Tag: RRI

  • September 28, 2021 UPDATE

    September 28, 2021 UPDATE

    Covid — On Tuesday over 11,000 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Romania, which is an absolute record since the beginning of the pandemic, out of over 73,000 tests, which is also a record. Most cases are in Bucharest, almost 2,000, and the contamination rate in the capital has exceeded 5.5 cases per thousand inhabitants. Over 660 localities have over 3 Covid-19 cases per thousand inhabitants, accumulated in 14 days. On Tuesday, the authorities announced that 1,267 seriously ill patients are being treated in intensive care, including 17 minors. 208 Covid- associated deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. On the other hand, the 3rd dose of Covid vaccine started being administered in Romania on Tuesday, as the country is in the grips of the 4th pandemic wave, when the number of infections and hospitalized people is skyrocketing. Over 20 thousand Romanians got vaccinated with the 3rd dose on the first day of the campaign, the authorities showed. Over 22 thousand have been vaccinated in the past 24 hours with the 1st or 2nd dose. The coordinator of the vaccination campaign, Valeriu Gheorghiţă, said on Tuesday that the COVID vaccine coverage in Romania stands at about 33%, and in Bucharest at 51.1%.



    Resignation – The Liberal Adrian Oros resigned the position of minister of agriculture and rural development, saying that “for prime minister Florin Cîţu, agriculture and the food industry were never priorities”. He says the ministry’s budget for this year is 60% that of last year, which has a negative impact on ongoing projects, and that no major project in agriculture was included in the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience. Adrian Oros was the only minister in the Cîţu cabinet to support Ludovic Orban as leader of the National Liberal Party. Cîţu won the leadership of the party for the next four years. At the beginning of September, the Save Romania Union USR – PLUS Alliance withdrew from the ruling coalition with the Liberals and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania following a disagreement over a regional development fund and filed a no-confidence motion in Parliament, refusing to return to government with Cîţu as prime minister.



    Motion — The censure motion submitted to Parliament by the Social Democratic Party (in opposition) on Tuesday will be read on Thursday, in a plenary session, and will be debated and voted next Tuesday, the joint Permanent Bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate have decided. As for the censure motion initiated by USR PLUS, former no. 2 in the government coalition, and the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR, the joint Permanent Bureaus did not set a timetable. They decided to wait for the motivation of the Constitutional Court’s decision regarding the notification submitted by the Liberal prime minister Florin Cîţu related to the existence of a constitutional conflict between the Government and Parliament. On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court admitted the notification of the prime minister in relation to this censure motion, but claims that the motion can be debated and voted. The motion was registered on September 3 and read in the Parliament’s plenary session on September 9. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR, which remained in the governing coalition alongside the National Liberal Party – PNL, has called for urgently restoring the governing coalition to overcome the political crisis.



    Certificate – The European Covid certificate may become mandatory for Romanian healthcare staff working in the public and private sectors, under a new bill proposed by the health ministry. The certificate serves as proof that a person is fully vaccinated against Covid, has tested negative for the virus or has recovered from the infection in the last six months. Medical staff who does not meet any of the three conditions face suspension for a month and even termination of the labor contract later on. The bill also stipulates that the staff will have to pay for the Covid tests. Employers will only cover testing costs for persons who are advised against getting the vaccine for health reasons.



    Ash cloud – The ash cloud released into the atmosphere after the eruption of the volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma in the Canary Islands reached the territory of Romania. The particles containing sulfur dioxide and other chemicals have been pushed by the wind through the west of Romania, spreading across the country. The particles will start disappearing as of Wednesday. Romanian experts are monitoring the air quality and have given assurances that there are no reasons for concern at the moment. Meanwhile, on the island in the Atlantic Ocean, the population of the non-evacuated areas was advised to stay in their homes and not to open the windows. The volcano released lava into the atmosphere again, accompanied by toxic gases.



    Visit – The Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), Natalia Gavriliţa, met on Tuesday, during her official visit to Brussels, with Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport, and Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy. According to a press release from the Moldovan government, the talks focused on the importance of transport as a connection element between the EU and the Republic of Moldova, but also as a potential for economic development for the Moldovan businesspeople, on the role of the Union in developing the energy sector in the Republic of Moldova, on possibilities of completing the projects started with the neighboring countries and which can be an alternative to the gas and electricity supply of the Republic of Moldova. (LS)

  • Erfolg im Ausland: RRI-Redakteurin gewinnt französischen Literaturpreis

    Erfolg im Ausland: RRI-Redakteurin gewinnt französischen Literaturpreis

    Als ich Ioanas Manuskript zum ersten Mal las, spürte ich, wie ihre Geschichte in die Tiefen meines Wesens eindrang. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass es ihr gelungen war, eine Stimme in mir zum Vorschein zu bringen, eine Harmonie, die schon immer da war, derer ich mir aber erst nach der Lektüre dieses Romans bewusst wurde, der eigentlich eine Beichte ist. Das war auch bei meiner zweiten Lektüre so. Am besten spricht man von diesem Buch indem man andere überredet, es zu lesen. Das scheinen auch die Leser des Festivals von Chambery so empfunden zu haben, die für Alles was ich meinem Vater versprochen habe“ gestimmt haben. Das bestätigt, dass es ein universelles Buch ist, das Leser aus vielen Ecken der Welt bereits lieb gewonnen haben“, sagt Magdalena Mărculescu, Redaktionsleiterin der Verlagsgruppe Trei.



