Radio România Internațional

Tag: protection

  • A new Forestry Code in Romania

    A new Forestry Code in Romania

    On the very International Day of Forests, the Romanian government approved a new Forestry Code, developed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. “It is a balanced Forestry Code, which came to life following an extensive, serious and well-argued dialogue with all the actors in the forestry field”, said the Minister of the Environment, Mircea Fechet. The coming into force of this law is intended to rationalize the legal framework, to combat illegal logging and improve forest management. The document also provides for the establishment of the National Forestry Council, which will bring together all the professional organizations in this field, and the forest owners will be registered in a national forest register.

     

    At the same time, one of the most important provisions prohibits clear-cutting in almost half of the country’s forest area. Until now, clear-cutting was prohibited only in National Parks. Also, the ban will be extended in the Natural Parks. The new Forestry Code will allow the state to reforest those lands that have been deforested and abandoned by the owners, and the Environment Minister, Mircea Fechet, said that there are many such cases. He also mentioned that this bill establishes the legal framework for the digitized fight against illegal forest logging, using satellite images and smart cameras. At the same time, the new Forestry Code entitles forest owners, be they state institutions or private entities or individuals, to alternative security solutions: from specialized structures to security ensured by own means and based on regulations, specifying that forest security is mandatory by law.

     

    Also, the bill establishes the communities dependent on the forest products and prioritizes them in relation to access to forest resources and introduces the phrase “agroforestry use” which means that pastures and agricultural crops will be able to be integrated with trees and shrubs. The bill also establishes the setting up of the National Forestry Council, which monitors and ensures that the forestry personnel operate in conditions of professional ethics, with the observance of professional standards. Ecosystems with high conservation value are defined and the National Catalog of ecosystems with high conservation value – strictly protected – is established. According to another provision, a new concept is introduced, the so-called “aging islands”, which become the mechanism through which forest areas covering at least 0.1 ha, with a great role in maintaining biodiversity, will be protected from cutting. Last but not least, another provision regulates access on foot or by bicycle to the lands of the National Forestry Authority. The new Forestry Code was sent by the government to Parliament, which will analyze and approve it in the form of a law that will replace the old code dating from 2008. (LS)

  • Coordination for anti-seismic protection

    Coordination for anti-seismic protection

    The
    devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria last week and those quite unusual that
    rocked south-western Romania seem to have also shaken the authorities in
    Bucharest. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca says that the standards regarding the
    construction of buildings and the quality of materials must be revised and re-checked
    so that buildings are constructed according to the blueprints.




    During
    the government session on Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced the setting
    up of a ministerial group in charge of the prevention, training and response of
    the institutions in emergency situations.




    He
    explains that special emphasis will be attached to the country’s education infrastructure
    and its response in earthquake situations. Prime Minister Ciuca also wants to
    check the Turkish companies which ran construction contracts in Romania.


    According to experts, Turkey’s
    recent history in this respect coincides with that of Romania’s, with the
    difference that the latter has been spared the tests of high-magnitude
    earthquakes.




    Around the 2018 election, the
    Islamic-Conservative regime in Ankara granted an amnesty to all the
    constructions made without a permit. As a result, nine million people were
    discovered as owning houses, which didn’t respect any construction standards. And
    no one knows how many of these non-compliant buildings were razed to the ground
    by the earthquake on February 6th.




    The recent earthquakes in southern
    Romania have caused panic and material damage but posed no threat to the life
    of the citizens.




    According to Development Minister
    Cseke Attila, contracts for the reinforcement of 240 buildings have been signed
    and they are benefitting from funds from the National Plan of Recovery and
    Resilience (PNRR). There are several other programmes through which the state is
    funding the reinforcement of high-risk buildings and 555 million Euros will be
    earmarked through the PNRR. 290 requests in this respect have so far been submitted
    through the platform of the aforementioned ministry.




    We recall that on March 4th
    1977, an earthquake of 7.2 degrees on the Richter scale hit Romania killing 1,570
    people mostly in the capital Bucharest. It also caused four billion dollars in
    material damage. 230 thousand houses were severely damaged and destroyed and
    hundreds of economic units ceased their operations. The earthquake caused an economic and
    social crisis, which, according to historians, the communist dictatorship was
    unable to overcome until its demise 12 years later. Experts believe that in the
    event of a similar earthquake, hundreds of buildings could collapse in
    Bucharest at present. And according to statistics, Romania sees annually around
    100 earthquakes with magnitudes over 3 degrees on the Richter scale.




    (bill)

  • January 28, 2023 UPDATE

    January 28, 2023 UPDATE

    COOPERATION
    France and the Netherlands are eagerly waiting
    for Romania’s Schengen accession as soon as possible. This is one of the main
    elements in a joint statement on security cooperation signed in Bucharest on
    Friday by the foreign ministers of the 3 countries. The message was also
    highlighted by the Dutch diplomacy chief, Wopke Hoekstra, in the bilateral
    talks with his Romanian counterpart, Bogdan Aurescu. The 2 officials, together
    with the French foreign minister, Catherine
    Colonna,Friday visited the Getica National Joint Training Centre in
    Cincu, where French and Dutch troops are deployed as part of the NATO Battle
    Group created in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In fact, after the
    trilateral talks concerning Moscow’s armed aggression, Catherine Colonna said
    Ukraine must be helped to defend itself, to regain its independence and
    sovereignty. In Bucharest, the foreign officials were also received by
    president Klaus Iohannis and PM
    Nicolae Ciucă.


    CINEMA Two
    Romanian films, ‘Metronome’ by Alexandru Belc and ‘M.R.I.’ by Cristian Mungiu, are
    in the competition of the Gothenburg International Film Festival in Sweden, which
    started on Friday. According to the Romanian Cultural Institute in Stockholm,
    the event brings together around 400 works from around the world every year,
    with 160,000 viewers attending. ‘Metronome’, the debut feature of the director Alexandru
    Belc, is a love story in 1972 communist Romania, and critics describe it as a
    social and historical analysis of a generation forced to live in a society
    marred by suspicion and distrust. Cristian Mungiu’s ‘M.R.I.’ is set in a
    Transylvanian village, where a small factory hires new workers, troubling the
    apparent peace of the locals. The over 40-year old
    film festival in Gothenburg is the most important such event in the
    region.


