Tag: organised

  • December 31, 2022

    December 31, 2022

    NEW YEAR PM
    Nicolae Ciucă said in his New Year address on Saturday that in 2022 Romanians
    proved their solidarity, handled challenges hard to imagine and managed to do
    more than just endure. He mentioned the crisis facing Romania, with a war at
    its borders, high energy prices and skyrocketing inflation. The PM emphasised
    that the government would continue to protect citizens’ interests, to support
    the economy and take care of the vulnerable. In turn, the Royal House of
    Romania wished A happy new year, with health, hope and peace in their hearts
    to all Romanians in the country, in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova and
    abroad.


    MEASURES In
    Romania, the pension point value will be raised by 12.5% as of January 1, to
    reach nearly EUR 360, and minimum wages will be increased to EUR 600. On the
    other hand, the 10-eurocent governmental discount on fuel prices will be
    discontinued. The government says it is ready to reintroduce it, should fuel
    prices rise beyond citizens’ spending power. As of January 1, fuel excises will
    be cut down, while electricity and natural gas price caps and discounts will
    remain in place.


    JUDICIARY The
    year 2023 must see a crackdown on organised crime and criminal groups, Justice
    Ministry officials posted on Saturday on the institution’s Facebook page. According
    to them, Romania has the legislation, institutions and modern strategies to
    achieve this goal. What it needs is more investment in logistics and leaders
    able to encourage all prosecutors to undertake and accomplish their critical
    social mission of safeguarding the law and protecting citizens and the state
    from all forms of crime, the Justice Ministry emphasised. The message also says
    that the Ministry’s top accomplishment in 2022 was its contribution to Romania
    being issued a last positive report under the Cooperation and Verification
    Mechanism in the judiciary and the lifting of this mechanism.


    POPE Pope emeritus
    Benedict XVI died this morning, aged 95, the Vatican announced. Over the past
    few days his health had deteriorated, AFP reports. The former Pope spent his
    last 9 years of life in the monastery within the small papal state, after
    resigning in 2013, for reasons that are still unclear. Elected on April 19,
    2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II, he was the first German leader
    of the Catholic Church in 482 years. On February 11, 2013 Benedict XVI
    announced his resignation from the papacy, on account of his age and ill health.
    Joseph Ratzinger was the first Pope since the Middle Ages to step down
    voluntarily.


    FUNDING
    Romania this year received the green light for the partnership agreement and
    all the 16 programmes under the 2021-2027 cohesion policy, thus avoiding the
    risk of losing EUR 5.2 bln, the ministry for investments and European projects
    announced. According to the institution, these 16 programmes will bring into
    the country EUR 46 bln in strategic investments in safer hospitals, transport
    networks, the water and sewage infrastructure and support for the business
    community. Eight of the 16 programmes are regional. In the previous EU financial
    period, 2014-2020, Romania received EU funds totaling EUR 25.4 bln. (AMP)

  • July 29, 2021

    July 29, 2021

    EXTREME WEATHER Meteorologists have issued a code orange alert against storms and hailstorms, valid on Thursday in the eastern part of the country. Strong wind, hail and thunderstorms are expected, with rainfalls between 25 and 40 litres per square metre. A code yellow alert against unstable weather is also in place on Thursday in the centre, north and south of the country, while a code orange alert against extreme heat and thermal discomfort is in place until Sunday in seven counties in the south and the capital Bucharest. Heavy storms hit several towns and villages on Wednesday, including the capital city Bucharest. The wind brought down trees, damaging cars and leaving many houses without roofs. The storms disrupted railway traffic, with many trains delayed for hours or even cancelled.




    COVID-19 The number of new COVID-19 cases announced on Wednesday was 50% higher than on the corresponding day last week, namely 159. 47 patients are in intensive care, and one COVID-related death was reported. The Government meanwhile approved plans to further ease COVID-related restrictions starting August 1. Arts, sports and private events are generally open for vaccinated people, for those who have recovered from the disease or for those who test negative for it. The new measures valid as of August 1 will be applicable in areas with an infection rate below 2 per thousand, as against 3 per thousand at present. The maximum number of participants in outdoor events will also be raised to 75,000.




    AMBULANCE Every person who gets immunised contributes to ending this severe health crisis, president Klaus Iohannis said on National Ambulance Day. On the same occasion, he decorated 45 physicians and nurses. The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, even if the number of new cases is lower these days, the head of state emphasised, as he once again urged citizens to get vaccinated. Romania is getting near the target of 5 million people who received at least one dose of anti-COVID vaccine, with 10,700 people getting the jab in the past 24 hours. On the other hand, president Iohannis mentioned that the pandemic shed light on many problems in the healthcare system, but said this is a chance to rebuild it.




    ANTHEM Romania celebrates National Anthem Day today, with special events organised in many cities to mark this holiday first introduced in 1998. The capital Bucharest hosted a public ceremony in which successive national anthems have been performed. Wake up, ye Romanian! was first officially performed in Râmnicu Vâlcea on 29 July 1848, by a group of young revolutionaries, and was chosen as national anthem shortly after the anti-communist uprising of December 1989. The lyrics were written by poet, journalist and translator Andrei Mureşanu (1816-1863) and the music by the poet, musician and ethnographer Anton Pann (1796-1854).




    SEARCHES Prosecutors and police are today conducting over 20 house searches in view of dismantling an organised crime group operating in the field of human trafficking, drug trafficking, illegal border crossing and facilitating illegal stay in Romania. Sources in the judiciary say the group was made up of Syrian, Iraqi, Egyptian and Romanian citizens, who helped illegal migrants to cross the border into Bulgaria and Serbia. The group would charge up to 5,000 euro per migrant.




    OLYMPICS Romania has today won a new medal in the Tokyo Olympics. Rowers Marius Cozmiuc and Ciprian Tudosă won the silver in the mens coxless pair final. This is the 3rd medal for Romanias rowing team, after the gold won by Ancuţa Bondar and Simona Radiş in the women’s double scull event, and the silver brought home by the mens four crew, made up of Mihăiţă Ţigănescu, Mugurel Semciuc, Ştefan Berariu and Cosmin Pascari. Romania was represented in the Tokyo rowing competition by 36 athletes and 9 boats. Adding to this performance is Ana-Maria Popescu’s silver medal in the women’s epee event. (tr. A.M. Popescu)