    Das Lesekomitee des Festival Premier Roman in Chambéry, das sich aus Kritikern und Übersetzern zusammensetzte, war von der Stärke der Hauptfigur Ada überzeugt, die beschließt, ganz von vorne anzufangen und ihre eigenen Entscheidungen zu treffen, entgegen dem gesellschaftlichen Druck. Wir fragten Ioana Maria Stăncescu nach ihren Erfahrungen als Debütautorin beim Festival du Premier Roman in Chambéry.



    Ich habe die ganze Erfahrung sehr genossen, ich fühlte mich geehrt, wichtig, wirklich als echte Schriftstellerin. Wegen der Pandemie nahmen die ausländischen Autoren nur online teil. Aber ich wollte mir diese Erfahrung nicht entgehen lassen und bin als einzige ausländische Schriftstellerin nach Chambéry gereist, und zwar dank meiner Tochter, die mich überredet hat, da hinzufahren. Infolge des dreitägigen Festivals, natürlich auch weil ich Französisch spreche, habe ich mich mit den anderen Schriftstellern angefreundet. Es gab auch etablierte Autoren, aber die meisten von uns standen noch am Anfang, und das ermöglichte uns eine offene Beziehung, Freundschaft und Kommunikation über soziale Medien.



    Und seither fällt mir immer wieder auf, wie viele Veranstaltungen es in Frankreich für Debütanten gibt. Und damit meine ich nicht nur große Veranstaltungen wie Festivals oder Preisverleihungen. Ich spreche von Signierstunden in Buchhandlungen, von Begegnungen in Gymnasien, von vielen Treffen mit dem jungen Publikum. Auch in Chambéry hatte ich die Gelegenheit, an einer sehr bewegenden Veranstaltung teilzunehmen, die von einem Lehrer mit Schülern der Sekundarstufe organisiert wurde. Es handelte sich um einen Leseworkshop, der von zwei der preisgekrönten Bücher inspiriert war und an dessen Ende die Kinder einen Aufsatz schrieben. Es war eine beeindruckende Erfahrung.



    Während des Festivals du Premier Roman in Chambéry nahm Ioana Stăncescu an der Debatte Révolte ou résignation? teil, die von dem Journalisten Yann Nicol moderiert wurde und an der auch die Schriftsteller Adrien Borne und Raphaelle Riol teilnahmen, sowie an der Videokonferenz Atelier de traductions mit Florica Ciodaru Courriol und Jean-Louis Courriol.




    Für mich war die Debatte eine Gelegenheit, meinen Roman vorzustellen. Der Journalist, der die Debatte moderierte, war äußerst großzügig und professionell, denn da es sich um ein Buch handelt, das nicht ins Französische übersetzt wurde, sprach er vor der Debatte mit den rumänischen Lesern, um sich über den Inhalt des Buches zu informieren, und stellte mir einige sachkundige und relevante Fragen. Tatsächlich kamen die Anwesenden am Ende der Debatte auf mich zu und sagten, sie bedauerten, dass der Roman nicht ins Französische übersetzt wurde. Die zweite Veranstaltung, der von Florica und Jean-Louis Courriol geleitete Übersetzungsworkshop, fand via Zoom statt, daran nahmen sowohl Franzosen als auch Rumänen teil. Während des Workshops haben wir gemeinsam versucht, das erste Kapitel meines Buches zu übersetzen, und ich habe mich darauf eingelassen, auch wenn man normalerweise nicht davon ausgeht, dass der Autor unbedingt französischsprachig ist. Es war interessant, es sollte eine Stunde dauern, und es dauerte am Ende gute zwei Stunden, ich denke, dass die Teilnehmer eine gute Zeit hatten.



    Ich kam aus Chambéry mit dem Gefühl zurück, dass es einfach sein könnte, wenn wir selbst solche Veranstaltungen durchführen wollten. Das Festival du Premier Roman in Chambéry, das bereits seit 34 Jahren stattfindet, wird hauptsächlich von einer Handvoll Freiwilligen organisiert. Natürlich gibt es einige Organisationen, die das unterstützen, aber es hat mich erstaunt, wie einfach es zu organisieren wäre. Um ein Beispiel zu nennen: Normalerweise findet dieses Fest in der ganzen Stadt statt, es gibt mehrere Veranstaltungsorte, und es wird ein Nachahmungseffekt erzielt, indem sich die Stadt für drei Tage in festliche Kleidung kleidet. In diesem Jahr konnte die Veranstaltung aus gesundheitlichen Gründen nicht wie üblich stattfinden, aber dennoch beteiligte sich die gesamte Gemeinde – die Buchhandlungen, Cafés, Restaurants, die Schneiderei in der Hauptstraße – an der Veranstaltung, wobei sogar auf den Schaufenstern mit Kreide Zitate aus den preisgekrönten Büchern geschrieben waren. Es scheint banal zu sein, aber der Schriftsteller, der die Straße entlanggeht und einen Satz davon im Fenster des Schneiders sieht, fühlt sich als Schriftsteller und wichtig.