    SURVEY As many as 80% of Romanian consumers allow the use of their
    personal data for advertising purposes, according to a survey conducted on the
    European Data Protection Day. The latest data in the Survey on the usage of IT&C
    in households and by individuals indicate that 1 of 2 Europeans aged between 16
    and 74 do not allow the use of their personal data for advertising purposes
    when using the internet. As many as 46% reported having allowed only restricted
    access to their location or having denied access to their data altogether. The
    countries where the use of personal data for advertising is mostly denied by
    users include the Netherlands (73%), Finland (70%), Denmark and Germany (63%
    each), Spain (62%). At the opposite pole, the lowest rates were reported in
    Bulgaria (10%), Romania (20%), Greece (29%), Slovakia (30%) and Latvia (32%).


    ELECTION
    The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Saturday
    congratulated the president elect of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and
    pleaded for strengthening the relations between the 2 countries. Petr Pavel, a former
    chairman of the NATO Military Committee and supporter of military support for
    Ukraine, Saturday won the runoff of the presidential elections in the Czech
    Republic, with 57.4% of the votes, according to international news agencies,
    after over 90% of the
    ballots were counted. His opponent, ex-PM Andrej Babis, got around 42% of the
    votes. The turnout was 70%. Petr Pavel, a retired general aged 61, ran as an
    independent candidate with the support of the right-of-centre government. He
    will replace the controversial Milos Zeman, who had had close ties with Moscow
    before changing course during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Petr Pavel vowed to
    be an independent president, without political bias, and to continue to support
    war-torn Ukraine and Kyiv’s bid for EU membership.


    SPORTS The Romanian
    athlete Laura Ilie won the bronze in the 10m air rifle women event of the ISSF
    World Championship on Saturday in Jakarta, Indonesia. The gold went to Eszter
    Meszaros (Hungary), who defeated Poland’s Aneta Stankiewicz in the final. Another
    Romanian, Roxana Sidi, came out 28th in the qualifiers. (AMP)

  • January 28, 2023

    January 28, 2023

    COOPERATION
    France and the Netherlands are eagerly waiting
    for Romania’s Schengen accession as soon as possible. This is one of the main
    elements in a joint statement on security cooperation signed in Bucharest on
    Friday by the foreign ministers of the 3 countries. The message was also
    highlighted by the Dutch diplomacy chief, Wopke Hoekstra, in the bilateral
    talks with his Romanian counterpart, Bogdan Aurescu. The 2 officials, together
    with the French foreign minister, Catherine
    Colonna,Friday visited the Getica National Joint Training Centre in
    Cincu, where French and Dutch troops are deployed as part of the NATO Battle
    Group created in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In fact, after the
    trilateral talks concerning Moscow’s armed aggression, Catherine Colonna said
    Ukraine must be helped to defend itself, to regain its independence and
    sovereignty. In Bucharest, the foreign officials were also received by
    president Klaus Iohannis and PM
    Nicolae Ciucă.


    CINEMA Two
    Romanian films, ‘Metronome’ by Alexandru Belc and ‘M.R.I.’ by Cristian Mungiu, are
    in the competition of the Gothenburg International Film Festival in Sweden, which
    started on Friday. According to the Romanian Cultural Institute in Stockholm,
    the event brings together around 400 works from around the world every year,
    with 160,000 viewers attending. ‘Metronome’, the debut feature of the director Alexandru
    Belc, is a love story in 1972 communist Romania, and critics describe it as a
    social and historical analysis of a generation forced to live in a society
    marred by suspicion and distrust. Cristian Mungiu’s ‘R.M.N.’ is set in a
    Transylvanian village, where a small factory hires new workers, troubling the
    apparent peace of the locals. The over 40-year old
    film festival in Gothenburg is the most important such event in the
    region.


    SURVEY As many as 80% of Romanian consumers allow the use of their
    personal data for advertising purposes, according to a survey conducted on the
    European Data Protection Day. The latest data in the Survey on the usage of ITC
    in households and by individuals indicate that 1 of 2 Europeans aged between 16
    and 74 do not allow the use of their personal data for advertising purposes
    when using the internet. As many as 46% reported having allowed only restricted
    access to their location or having denied access to their data altogether. The
    countries where the use of personal data for advertising is mostly denied by
    users include the Netherlands (73%), Finland (70%), Denmark and Germany (63%
    each), Spain (62%). At the opposite pole, the lowest rates were reported in
    Bulgaria (10%), Romania (20%), Greece (29%), Slovakia (30%) and Latvia (32%).


    ELECTION
    Petr Pavel looks set
    to win the runoff of the presidential elections in the Czech Republic, ahead of
    ex-PM Andrej Babis, AFP reports. Polling
    stations opened on Friday and close today. Petr
    Pavel, 61, a retired general who held a senior NATO post, is running as an
    independent candidate and has the support of the right-of-centre government. Billionaire
    Andrej Babis, 68, who was the country’s PM between 2017 and 2021, promised to
    force the government to help citizens handle the rising inflation. The winner
    of the vote will replace the controversial Milos Zeman, who had had close ties
    with Moscow before changing course during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.


    WEATHER In Romania, weather experts issued code orange and yellow alerts
    for heavy snowfalls, snowstorms and rainfalls in over 20 counties in the east
    and centre of the country. The bad weather left thousands of households without
    electricity, road, railway and air traffic was disrupted and several national
    and county roads were closed. (AMP)

  • European solidarity against wildfires

    European solidarity against wildfires


    Presently affected by a severe heatwave and prolonged drought, France is fighting extensive forest fires in the southwestern region of Gironde. Fires this time spread faster than in July, when the entire region was devastated and thousands of people had to be evacuated.


    Firefighters from many countries have joined their French counterparts in the latters efforts to contain the wildfires in the region. Their gesture has been described by President Emmanuel Macron as an example of European solidarity. Italy, Greece and Sweden are among the countries which sent firefighting aircraft while 77 firefighters from Romania are working shoulder to shoulder with their French counterparts in an attempt to contain wildfires in the region.


    In response to a request made by the French government, authorities in Bucharest have also decided to dispatch equipment to the affected areas in France through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. According to the Head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, it is for the first time Romania is doing such an ample air rescue operation:


    Raed Arafat: “From our point of view this is a first as we are flying technical equipment and big fire engines to a foreign country; some of these engines have a capacity of 4 thousand liters. Military planes have been made available to us and we are using them under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We proposed this mission, it got the greenlight, and now our intervention teams are ready and able to help their French colleagues because they are not tired after traveling thousands of kilometers by road.”


