation.



    MEETING The Romanian interior minister Marcel Vela and the US Ambassador to Bucharest Adrian Zuckerman had a meeting focusing, among others, on the strategic partnership and the Visa Waiver programme. The 2 officials also discussed the cooperation between the US and Romania in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and in fighting crime. At present Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus are the only EU member states not covered by the US Visa Waiver system.



    FUNERAL George Floyd, the African-American whose death while in police custody triggered anti-racism protests around the world, was buried in his home town, Houston. Calls for racial justice were the main theme of the funeral. In the US Congress, the Democrats yesterday tabled a police reform bill aimed at putting an end to racism in the system. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Washington, the “Justice in Policing Act of 2020 is the most ambitious and comprehensive law enforcement reform attempted in Congress in recent decades, following the massive protests sparked by George Floyds death.



    PANDEMIC The total number of novel coronavirus infections worldwide now passes 7.2 million, with over 3.5 million patients recovered and 408,000 dead, according to worldometers.info. The US remains the worst hit country in the world, with nearly 113,000 deaths, followed by Britain with close to 41,000, Brazil (over 38,000) and Italy (over 34,000 deaths). Brazil, one of the most affected countries in the world, has resumed the release of data concerning the Covid-19 infections on the governments home page, following a Supreme Court ruling. In spite of the large number of victims, many countries continue to ease containment measures and reopen their economy.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 9, 2020 UPDATE

    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)