    Das Festival du Premier Roman in Chambéry ist eine Literaturveranstaltung, die seit 1987 europäische und frankophone Debütautoren entdeckt und fördert. Jedes Jahr wählen 3000 Leserinnen und Leser nach Lesungen und Diskussionen 15 französischsprachige Debütautoren und acht weitere Autoren aus, die in italienischer, spanischer, deutscher, rumänischer, englischer und portugiesischer Sprache schreiben, sowie bekannte Schriftstellerinnen und Schriftsteller. Olivier Adam, Christine Angot, Laurent Binet, Philippe Claudel, Delphine De Vigan, Mathias Enard, David Foenkinos, Laurent Gaudé, Michel Houellebecq, Amélie Nothomb, Boualem Sansal gehören zu den mehr als 300 Autoren, die im Laufe der Jahre beim Festival zu Gast waren.

  • Differentiated restrictions in Romania

    Differentiated restrictions in Romania

    The Romanian government decided during Thursdays session to establish night quarantine measures at the weekend in those localities where the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate exceeds 6 cases per thousand. So far, this threshold was 4 per thousand inhabitants. Also in these localities, businesses will have working hours with the public between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. There is an exception, though. Vaccinated people can leave their homes and travel to areas where the Covid incidence threshold is higher than 6 per thousand inhabitants, but they need to present the green certificate attesting to their vaccination. At the same time, the Romanian government has decided that minors up to 12 years will no longer need the green certificate for access inside public spaces. Until now, the age limit was 6 years. The Prime Minister Florin Cîţu said that, regardless of the restrictions, vaccination must be a priority for as many Romanians as possible.



    Florin Cîţu: “The only solution to solve the pandemic problem is vaccination, the green certificate. When a restriction or other measure appears, we close at 8 p.m., but restrictions do not solve the pandemic problem. The pandemic problem is solved only by vaccination and that is what I will continue to repeat, on and on: if we want to get over the pandemic, we have to get vaccinated – it is very simple. I think it is much more important that this effort be multiplied by the responsibility of each of us”.



    Florin Cîţu believes that compulsory vaccination should be the last resort to stop the pandemic, after the other measures announced. The prime minister says that if this decision is eventually made, the authorities should think of what happens to those who, despite the mandatory vaccination rule, still refuse to get vaccinated. He added that a bill on the compulsory vaccination of a certain category of persons might be introduced in Parliament, among whom medical staff and teachers. Meanwhile, the authorities announced that the threshold of 10 million vaccine doses administered in Romania since the start of the vaccination campaign, on December 27, 2020, has been exceeded.



    All in all more than 5.4 million people have been vaccinated, of whom about 5.3 million have been fully vaccinated. The increasing number of cases boosted the vaccination campaign, so that this week, in one single day, twice as many people as compared to the previous period were immunized, most of them with the first dose.



    Over the past days the number of people contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 has grown alarmingly, as well as of Covid-related deaths. ICUs across Romania are packed and some of those with serious forms of Covid-19 in this 4th wave of the pandemic are children. The National Committee for Emergency Situations has announced that, as of Sunday, Romania enters the yellow scenario following the surge in the number of contaminations. (LS)

  • September 23, 2021

    September 23, 2021

    Covid — The COVID-19 epidemic in Romania continues on an upward trend. On Wednesday a new, unprecedented threshold for this year was exceeded. 7,045 new cases of coronavirus infection have been reported out of almost 54,000 tests. Most new cases have been reported in Bucharest, where the contamination rate is maintained at over 1,000 new cases in 24 hours. 130 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours. The number of COVID patients in ICUs exceeded 1,000, a situation that has not been recorded since the first half of May. More than 300 localities across Romania, including the capital, are in the red scenario, after the infection rates exceeded the threshold of 3 per thousand.




    Ambassador – Romania has been a candidate for accession to the Visa Waiver program for almost 15 years, said the new Romanian ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru, who recalled that there are only three EU member states whose citizens need a short – stay visa on the territory of the US. According to Andrei Muraru, the visa rejection rate is currently at a fairly high level, around 10%, but he pointed out that the Romanian authorities are working with the American side so that a maximum rejection rate of 3% can be reached, which is necessary for accessing to the Visa Waiver program. The Romanian ambassador to the US also said that an information campaign will be organized in Bucharest for citizens to find out how they can apply for a visa, what the reasons are for the rejection of their application and why they should not apply, since they do not meet the criteria that the American side considers fundamental.




    Exercise — A ship of the Romanian Navy, the “Vice Admiral Constantin Bălescu” minesweeper leaves, today, from the Military Port of Constanţa (southeast), to participate in the operation EUNAVFOR MED “Irini”, in the Mediterranean Sea, from October 1 to December 31. The Romanian military sailors will ensure the observance of the arms embargo imposed on Libya by the United Nations. Their mission also aims to combat illicit trafficking in oil products, drugs and people by monitoring maritime traffic and carrying out inspections of suspicious vessels in the Mediterranean basin. A detachment of navy combat divers is on board the ship. The 85 crew members were vaccinated against COVID, tested and quarantined in the accommodation facilities of the Romanian Navy before departure.