    “Romania is solidary with France, our partner and traditional friend, which is these days fighting massive wildfires. Just like in the case of Greece, when Romania had a main contribution to putting out fires there, we can prove our capability of being a reliable partner for the allies” Romanias Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said in a message.


    Only several days ago, Romanian firefighters completed their mission in Greece, where they responded to a request by the Greek authorities through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. 56 Romanian firefighters put out fires around capital Athens in two consecutive rounds before being subsequently replaced by colleagues from other European countries contributing to the operation.


    Since the beginning of this summer season, Greece has been affected by hundreds of wildfires against the backdrop of the extremely hot weather with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Rescue operations this year have been marked by a helicopter crash close to the island of Samos, where two people lost their lives.


    (bill)


  • European solidarity against wildfires

    European solidarity against wildfires


    Presently affected by a severe heatwave and prolonged drought, France is fighting extensive forest fires in the southwestern region of Gironde. Fires this time spread faster than in July, when the entire region was devastated and thousands of people had to be evacuated.


    Firefighters from many countries have joined their French counterparts in the latters efforts to contain the wildfires in the region. Their gesture has been described by President Emmanuel Macron as an example of European solidarity. Italy, Greece and Sweden are among the countries which sent firefighting aircraft while 77 firefighters from Romania are working shoulder to shoulder with their French counterparts in an attempt to contain wildfires in the region.


    In response to a request made by the French government, authorities in Bucharest have also decided to dispatch equipment to the affected areas in France through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. According to the Head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, it is for the first time Romania is doing such an ample air rescue operation:


    Raed Arafat: “From our point of view this is a first as we are flying technical equipment and big fire engines to a foreign country; some of these engines have a capacity of 4 thousand liters. Military planes have been made available to us and we are using them under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We proposed this mission, it got the greenlight, and now our intervention teams are ready and able to help their French colleagues because they are not tired after traveling thousands of kilometers by road.”


    “Romania is solidary with France, our partner and traditional friend, which is these days fighting massive wildfires. Just like in the case of Greece, when Romania had a main contribution to putting out fires there, we can prove our capability of being a reliable partner for the allies” Romanias Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said in a message.


    Only several days ago, Romanian firefighters completed their mission in Greece, where they responded to a request by the Greek authorities through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. 56 Romanian firefighters put out fires around capital Athens in two consecutive rounds before being subsequently replaced by colleagues from other European countries contributing to the operation.


    Since the beginning of this summer season, Greece has been affected by hundreds of wildfires against the backdrop of the extremely hot weather with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Rescue operations this year have been marked by a helicopter crash close to the island of Samos, where two people lost their lives.


    (bill)


  • July 28, 2022 UPDATE

    July 28, 2022 UPDATE

    UKRAINE The Romanian foreign ministry firmly criticised the move of
    the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, who posted
    on social media a map assigning current Ukrainian territories to Romania and
    other neighbouring countries. The foreign ministry regards such attitudes as
    part of the Russian Federation’s propaganda and disinformation campaign, which
    has intensified since the start of the illegal and illegitimate war against
    Ukraine. Such ‘proposals’ and ‘analyses’ concerning the random resetting of
    national borders and promoting violations of international laws are just failed
    attempts to justify Russia’s breaches of the international order based on
    rules. The institution reiterates Romania’s full support for the independence,
    sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally
    recognised borders, and once again condemns Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked
    military aggression against that country. Romania is and will remain a partner
    of Ukraine and reconfirms its full support and deep compassion for the
    Ukrainian people, the victim of a brutal aggression, the institution’s news release
    also reads.


    FUNDS The prime minister Nicolae Ciucă has said Romania’s absorption
    rate of European funds as part of the 2014-2020 financial exercise stands at
    64.5%, a level similar to that of Germany and only slightly lower than France,
    but ahead of older member states like Belgium (59%) and Italy, Spain and The
    Netherlands (each with a little over 56%). According to Ciucă, Romania absorbed
    22 billion Euros out of the 35 billion it is allocated in the 2014-2020 period.


    DROUGHT Drought has so far affected 150,000 hectares of farmland in
    20 different counties across Romania, said the agriculture ministry, based on
    daily reports on the state of the crops. The irrigation systems are struggling
    to cope, owing to the drop in the level of the water used to feed the
    irrigation stations. The biggest such station, in Brăila county, in the
    south-east, was shut down because of the low Danube water flow. The station was
    providing water for 250,000 hectares of land in the region. The water flow of
    the river Prut, in the east, is also dropping, having already reached a record
    low level. Agriculture minister Petre Daea said the animal breeding sector is
    also affected by drought.


    WHISTLE-BLOWERS The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Thursday sent
    back to Parliament for reconsideration the Law on the protection of whistle-blowers,
    stating that some of the legislative solutions must be revised. Previously, a coalition
    of 20 NGOs, civil associations and trade unions, as well as whistle-blowers,
    had sent an open letter to the president, urging him not to sign the bill into law.
    Civil society organisations argue that in the form passed in Parliament, the
    act reduces the protection mechanisms for whistle-blowers, and Romania risks
    infringement procedures for the selective transposition of the relevant EU
    Directive. Save Romania Union, in opposition, also called on Iohannis to send
    the law back for urgent reconsideration, stating that the current text
    dissuades corruption reporting and poses a major risk of Romania being left
    without the funding under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. In
    mid-July the Constitutional Court had dismissed USR party’s complaint
    concerning the law, as unconstitutional.


    DRILL Over 20 aircraft from 7 NATO member states Thursday took part
    in a joint drill as part of the enhanced Vigilance Activities – eVA headed by
    NATO AIRCOM based in Germany. According to the defence ministry, the goal of
    the exercise is to prove NATO’s capacity to plan, coordinate and execute a
    complex air space security mission in the event of any type of attack or threat
    on Allied territory. In response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, NATO significantly
    enhanced its defence and deterrence capability, including by means of
    strengthening its presence on its eastern flank. (AMP)

  • Environmental sustainability projects awarded in Bucharest

    Environmental sustainability projects awarded in Bucharest


    “It is the 12th hour. If not now, never. If not us, nobody.” This is the imperative motto of the first edition of the Green Gala Report held early this year. The tone is set by the sense of urgency and the environmental problems of which we are all aware. The online publication Green Report has been notifying these problems for the past 15 years, ever since its establishment. But its online pages speak not only of these problems, but also put forth solutions, most of them identified by environmental watchdogs and some of them even by businesses.