    Covid certificate — The COVID green certificate remains in force in those localities where the infection rate is or exceeds 3 per thousand inhabitants, for access to restaurants, bars, shows or private events, and in the case of children the certificate will be mandatory for those over 12 years, according to the decision made today by the Romanian authorities. Until now, the certificate was necessary for children aged over 6. Another measure allows businesses to also operate after 6 p.m. if the infection rate is between 3 and 6 per thousand inhabitants. The night quarantine will be established on weekends in those localities where the infection rate exceeds 6 per thousand and throughout the week in areas where the COVID-19 incidence is over 7.5 per thousand. The PM Florin Cîţu has today announced that the vaccinated people will be allowed to leave the house without a self-declaration in the localities where the quarantine was imposed. On the other hand, the emergency ordinance regarding the COVID digital certificate was adopted by the Senate, as the first legislative chamber notified, and will be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, as a decision-making body in this case. The COVID digital certificate was created in the European Union to facilitate free movement during the pandemic. The document – which can only be verified by scanning the QR code – certifies vaccination, the existence of a negative test or the recovery from the disease.




    Ordinance – The Romanian government has approved an emergency ordinance under which drivers who have to repair their cars based on a car insurance policy issued by the City Insurance company will be compensated faster through the Insured Guarantee Fund. They will not have to wait until the court finally declares the bankruptcy of the former leader on the insurance market, a procedure that can last more than a year. At the time of the recent withdrawal of the operating license, City Insurance had 3 million insurance policies issued. (LS)

  • September 22, 2021 UPDATE

    September 22, 2021 UPDATE

    Covid -19 – The Romanian Prime Minister Florin Cîţu announced that, starting on September 28, the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will start being administered in Romania for all the persons who were vaccinated with the second dose more than 6 months ago. The 3rd dose will be with a messenger RNA vaccine, regardless of the type of the initial doses. 7,045 cases of COVID-19 were reported on Wednesday out of about 54,000 tests. This is the highest daily figure this year. 130 COVID patients have died in the last 24 hours. More than one thousand people are hospitalized in intensive care. The capital Bucharest and three counties of Romania entered the red scenario after exceeding the threshold of three cases per thousand inhabitants. We remind you that in those localities where the infection rate is over 3 per thousand, but does not exceed 6 per thousand, access to restaurants, performance halls or private events is allowed only on the basis of the green COVID certificate. The Romanian College of Physicians calls on the population to understand the impact and consequences which the infection with the new coronavirus can have and asks the authorities to find correct and applicable solutions as soon as this is possible, to limit the disease. The college warns that the high contamination rate means increased pressure on hospitals. The College of Physicians also continues to support the voice of scientists internationally, saying that vaccination is one of the most handy and effective tools to fight the pandemic.



    Investigation – The Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors are looking into the procurement of Covid vaccines, amid suspicions of abuse of office and obtaining undue benefits. Nobody is officially under charges as yet. The incumbent finance minister Dan Vîlceanu says he has no information regarding the procurement of Covid vaccines outside the mechanism created by the European Commission and for prices negotiated at EU level. The former health minister Vlad Voiculescu claims however that based on the decision of PM Florin Cîțu, Romania ordered too many doses and was subsequently forced to sell or donate some of them.



    UN – In New York, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, addressed the heads of state and government of the more than 100 countries participating in the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly. In his speech, Klaus Iohannis stressed the importance of an international order based on rules. During the Transforming action for nature and people event, organized on the sidelines of the General Assembly, he underlined that, in combating climate change and biodiversity loss, international cooperation is essential. “Lets work together to protect biodiversity by sharing knowledge, technology and financial resources. I invite you to mobilize new financing sources for nature, to support and reward the providers of ecosystem services “, the President of Romania added.



    Ordinance — The Romanian government on Wednesday adopted an emergency ordinance to implement the Caring for Children program. State Councilor Mădălina Turza, the program coordinator, has recently stated that the program aims to provide free counseling for children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide training sessions for teachers and other specialists, introduce in the Masters in Teaching degree programs a compulsory module for the development of psycho-emotional skills, the introduction in the school curriculum of topics related to the management of emotions and the management of relationships with other children. The program also aims to hire more than one thousand psychologists for marginalized schools. The state councilor also said that the project will run for 2 years and will have a budget of almost 6 million Euros.



    City Insurance Investigation — Romanian anti-mafia prosecutors will investigate, at the request of the shareholders in the ‘City Insurance’ company, the way in which the company was administered. The shareholders filed a criminal complaint with the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crimes and Terrorism – DIICOT and accuse the Romanian employees, who managed City Insurance, of forming an organized crime group, of fraud and embezzlement. Investigations by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate – DNA could also begin, following criminal complaints filed by the Financial Supervisory Authority, even before City Bank bankruptcy is asked. Meanwhile, the government on Wednesday adopted an emergency ordinance amending the law on the Insured Guarantee Fund, following the companys insolvency. “I want to make sure that all those who have reported losses, do not suffer from this bankruptcy,” said the PM Florin Citu. City Insurance was a market leader, with nearly three million car insurance policies issued.



    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, former world number one and currently ranked 14th in the WTA rankings, announced the end of her collaboration with Australian coach Darren Cahill. Trained by him, Halep won her first Grand Slam title, in 2018, at Roland Garros, and finished two consecutive years on the first place in the WTA rankings, in 2017 and 2018. In March 2019, Simona Halep announced her collaboration with the Romanian coach Daniel Dobre, who trained her to win the title at Wimbledon in July. In 2020, she resumed training with Darren Cahill. Halep faced a number of injuries this season, one of which kept her away from tennis from May to August, failing to participate in the Roland Garros and Wimbledon tournaments, as well as in the Tokyo Olympics, which led to her exit from the top 10. She announced that she would participate again this season in the tournaments in Indian Wells, Moscow and Cluj. Simona Halep, who turns 30 on September 27, got married last week. (LS)

  • Illegal deforestation mafia

    Illegal deforestation mafia

    Illegal deforestation in Romania has once again come to the attention of the authorities, after a recent incident. The members of a team that was filming an international documentary about illegal deforestation were brutally beaten by about 20 individuals in a forest from Suceava County (in the northeast). The filming equipment and all the recordings were destroyed. The team was accompanied by an environmental activist, who helped them identify the evidence of forestry crimes in the area. The attack was severe, and some of the victims lost consciousness on the way to hospital, according to Greenpeace Romania. All three victims subsequently received medical care, and they are now in a stable condition. Among the people heard by the police are the owner of the forest where the incident took place, as well as the head of the forest division, but investigations continue to identify all those involved in the attack.



    Another tragi-comic incident caught the attention of the press last autumn. At the time, a mayor from a commune in Argeș County (south) was caught by police while illegally transporting almost 40 cubic meters of wood without documents of origin. Both the wood and the truck were confiscated. A criminal file was opened against the mayor who defended himself saying that he had nothing to do with the wood. He claimed that he was just driving the truck, because his wifes company did not have enough drivers. The irony is that the mayor claims that he did nothing illegal.



    According to NGOs, in recent years, in Romania, over 600 people have been attacked in forests by criminals, and 6 of them have died because of this violence. The Romanian Police reports that, in the first 8 months of 2021, forestry crimes have increased by over 60% compared to the same period of last year. In the first 8 months of this year, more than 27,000 checks were made and the authorities have given more than 5,500 fines amounting to 9 million lei (approx. 1.8 million euros), which is actually a very small amount, if we think of the real value of the stolen wood. About 20 million cubic meters are illegally cut in Romania every year, the former Environment Minister, Costel Alexe, said at the end of 2019, part of this amount coming from virgin forests.



    Romania has about two-thirds of Europes virgin forests, most of them protected under the Natura 2000 program. In 2020, the European Commission launched the infringement procedure against Romania because it failed to take measures to protect forests. Unfortunately, it did not produce effects, environmental activists claim. In their opinion, the Romanian politicians are only putting the blame on one another. No government that has been in power all these years has been able to do anything about illegal logging. The recent changes proposed by the authorities in relation to forestry legislation, debated in Parliament, are meant to significantly tighten the rules on illegal logging. Any wood theft, regardless of the amount, will become a crime and will be punished by imprisonment, irrespective of the amount cleared. Until then, forestry crimes continue. (LS)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

    The womens handball team CSM Bucharest was defeated by the Russian team Rostov Don 30-27, in a game played on Saturday in the Dinamo Hall in Bucharest. It was CSM’s second consecutive defeat in the current edition of the Champions League. Last week, in the first stage, the Romanian team lost, away from home, to the Danish team Esbjerg, 21 to 22.



    In the Davis Cup, this weekend, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s mens tennis team defeated the Portuguese team 3 to 1 in the first round of World Group I. On Saturday, in the first singles match, Joao Sousa defeated Filip Cristian Jianu 6-3, 7-5, and in the second match of the day, Marius Copil defeated Gastao Elias 6-4, 6-3. On Sunday, in the doubles, the pair Marius Copil / Horia Tecău defeated the pair Nuno Borges / Joao Sousa with 6-4, 6-3. Then, Marius Copil defeated Sousa 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, and Romania goes further to the playoffs of the Davis Cup final tournament.



    The Romanian footballers Nicolae Stanciu and Valentin Mihăilă had a good play, at the weekend, for the teams they play for. Valentin Mihăilă scored the goal of Parma that was nevertheless defeated at home by Cremonese 2-1, on Sunday, in the fourth round of the Italian Second League. Stanciu scored his first goal of the season for Slavia Prague, in the away matched played against Bohemians Prague. The match won by Slavia Prague with the score 5-1 counts for the eighth round of the Czech football championship. Stanciu scored from a penalty kick in the 56th minute.



    At the weekend, matches were played as part of the ninth round of the Romanian First League Football Championship. On Friday, FC Voluntari defeated CS Mioveni at home 4-0, and Gaz Metan Mediaş won in Bucharest, against Rapid, 2 to 1. On Saturday, in Ploieşti, Chindia Târgovişte defeated Farul Constanţa 2-0, and FCSB beat FC U Craiova 1948, in an away match, 1-0. On Sunday, FC Argeş won 1-0 the game played, in Bucharest, with Academica from Clinceni, then, in Sfântu Gheorghe, Sepsi ended in a draw, 0 – 0, with UTA Arad. In the last game of the day, FC Botoşani beat Dinamo 2 to 1. Monday will see the last match of the round in Bucharest: CFR Cluj versus Universitatea Craiova. In the ranking, Cluj is on the first place, with 21 points followed by FC Botoşani with 20 points. (LS)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

    The womens handball team CSM Bucharest was defeated by the Russian team Rostov Don 30-27, in a game played on Saturday in the Dinamo Hall in Bucharest. It was CSM’s second consecutive defeat in the current edition of the Champions League. Last week, in the first stage, the Romanian team lost, away from home, to the Danish team Esbjerg, 21 to 22.