    In fact, the Green Report awards granted at the recent gala draw attention precisely to the way in which environmental problems start being tackled through sustainable economic projects in Romania. The awarded projects belong to NGOs, to business organisations and local authorities. Raluca Fișer, the president of Green Revolution Association, which initiated the Green Report, told us more about the criteria for selecting these projects:



    Raluca Fișer: “We awarded 12 prizes, because we had 12 categories, but in the circular economy category we had 2 winners, a project put forth by a company and another one by an NGO with excellent projects in the field of circular economy. As many as 94 projects were selected in the 12 categories, and we had 54 companies and associations taking part. We were quite happy with the quality and diversity of the participating projects, which is a great thing for an event at its first edition. And we believe it is a great sign that people are becoming aware that sustainable economy is an integral part of any business plan and of any strategic approach of a market.”



    The Green Report Gala also showcased the development of environmental thinking in Romania during these past 15 years.



    Raluca Fișer: “Environment protection is no longer a topic for green activism alone, it has grown into a global emergency which informs the European and global agenda. We set out to show that circular economy and sustainable development are part and parcel of the business environment. An environment-friendly attitude is not only about everybody eating lettuce and walking around in forests, it also involves technology and efficiency in using our limited resources. We strongly believe that sustainable development must be integrated in any business, because it provides countless competitive advantages. And first of all, a company manager must be aware of their responsibility towards the community in which they work. Community involvement, one way or another, and the care for the environment are today so important that, if overlooked, they may push an enterprise into bankruptcy.”



    The star of the Green Report Gala was an organisation called “Workshops without borders,” which won 2 awards, in the categories “Excellence in Circular Economy” with its “educlick” platform, and “Excellence in Agri-Food” for its “bio&co” social farm, and a nomination in a 3rd category. The programme director of the “Workshops without borders” association, Lorita Constantinescu, told us more about the winning projects:



    Lorita Constantinescu: “We won the circular economy category with a project called EduClick. It is a platform to collect e-waste and repair computers, which we donate to schools in underprivileged areas which have no access to funding for their IT labs. Since the pandemic broke out, we have been sending computers to schools, which gave them to children who did not own a computer so that they could study online. In fact, the social component is the most important element for our association. Our social mission is to help re-include vulnerable people in the labour market. “Workshops without borders” was set up in 2008 and EduClick was the first workshop that we started. We basically created the conditions for vulnerable people to return to an active, employed life. We hire them for our workshops and for 2 years they take part in a job shadowing programme during which they learn the skills for a specific job. And when they complete the programme we help them find a job.”



    This is not the only project through which “Workshops without Borders” proved that environmental protection goes hand in hand with social involvement. In the category “Excellence in Environmental Innovation,” the organisation received a nomination for its Remesh project, in which plastic banners are turned into accessories such as bags and purses. Just like with EduClick, workers from underprivileged backgrounds are employed in this social enterprise with environmental ramifications.



    Lorita Constantinescu: “This is the 3rd workshop of our association: a social farm, where we grow vegetables and sell them in a farm-to-fork system. A few years ago, we set out to help vulnerable people to get employment in rural areas as well. While our first 2 projects, EduClick and Remesh, were located in Bucharest, we tried to do something for people in rural communities as well, so we went to the village of Ciocănari, some 30 km from Bucharest. We leased a plot of land and hired people from the vulnerable community in the village. It took around 3 years for us to get the organic farming certificate, and today we grow 80 vegetable varieties. We sell them to consumers in a direct subscription system.”



    The farm in Ciocănari currently has just over 90 subscribers, but the organisation hopes the model will be replicated by as many enterprises as possible. (A.M.P.)


  • Le Catalogue national des forêts vierges et quasi-vierges s’enrichit

    Le Catalogue national des forêts vierges et quasi-vierges s’enrichit

    Plus de 26 000 hectares de forêts ont été introduits en 2021 dans le Catalogue national des forêts vierges et quasi-vierges. À la mi-décembre de lannée dernière, près de 8 600 hectares de forêts vierges et environ 61 500 hectares de forêts quasi-vierges figuraient dans ce catalogue. Par définition, une forêt vierge, cest une forêt qui sest formée et développée exclusivement sous laction de facteurs naturels et dans laquelle les processus écosystémiques se produisent dans leur dynamique sans aucune influence humaine directe ou indirecte. Les superficies les plus récentes entrées dans le Catalogue proviennent des départements de Braşov, Harghita, Sibiu, Alba, Bistriţa-Năsăud, Cluj, Maramureş, Caraş-Severin et Hunedoara.



    Le Catalogue national des forêts vierges et quasi-vierges en est à sa 12e édition. En 2012, le ministère de lEnvironnement a établi des critères et des indicateurs pour identifier ces types de forêts, et ce catalogue est paru en 2016. Il constitue un outil de conservation et damélioration de la biodiversité des forêts de Roumanie, menacées par des coupes intensives et parfois illégales. Depuis lors, dautres superficies forestières répondant aux critères ont été ajoutées à ce catalogue chaque année. Seuls 10 des 41 comtés roumains ont des forêts incluses dans le catalogue, la plupart se trouvant dans les départements de Caraş-Severin (26 %), Hunedoara (14,7 %), Maramureş (9,6 %), Braşov (8,3 %) et Prahova (7,8 %).



    A loccasion de la présentation de la dernière édition du Catalogue national des forêts vierges et quasi-vierges, le ministre de lEnvironnement, Tanczos Barna, a déclaré :



    « Nous avons le devoir de protéger ces forêts, parmi les dernières zones de la Terre où la nature survit sous sa forme pure, inaltérée par lhomme. Et selon les spécialistes, la Roumanie dispose de certaines des plus grandes superficies de ces forêts, avec des millions dannées dévolution derrière elles. Voilà que, grâce à des efforts conjoints, nous avons réussi à protéger ces valeurs naturelles particulières. Et nous ne nous arrêtons certainement pas là. Nous poursuivrons lidentification dautres surfaces similaires qui seront introduites dans le Catalogue. »



    Les forêts incluses dans le Catalogue font lobjet dune protection stricte, donc les travaux ou activités humaines pouvant les affecter ne sont pas autorisés. Les seules activités autorisées sont celles de recherche, déducation et de visite, mais uniquement à condition quelles naffectent pas les écosystèmes.