    In the Davis Cup, this weekend, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s mens tennis team defeated the Portuguese team 3 to 1 in the first round of World Group I. On Saturday, in the first singles match, Joao Sousa defeated Filip Cristian Jianu 6-3, 7-5, and in the second match of the day, Marius Copil defeated Gastao Elias 6-4, 6-3. On Sunday, in the doubles, the pair Marius Copil / Horia Tecău defeated the pair Nuno Borges / Joao Sousa with 6-4, 6-3. Then, Marius Copil defeated Sousa 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, and Romania goes further to the playoffs of the Davis Cup final tournament.



    The Romanian footballers Nicolae Stanciu and Valentin Mihăilă had a good play, at the weekend, for the teams they play for. Valentin Mihăilă scored the goal of Parma that was nevertheless defeated at home by Cremonese 2-1, on Sunday, in the fourth round of the Italian Second League. Stanciu scored his first goal of the season for Slavia Prague, in the away matched played against Bohemians Prague. The match won by Slavia Prague with the score 5-1 counts for the eighth round of the Czech football championship. Stanciu scored from a penalty kick in the 56th minute.



    At the weekend, matches were played as part of the ninth round of the Romanian First League Football Championship. On Friday, FC Voluntari defeated CS Mioveni at home 4-0, and Gaz Metan Mediaş won in Bucharest, against Rapid, 2 to 1. On Saturday, in Ploieşti, Chindia Târgovişte defeated Farul Constanţa 2-0, and FCSB beat FC U Craiova 1948, in an away match, 1-0. On Sunday, FC Argeş won 1-0 the game played, in Bucharest, with Academica from Clinceni, then, in Sfântu Gheorghe, Sepsi ended in a draw, 0 – 0, with UTA Arad. In the last game of the day, FC Botoşani beat Dinamo 2 to 1. Monday will see the last match of the round in Bucharest: CFR Cluj versus Universitatea Craiova. In the ranking, Cluj is on the first place, with 21 points followed by FC Botoşani with 20 points. (LS)

  • Optimism over the future of the Republic of Moldova

    Optimism over the future of the Republic of Moldova

    The end of August, when the Republic of Moldova marked 30 years since the proclamation of its independence from the former USSR, found Moldova in a good moment, when relations with the western partners are improving in the context of Maia Sandu’s victory in the presidential election held in November 2020 and of the departure from power of the Socialist Party and its allies, following the parliamentary elections held in July this year. Forcefully engulfed within the former USSR in 1940, the Republic of Moldova, located across the Prut River and having a majority Romanian-speaking population, proclaimed its independence 51 years later, in a political context characterized by similar moves in its neighboring countries.



    A guest in Radio Romania’s studios, the historian Adrian Cioroianu, a former foreign minister of Romania, analyzed those events in an attempt to explain how the idea of separation emerged: “The context was created by that favorable period in the history of Eastern Europe marked by Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms in the Soviet Union. This was actually the trigger, and also the decision of other states such as Ukraine and Belarus and Boris Yeltsin’s Russia to break with the Soviet Union, which actually turned Mikhail Gorbachev into an apprentice sorcerer. His own reform turned against himself, and he could no longer control things, he came to rule a Soviet Union that practically did not exist anymore. That was the moment when the Republic of Moldova, back in 1990, and before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, started regaining its identity. Everything started as a cultural movement. Let’s not forget that the first claims of recovery were related to culture and identity, and I’m referring to the Romanian language, the Latin alphabet, and the rediscovery of the identity of a culture of European origin. This cultural claim became the foundation on which, in August 1991, independence was proclaimed. Unfortunately, independence was proclaimed in parallel with the start of a conflict, as the conflict on the Dniester had just started.”



    Besides the situation in Transdniester, a Russian-speaking region which continues to consider itself independent from the Republic of Moldova, and which is supported by Moscow, Moldova, the former Soviet republic with a majority Romanian-speaking population, has faced serious economic crises over the past 30 years, especially in 1998, and had to cope with domestic political turmoil and large-scale protests. After, in 2009, it stated that its main foreign policy target was the rapprochement to the European Union, the Republic of Moldova obtained, among others, a visa waiver agreement and signed a free trade agreement with the EU states. Nevertheless, several years later, relations with Brussels soured after one billion dollars disappeared from Moldova’s banking system in 2014, after several important reforms, among which the reform of the judiciary, reached a deadlock and after, in 2016, a pro-Russian president Igor Dodon was elected. Now, with the victory of pro-western Maia Sandu in the November 2020 presidential election and the departure from power of the Socialist Party and their allies following the parliamentary elections held this year in July, relations with western partners seem to get revived.



    According to political analyst Vlad Turcanu, the current political situation in Moldova is a chance for it to go back on the European path: “The Republic of Moldova has a huge chance to reiterate, once again, and maybe, to strengthen its European aspirations after a difficult enough period which it has experienced over the past years. After these 30 years, and after the latest developments in Moldova, namely two consecutive victories in the presidential and parliamentary elections by the pro-western politicians, the Moldovan citizens have reason to hope that Moldova will return on the path assumed in 1991.”



    In her speech on the anniversary of 30 years of independence, President Maia Sandu underscored that the top priorities of the new power remained building the rule of law in the Republic of Moldova and ensuring a decent life for the Moldovan citizens. What projects does the Republic of Moldova need?



    Political analyst Anatol Țăranu from Chisinau explains: “I believe that the main project which the Republic of Moldova needs today is the consolidation of state institutions, which are able to give a correct orientation to the development of the state of the Republic of Moldova. And what Maia Sandu and the team that has now come to power do – their fight against corruption, the attempt to strengthen state institutions in terms of policy coherence that are promoted in the Republic of Moldova in various fields – is in line with the idea of consolidation. On the other hand, the Republic of Moldova will not be able alone to achieve this major goal of becoming a prosperous society, which guarantees the fulfillment of democratic rights and the well-being of its citizens, if it does not embrace the goal of European integration, of becoming a European state. And this, again, is unlikely to happen if the Republic of Moldova does not strengthen its relations with Romania, because Romania is, in fact, the country that most sincerely supports the Republic of Moldova on its way towards European integration.”



    Romania was the first state to recognise the independence of the Republic of Moldova 30 years ago and now, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has reiterated Bucharest’s commitment to supporting the reform and European integration processes assumed by the Moldovan authorities.(LS)

  • September 15, 2021

    September 15, 2021

    Covid-19 – The number of COVID-19 cases and associated deaths recorded in one single day is on the rise Romania. 4,004 cases were announced on Wednesday out of more than 44,000 tests. 83 people have died of Covid-19 and 696 are in ICUs. New Covid-19 outbreaks are emerging. In those localities where the threshold of 2 cases per thousand inhabitants has been exceeded, the authorities are starting to enforce additional protection measures. In another development, the pace of the vaccination campaign remains slow, despite repeated calls from experts. Moreover, the Delta virus strain, which is beginning to become dominant, has a higher transmission rate than the previous variants. The authorities expect more and more people to get contaminated.



    Motion — Romania’s Constitutional Court is to announce the deadline for debating the Liberal Prime Minister Florin Cîţus notification regarding the existence of a legal conflict between the Parliament and the Government in relation to the censure motion tabled by the USR-PLUS, former no. 2 in the governing coalition and the nationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians — AUR, in opposition. The parties involved were given Wednesday as deadline to submit their views to the Constitutional Court. The Permanent Bureaus of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies believe that there is a constitutional conflict in the case of the censure motion. Instead, the Speaker of the Senate, Anca Dragu (USR-PLUS), and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Ludovic Orban (PNL), do not agree with Parliament’s unfavorable point of view, adopted with the votes of the National Liberal Party – PNL and of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR (in the government coalition), and also of the opposition Social Democratic Party – PSD, therefore they sent separate documents to the Constitutional Court. Ms. Dragu syas there is actually a political conflict which the Government wants to transform into a constitutional one. The government, dominated by the Liberals, claims that the no-confidence motion does not have the minimum number of valid signatures and that the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies did not inform the Government about the document on the same day it was tabled. Entitled Dismissal of the Cîţu Government, Romanias only chance to live! the censure motion accuses the prime minister of having plunged Romania into a serious economic and social crisis.



    Energy — The Romanian Parliament is today debating the rise in energy bills in Romania. The parliament has already decided to set up a committee to investigate the causes of the skyrocketing natural gas and electricity price hikes. The Labor Minister, Raluca Turcan, has pointed out that, one week after its adoption in Parliament, the Vulnerable Consumer Law has not yet been sent for promulgation. According to her, this is a law that provides financial aid to more than 500,000 households that need state support to be able to pay their bills during the winter season. On Tuesday, President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Florin Cîţu talked with representatives of the Enel energy company about the recent developments on the domestic energy market. Klaus Iohannis told Enels management that it is necessary for companies in the sector and the authorities to coordinate their efforts to protect vulnerable consumers, and also companies that have already been strongly affected by the rising prices.



    Strasbourg — The next year will be yet another test of character for the EU with new challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and deeper fractures, said Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union Speech delivered Wednesday in the plenum of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The European official said the EU bloc would be stronger if it looked more like the “Next Generation”. The debate on the state of the European Union takes place every year in September and it is a key moment in demonstrating the European Commissions responsibility to the democratically elected EU representatives.



    Survey – Almost 2/3 of Romanian entrepreneurs (62%) do not feel the economic growth announced by the Government – show the results of a survey made by one of the most important producers of software for companies in Romania. According to the survey, only 9.5% of companies have registered increases in their turnover, and 26% do not notice any real change compared to 2020. Many entrepreneurs believe that instability and the lack of predictability will persist in the Romanian business environment in the current political context. (LS)

  • Romania – the US, 10 years of Strategic Partnership for the XXI century

    Romania – the US, 10 years of Strategic Partnership for the XXI century

    On September 13, Bucharest and Washington marked 10 years since the conclusion of the Strategic Partnership for the XXI century and the signing of the Agreement on the setting up of the United States Ballistic Missile Defense System in Romania. On this occasion, the Romanian Foreign Ministry and the United States Department of State issued a joint statement according to which Romania and the US will continue to be outposts of Euro-Atlantic values ​​and meet the challenges of the future together, as friends and allies. The Romanian Foreign Ministry recalls that, since its launch in 1997, the Strategic Partnership has been an essential landmark of the Romanian foreign policy and one of its basic pillars, along with Romania’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union.



    At the same time, the partnership is an effective tool to support domestic efforts in such areas as strengthening security, increasing prosperity, supporting the political, economic, military and administrative reform. Cooperation between Romania and the US has been constantly strengthened and diversified, so that in 2011 it was decided to develop the Partnership by establishing the main dimensions of the bilateral relationship, which include political dialogue, security, economy, people-to-people contacts, science and technology, research, education and culture.