    (Trad. : Ligia)


  • 14/01/2022 (mise à jour)

    14/01/2022 (mise à jour)

    Coronavirus — Près de 9 000 nouveaux cas de contamination ont été rapportés vendredi en Roumanie, presque 60 % de plus que la semaine dernière. Le bilan pandémique s’alourdit de 30 décès supplémentaires, dont trois antérieurs à la période de référence. 450 personnes positives sont actuellement hospitalisées dans des unités de soins intensifs. Les personnes contaminées de formes légères à modérées auront à leur disposition plus de 230 centres ambulatoires ouverts à travers la Roumanie où elles pourront bénéficier gratuitement d’un traitement antiviral. Aux dires du ministre de la Santé, Alexandru Rafila, ces centres sont censés réduire la pression sur les hôpitaux, voilà pourquoi il est important que la population les utilise.



    Gouvernement — Le gouvernement de Bucarest mettra en place par ordonnance d’urgence agréée par la coalition au pouvoir une nouvelle série de mesures censées protéger les catégories vulnérables de consommateurs de la flambée des prix de l’électricité et du gaz. C’est ce qu’a annoncé le premier ministre, Nicolae Ciucă, à l’issue d’une réunion du Conseil tripartite pour le dialogue social. Et lui d’ajouter que les mesures de protection pourraient perdurer au delà du 1er avril aussi. Les syndicats réclament un plafonnement des tarifs de l’énergie au niveau de décembre 2020 pour les six, voire même les douze mois à venir. Les associations patronales pensent, elles, que ce gel des prix devrait être mis en place de manière unitaire pour protéger aussi bien les consommateurs privés que les petites entreprises.



    Russie — L’Union européenne espère convaincre par le dialogue le président russe, Vladimir Poutine, à renoncer à ses intentions d’attaquer l’Ukraine, mais elle prépare aussi des sanctions sévères afin de dissuader la Russie. Telles sont les conclusions de la réunion des ministres européens des Affaires étrangères de Brest. Selon la correspondante de Radio Roumanie à paris, le ministre français des Affaires étrangères, Jean-Yves Le Drian, dont le pays assure la présidence tournante du Conseil de l’Union, a déclaré que les Européens sont unis et qu’ils ont la volonté et la détermination de faire entendre leur voix. Les ministres européens des Affaires étrangères ont commencé à préparer les sanctions à l’adresse de Moscou, et de nouvelles discussions sur ces dernières est prévue le 24 janvier, à Bruxelles. La Roumanie a été représentée à Brest par son chef de la diplomatie, Bogdan Aurescu. Selon un communiqué du ministère des Affaires étrangères, il a mis en avant une série d’éléments censée refléter au mieux les intérêts de la Roumanie. Il a indiqué que la mise en évidence claire du partenariat avec l’OTAN et l’UE était nécessaire et a souligné l’importance de refléter de manière appropriée la situation sécuritaire actuelle du Voisinage oriental, y compris de la région élargie de la mer Noire.



    Culture — La Roumanie marque cette année aussi la Journée de la Culture nationale, à travers une série de manifestations artistiques. Célébrée depuis douze ans déjà le 15 janvier, date de l’anniversaire du grand poète national, Mihai Eminescu, cette journée s’avère une excellente occasion pour rendre hommage aux personnalités roumaines, à leurs œuvres et au patrimoine national, a déclaré le ministre de la Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu. Il a lancé un appel aux Roumains de respecter leur identité nationale et leurs traditions — « véritables cartes de visite dont la valeur ne disparaitra jamais ».



    Liste — Le Comité national pour les situations d’urgence a mis à jour la liste des pays et territoires à risque épidémiologique élevé. Ainsi, tous les Etats de l’Union européenne et de l’Espace économique européen restent en zone rouge. Il en va de mêùme pour des pays tels la Turquie, Israël ou les Etats-Unis. L’Afrique du Sud, le Brésil et l’Inde, entre autres, en sortent. Parmi les voisins de la Roumanie, en zone jaune on retrouve la Serbie, alors que l’Ukraine et la République de Moldova sont en zone verte. La nouvelle liste entre en vigueur le 16 janvier.



    Inflation — En Roumanie, le taux d’inflation a grimpé de 7,8 % en novembre 2021 à 8,19 % en décembre dernier. Cette hausse survient dans le contexte d’une majoration de 10,73 % des prix des produits non alimentaires, de 6,69 % des prix des aliments et des tarifs des services de 4,49 %, informe vendredi l’Institut national de la statistique. Selon le dernier rapport du mois de novembre, la Banque centrale de Roumanie estimait un taux d’inflation de 7,5 % en décembre dernier, qui devait descendre à 5,9 % à la fin de l’année en cours. Dans un entretien à Radio Roumanie, le porte parole de la BNR, Dan Suciu, a précisé récemment que l’institution financière essaie d’ancrer les attentes d’inflation à travers la majoration du taux d’intervention et de tempérer la hausse des prix, dans le contexte où plus de 70 % de l’indice d’inflation est déterminé par la flambée des tarifs de l’énergie.



  • 31/12/2021

    31/12/2021

    Covid en Roumanie — La Roumanie a enregistré, vendredi, des chiffres à la hausse de l’épidémie de Covid-19 ; c’est le 4e jour de suite. Le dernier bilan indique 1 668 nouveaux cas de personnes infectées, la plupart depuis le 3 décembre jusqu’à présent. Pendant la même période, 38 décès ont été rapportés. Les spécialistes de la santé affirment que la Roumanie se confrontera dès les premiers jours de janvier à la 5e vague de la pandémie de coronavirus, et estiment que le seuil de 25 000 contaminations par jour pourrait être atteint. Le premier ministre Nicolae Ciucă a estimé que la loi relative à l’introduction du soi-disant certificat numérique COVID pourrait être adoptée dans une session extraordinaire du parlement ou encore par l’engagement de la responsabilité du gouvernement. Depuis le début de la pandémie, plus de 1,8 millions de cas de Covid-19 ont été enregistrés en Roumanie, et près de 60 000 personnes atteintes de la maladie sont décédées. Côté immunisation, la Roumanie est avant-dernière en Europe, suivie par la Bulgarie. Moins de 7,9 millions de Roumains sont complètement vaccinés, soit un peu plus de 40 % de la population éligible. Environ 2 millions d’entre eux ont également reçu le booster.



    Gouvernement — Le gouvernement de Bucarest a rempli 18 sur les 21 engagements qui devaient être atteints jusqu’à la fin de l’année, selon les objectifs fixés par le Plan national de relance et de résilience, a annoncé le ministre des Investissements et des Projets européens, Dan Vîlceanu. Il a expliqué que les sept derniers engagements qui relevaient du gouvernement avaient été finalisés, et pour trois autres, des discussions sont en cours entre la BERD et le Fonds européen d’investissements. Afin de satisfaire aux engagements assumés par le Plan, l’exécutif a adopté, dans sa réunion de jeudi, un programme pour raccorder plusieurs localités au service d’alimentation en eau et d’assainissement et un plan d’action pour accroître le trafic ferroviaire d’au moins 25 % les quatre prochaines années ; deux segments d’autoroute sont également à l’ordre du jour et une série de projets de rénovation énergétique. Détails après nos infos.



    Sécurité — Plus de 25 000 policiers, gendarmes, sapeurs-pompiers et policiers aux frontières assureront, pendant la fête du Jour de l’an, les mesures de protection et de sécurité des citoyens. 280 radars seront installés sur les routes, et la surveillance du trafic routier se fera par des aéronefs de l’Inspection générale de l’Aviation. Le ministère de l’Intérieur annonce que 60 évènements publics auront lieu cette nuit, avec la participation de plus de 120 000 personnes. Les pouvoirs publics appellent les participants à ces événements à ne pas consommer de boissons alcoolisées dans l’espace public, à accorder une attention particulière aux enfants, à se délimiter de toute situation conflictuelle ou des personnes qui provoquent des violences et à demander l’aide des gendarmes à proximité s’ils constatent des violations de la loi. Cette nuit, une partie des restrictions sont suspendues. Malgré cela, ceux qui sont en quarantaine ou à l’isolement doivent rester à l’intérieur, et le masque doit être porté en extérieur dans les espaces à forte affluence. Les policiers et les gendarmes seront également présents dans les stations de montagne, pour la sécurité des touristes.



    Nomination — Le premier ministre roumain, Nicolae Ciucă (PNL), a annoncé qu’une nomination aux fonctions de ministre de la Recherche, de l’Innovation et de la Numérisation, devenues vacantes suite à la démission de son collègue du même bord, Florin Roman, serait faite dans 15 jours au plus tard. Roman a démissionné, le 15 décembre dernier, après la parution dans la presse d’informations selon lesquelles il aurait falsifié son CV. Il aurait suivi des études universitaires de courte durée dans le cadre d’un collège universitaire, qui se sont achevées par un examen passé à la prestigieuse université Babeş-Bolyai de Cluj-Napoca (nord-ouest). Roman aurait donc obtenu un diplôme de fin d’études du premier cycle universitaire, et non pas un diplôme de maîtrise, comme il l’avait écrit dans son CV. Avant la démission, le chef du cabinet de Bucarest lui avait demandé d’éclaircir aussi les accusations de plagiat qui lui étaient apportées. Le président Klaus Iohannis a signé le 17 décembre dernier le décret désignant le ministre de l’Energie, Virgil Popescu, pour assurer l’intérim du portefeuille devenu vacant. La démission de Roman est la première du gouvernement de coalition PSD-PNL-UDMR, installé le 25 novembre dernier.



    Météo — Temps chaud en Roumanie pour la saison, même particulièrement chaud dans le sud-est. Il pleut dans le nord et le nord-ouest et sur le relief, où la neige fondra partiellement. Des bruines sont signalées à basse altitude. Les maximales vont de 4 à 12°, avec 5° à Bucarest.


  • Les bois perdus de vue

    Les bois perdus de vue

    Des pâturages mal entretenus ont laissé dernièrement la place, progressivement mais sûrement, à de jeunes forêts qui font la joie des coupeurs de bois, occupés à les défricher à cœur joie, à plus forte raison que ces lieux ne sont pas recensés comme faisant partie du fonds forestier national. Ce statut incertain facilite dès lors grandement leur mutilation, voire leur destruction, en l’absence d’un cadre légal qui puisse leur protéger l’existence. Pis encore, les politiques publiques actuelles semblent même encourager ce type de comportement, laissant le sort de ces bois à la discrétion et au bon vouloir des propriétaires, alors que les forêts enregistrées comme telles bénéficient d’une réglementation bien plus contraignante en matière d’exploitation.

    Radu Melu, responsable national du département Forêts du Fonds mondial pour la nature Roumanie, nous parle du triste sort de ces jeunes forêts laissées à l’abandon, qui recouvrent pourtant pas moins de 7% de la superficie boisée de Roumanie d’aujourd’hui. Ecoutons-le :« Il faut dire qu’il s’agit de près de 500 mille hectares qui se voient concernés par la question, selon les données officielles publiées dans l’inventaire des forêts nationales. 500 mille hectares de forêt, issus de l’abandon des pâturages et des champs. La forêt avait réussi à recouvrir, à reprendre ces terrains actuellement en friche, d’où elle avait autrefois été chassée, pour les transformer en terrains agricoles. »

    Or, alors que la Roumanie investit massivement dans le reboisement, les propriétaires de ces terrains laissés à l’abandon reçoivent, quant à eux, des dédommagements publics pour « l’entretien des pâturages ». Seulement, cet « entretien » s’apparente, le plus souvent à s’y méprendre, à l’abandon pur et simple. Et les arbres s’y installent, avant qu’ils ne soient exploités en l’absence de tout avis d’exploitation. Puis, derrière ces exploitations sauvages, il demeure des restes, des champs en ruines. A la fin, force est de constater que l’on est bien loin de pouvoir constater la présence des pâturages, sur le terrain.

    Radu Melu nous explique le potentiel bénéfique que ces forêts pourraient avoir, pour autant qu’elles soient correctement gérées : « Dans les régions collinaires, nous constatons l’apparition de bois situés hors le fonds forestier historique. Il s’agit de zones importantes, qui ont été progressivement recouvertes par la forêt. On le constate, par exemple, le long des rivières et des cours d’eau, alors qu’elles n’apparaissent pas sur les cartes forestières. Pourtant, ces forêts, totalement ignorées pour l’instant, demeurent essentielles pour garantir la qualité de l’eau. Et, à l’avenir, avoir de l’eau de qualité s’avérera un élément essentiel pour notre avenir. Il faudrait prendre soin de ces ressources. »

    Malheureusement, la Roumanie manque d’une vision stratégique nationale limpide, qui définisse ses objectifs en matière forestière, agricole et environnementale. A présent, l’Etat roumain se limite à débourser aussi bien pour défricher ces forêts ignorées que pour procéder au reboisement de son fonds forestier. (Trad. Ionuţ Jugureanu)

  • Que faire pour protéger l’ours brun de Roumanie?

    Que faire pour protéger l’ours brun de Roumanie?

    Selon WWF Roumanie, des quelques 18.000 individus de cette espèce recensés en Europe, environ 8.000 vivraient dans les Carpates, dont plus de 6.000 en Roumanie. C’est le pays qui accueille la population d’ours brun la plus importante d’Europe. Livia Cimpoeru, chargée de communication à WWF au sujet des grands carnivores, est passionnée par ces animaux majestueux. Ecoutons-la :« L’ours est une richesse naturelle de la Roumanie. On ne peut pas ignorer cela et je crois que tout le monde est d’accord qu’il faudrait protéger les ressources naturelles, car elles sont en train de disparaître. Il faut assumer la responsabilité de nos actions, car ce que l’on consomme ou ce que l’on fait affecte le bien-être et la viabilité des ressources. »

    Seulement, voilà, le développement des réseaux routiers, le déboisement légal ou illégal qui va jusqu’à une surexploitation des forêts, la cueillette des champignons et des fruits de bois, tout cela a fait que l’ours brun, animal omnivore, sorte peu à peu des forêts et se dirige vers les endroits peuplés, où la nourriture est plus accessible. Les ours deviennent alors une menace et certains considèrent qu’il faudrait les tuer. Mais de l’avis de Livia Cimpoeru et de WWF Roumanie, un équilibre homme-nature est parfaitement possible :« Nous pourrons assurer cet équilibre seulement au moment où nous comprendrons, en tant que nation ou peuple qui occupe cet espace géographique béni, d’une biodiversité extraordinaire, que nous sommes les seuls, je répète, les seuls à pouvoir protéger ces richesses. Tant que nous rejetons la faute sur les ours, sur les loups ou sur d’autres animaux pour les conflits hommes-fauves, cela n’avancera pas. L’ours est un animal sauvage, il ne possède pas les notions de bien et de mal, il ne peut pas prendre des décisions réfléchies, mettre en place des politiques et ainsi de suite. C’est nous l’espèce pensante, celle qui peut trouver des solutions intelligentes à ces désagréments ou conflits. Nos activités ont un impact évident sur les ours et la grande majorité des conflits homme-ours sont générés pas les hommes. »

    Au sein de l’Union européenne, les ours sont protégés par la Directive habitats, qui interdit leur chasse à des fins récréatives. Toutefois, plusieurs pays, dont la Roumanie, citent couramment l’article 16 de cette directive pour justifier la chasse des animaux considérés comme dangereux pour l’homme. La récente affaire « Arthur », du nom d’un ours mâle âgé de 17 ans, considéré comme le plus grand exemplaire de l’espèce en Roumanie et peut-être en Europe, a fait le tour du monde. En Roumanie, beaucoup disent que cela montre tout simplement la gestion défaillante des autorités, qui peinent à protéger ces mammifères.

    Arthur aurait été tué durant une partie de chasse aux trophées, organisée grâce à une dérogation délivrée pour la chasse d’une femelle soupçonnée d’avoir attaqué plusieurs fermes. Quelles solutions pour arrêter de telles pratiques ? Livia Cimpoeru :« Nous, à WWF Roumanie, on demande depuis 2009 l’amélioration de la législation relative au déménagement ou à la « récolte » des ours – c’est le terme technique utilisé pour dire la chasse. Depuis qu’on a commencé à délivrer ces dérogations, en 2017, si ma mémoire est bonne, les ordres ne disent pas clairement ce qu’il faut faire avec les carcasses des ours, qui est impliqué dans le processus de « récolte » ou de déménagement, quelle est la destination finale ou qui est le bénéficiaire de l’animal tué. En 2019, nous avons réclamé que seul le personnel technique des associations de chasse soit impliqué dans les actions de « récolte », pour écarter ainsi les soupçons de chasse aux trophées qui ne dit pas son nom. Le cas de l’ours Arthur est très parlant en ce sens. On ne comprend pas pourquoi on ne met pas en place des équipes d’intervention rapide, qui pourraient agir dans de telles situations. Avant de tuer un ours, voyons s’il y a d’autres solutions qui peuvent se montrer efficaces. Ces équipes d’intervention devraient être actives partout où il y a une population d’ours importante. A présent, non seulement nous n’avons pas de recensement fiable de la population de palmipèdes de Roumanie, mais nous ne connaissons même pas le nombre exact de la population habituée. On utilise ce terme pour désigner les ours qui, à cause de la négligence des hommes, ont peu à peu associé les humains à leur source de nourriture et qui se rendent souvent dans les endroits habités. »

    Tout récemment, en réponse au scandale « Arthur », le ministère de l’environnement de Bucarest a annoncé avoir modifié la loi relative à la chasse des ours qui représentent une menace pour les communautés. Si, avant, il y avait un délai de 60 jours entre la date d’issue de la dérogation de chasse et son application et il n’y avait pas de mention concernant le chasseur, à présent le délai a été réduit à 15 jours et seul le personnel technique de l’association ayant reçu la dérogation peut la mettre en application. Une bonne décision, mais loin d’être suffisante, estime Livia Cimpoeru :« Au-delà de ces mesures censées impressionner et calmer l’opinion publique, il faudrait mettre en place bien d’autres, pour qu’une coexistence harmonieuse soit possible avec les ours sur le long terme. Je pense notamment au soutien financier accordé aux fermiers et aux paysans qui vivent dans les zones fréquentées par les ours. Il faudrait que ces gens puissent installer des barrières électriques et se munir de chiens de garde pour protéger leurs maisons et leurs élevages. Nous étions très contents lorsque l’année dernière par l’ancien-ministre Alexe avait annoncé que le ministère allait financer ces mesures de prévention, mais cela ne s’est pas concrétisé et on ne comprend pas pourquoi. »

    Word Wide Fund Roumanie soutient, par ailleurs, que le ministère de l’environnement dispose de suffisamment de données pour lancer une cartographie des zones à risque. Ces cartes pourraient ensuite être mises à la disposition des spécialistes, des administrations locales et de la population, pour que les zones les plus dangereuses soient identifiées et connues. L’ONG est également impliquée dans un projet international financé par des fonds européens. Euro Large Carnivores vise justement à améliorer la coexistence entre hommes et animaux à travers la coopération transfrontalière et la communication. Beaucoup d’idées existent, c’est sûr, mais il faudra de la volonté politique pour les mettre en application. (Trad. Elena Diaconu)

  • THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25 April – May 1

    THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25 April – May 1


    Vaccination, “the only way out of the pandemic


    The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Tuesday once again called on citizens to get the COVID-19 vaccine, stating that this is the only way to end the pandemic. As many Romanians vaccinated means getting rid of restrictions and returning to normal, the head of state pointed out. In turn, PM Florin Cîţu reiterated that the government targets 5 million Romanians vaccinated by 1 June, and that as of that moment we will be able to talk in different terms about returning to normal.



    Florin Cîţu: “For us there is no other way. The only solution, if we want to go to concerts again, to have family gatherings, to go on holiday abroad or in Romania, to go to restaurants, to the cinema, to the theatre, to do everything we used to do, is for us to get the vaccine. This vaccination campaign is a campaign for life, for ourselves, for returning to normal.



    In turn, an inter-ministry committee working for Romanias return to normal as of 1 June, 2021, had a new meeting highlighting the need to gradually adjust the lifting of containment measures to each sector of the economy. The group also discussed the progressive reopening of the hospitality sector, as the vaccine rollout continues.



    Meanwhile, several drive-through vaccination centres have been opened in the country, where people can get the vaccine without previous appointments. Moreover, between 7 and 9 May an anti-COVID vaccination marathon will be organised in Bucharest, after the operation proved a success elsewhere in the country. At present around 1,000 vaccination centres are active, with a combined capacity of over 120,000 people immunised daily.



    The number of daily new COVID-19 cases has dropped across the country, and this week a number of containment measures are being lifted. The number of patients in intensive care is also dropping, and so is the number of COVID-related deaths. Of the total number of Romanians infected since the start of the pandemic, over 90% have recovered.




    Talks on the National Recovery and Resilience Plan


    The ruling coalition in Bucharest agreed on a National Recovery and Resilience Plan with projects worth 29 billion euro. The Plan will be submitted to Brussels as of 10 May, when final negotiations with the European Commission will be held. PM Florin Cîţu announced that no project will be dropped, but that the funding for some investment lines will be reduced, after Romania received comments from the EC especially concerning projects related to irrigation systems, natural gas networks and motorways.



    The prime minister said there are no problems in the negotiations with the Commission, but that Brussels asked for more details regarding Romanias plan. In turn, the minister for investments and European funding Cristian Ghinea said, discussions continue on all the components, and the European Commission has this kind of dialogue with all member countries.



    Cristian Ghinea: “We are trying to adjust to as many of the Commissions comments as possible, and we have even brough allocations in line with these comments. As for the projects that are our priorities, even if the Commission has a different opinion at this time, we will move forward with them.



    According to the Romanian official, several countries are to submit their National Plans after the end of April, the original deadline set by the Commission. Meanwhile, the vice-president of the EC Margrethe Vestager announced that she had a “constructive meeting with the Romanian minister concerning the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and said progress has been made.




    Protection for Romanian workers abroad


    At the suggestion of the labour ministry, the government passed an emergency order providing better protection for the Romanians working abroad. The order includes new obligations for recruitment agencies and for providers of relevant services, which grant additional protection to Romanian citizens.



    One provision is that mediation services for Romanians getting employment abroad should be free of charge, and that employment contracts should be provided in Romanian as well. Romanian workers are also to receive their written employment contracts before leaving the country. The labour minister Raluca Turcan also mentioned that transport companies must comply with certain requirements:



    Raluca Turcan: “When transport companies take over Romanian workers who got jobs abroad, they must be grouped together depending on the chosen job. Also, when they take over workers for a particular country, a company must drop them at the employers site.



    The order passed by the government also provides for tougher penalties for breaching the law.




    Supreme Defence Council discusses Black Sea, Afghanistan situations


    Romania will pull out its troops from Afghanistan in coordination with the other NATO members, beginning 1 May. All the 615 troops and over 80 tonnes of materials and equipment will be brought back on Romanian and NATO military aircraft, the Presidency announced at the end of Tuesdays meeting of the Supreme Defence Council. The withdrawal will be phased and spread across the forthcoming months. In the anti-terrorist mission in Afghanistan launched shortly after the 9/11attacks in the US, 27 Romanian troops lost their lives.



    In the same meeting the Supreme Defence Council also decided that Romania would continue to promote efforts to strengthen the Allied posture in the country and in the region, in a responsible manner and in line with international law. Moreover, concerned with the recent build-up of Russian troops at Ukraines eastern border, Romania is interested in solving the protracted conflicts in the Black Sea region, and the foreign ministry has presented the EU with some initiatives in this respect, the presidency also said in a news release. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • The latest on vaccination and lockdown

    The latest on vaccination and lockdown

    Citizens willingness to get vaccinated remains at a steady 50% in Romania, according to sociological surveys, the head of the national SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Coordination Committee Valeriu Gheorghiţă announced on Tueday. According to him, at present over 1.2 million people have appointments both for the first dose and for the booster, most of them for the Pfizer vaccine. So far in Romania nearly 2.4 million people have received the vaccine, and over half of them have got both doses.



    Valeriu Gheorghiţă also mentioned that at present over 1,000 vaccination centres are operational, with a total maximum capacity of 115,000 doses per day. Most of them, i.e. over two-thirds, are Pfizer centres, and the remaining give AstraZeneca and Moderna shots.



    The Romanian official also announced that as of the next few days people who wish to get the vaccine without a previous appointment will be able to come directly to the AstraZeneca centres with available spots.



    With the number of patients in intensive care and the number of COVID-19-related deaths on the rise across the country, authorities once again call on people to get the vaccine and to observe protection measures.



    Meanwhile, an order issued by the health ministry introduces new criteria for local lockdowns. Apart from the COVID infection rate, other aspects will also be taken into account, such as the testing level and the ICU and hospital vacancies.



    According to the state secretary with the health ministry Andreea Moldovan, the new criteria are more objective, but the decision to introduce a lockdown “depends on more factors. The new order introduces a system that assigns towns and villages a specific score, based on these factors, with higher scores indicating a more severe situation in terms of the disease.



    The system separates between cities of over 100,000 inhabitants and smaller localities. For the former, the criteria include the combined 14-day infection rate and its trend, the number of tests run over the past 7 days and the proportion of positive tests in the total, the number of cases in outbreaks and the number of hospital beds still available. In smaller localities, the number of tests and the test positivity rate will not be taken into account, but the other criteria stand.



    As a general rule, local lockdown will be lifted when the infection rate drops below 3 per thousand, the document also reads. (tr. A.M. Popescu)