    The Romanian Foreign Ministry recalls that negotiations related to an agreement on the deployment of the United States ballistic missile defense system in Romania began in 2010. In this context, a political text of the Joint Declaration was negotiated, Romania’s chief negotiator at the time being the current Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu. In December 2015, the technical capacity of the Anti-Missile Defense Facility in Deveselu (southern Romania) was confirmed, and the inauguration ceremony was held in May 2016.



    The Romanian Foreign Ministry states that the Agreement proves the United States commitment to European security and represents Romania’s and the US’s joint contribution to collective defense within NATO. NATOs missile defense system is exclusively defensive and targets threats from outside the Euro-Atlantic space. In a message sent on the celebration of 10 years since the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Strategic Partnership, the charge daffaires of the US Embassy in Bucharest, David Muniz, highlighted the fact that Romania remained an essential link within NATOs missile defense chain. Romania has fought side by side with America and other Allied forces in some of the toughest and deadliest theaters of operations in the world, and the Romanian military has bravely honored this commitment and paid an incredibly expensive price, David Muniz also said. (LS)


  • September 13, 2021 UPDATE

    September 13, 2021 UPDATE

    School year — Almost 3 million school and preschool pupils started a new school year in Romania on Monday. The school year has 34 weeks, being divided into two semesters and it will end on June 11, 2022. On the first school day, festivities were allowed with the participation of parents, the wearing of protective masks and keeping the physical distance from other participants being mandatory. However, there are also children who cannot attend school physically, because, in several localities, the COVID-19 infection rate exceeded 6 cases per thousand inhabitants, and also because the schools where they study were not repaired. The Education Minister, Sorin Cîmpeanu, expressed hope that important progress would be made in relation to pupils’ vaccination after the beginning of school, given that the authorities showed availability to organize mobile teams to bring vaccination closer to schools.



    Partnership — The Romanian FM Bogdan Aurescu on Monday hailed the 10th anniversary of the conclusion of the Romania-US Strategic Partnership, as well as of the Agreement on the installation of an anti-missile system in Romania. In his turn, the charge daffaires of the US Embassy in Bucharest, David Muniz, pointed out that Romania fought side by side with America and the other allied forces in some of the toughest theaters of operations in the world. “Through their actions, the Romanian military brought peace to the affected areas and protected the vulnerable from forces that would have treated them like prey,” said David Muniz. He added that Romania remained an essential link in the NATO anti-missile defense chain.



    Covid-19 — Almost 1,850 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Romania on Monday, out of more than 22,000 tests. In addition, another 46 deaths were reported in patients infected with the novel coronavirus. At least 5,280 people infected with COVID-19 are hospitalized. There are now over 630 patients in intensive care. Romania has 860 intensive care beds for Covid patients, and the authorities are looking to increase their number. 5.2 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated, which means one third of the eligible population.



    Investigation – A Romanian Parliament committee will start this week investigating the increase in energy prices. The commission was set up with the support of all parliamentary groups, in the context of an increase of more than 20%, over the summer, in energy prices and amid fears that financial pressure on households will increase substantially in the cold season. A National Institute of Statistics analysis shows that more than one million families could not afford to pay their electricity and gas bills even when the energy prices were regulated. The authorities have recently approved the Vulnerable Consumer Law, but experts believe this is not enough.



    Firefighters’ Day – On Monday, President Klaus Iohannis decorated the Battle Flag of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Bucharest and the commanders of the units that acted, this summer, to put out the fires in Greece, as part a ceremony on the occasion of Firefighters Day, marked, every year, on September 13th. At the same time, President Iohannis handed over battle flags to 11 County Emergency Inspectorates in sign of appreciation for the devotion and spirit of sacrifice of the Romanian rescuers in fulfilling the missions of protecting the citizens and the community. In turn, the PM Florin Cîţu congratulated the firefighters and spoke about their dedication and professionalism.



    Pope – Pope Francis is on an official visit to Slovakia until Wednesday. After a meeting with members of the Jewish community, including Holocaust survivors, he will travel, on Tuesday, to the poorest regions of Slovakia, where he will have talks with representatives of the Roma community, and on Wednesday he will hold a religious service in Bratislava in the open air. Earlier, Pope Francis paid a brief visit to Budapest, where he pleaded for openness towards our fellows during his discussion with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is known for his anti-immigration policies.



    Film – The film “Immaculate”, directed by Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark, won the “Leone del Futuro” film debut award at the 78th edition of the Venice International Film Festival. The production, presented for the first time in the world, features Ana Dumitraşcu, Vasile Pavel and Cezar Grumăzescu in the main roles. Monica Stan received an award also for the screenplay of the film “Immaculate” in the section dedicated to authors under the age of 40. The two filmmakers also won the best director award in a parallel section, entitled “Authors Days”, created after the “Directors Week” section of the Cannes Film Festival. The Venice Film Festival ended on September 11th. (LS)

  • September 9, 2021 UPDATE

    September 9, 2021 UPDATE

    Motion — The censure motion tabled by the Save Romania Union- Plus Alliance (USR-PLUS), the former no. 2 in the government coalition and the ultranationalist, opposition party the Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR, against the government led by the Liberal Florin Cîţu, was read, on Thursday, in the plenum of the Romanian Parliament. The prime minister and his supporters have shown that group interests are above the public interest, the motion writes. The PM is blamed for turning a national investment plan into a party piggy bank. The debate of and the vote on the motion will take place after the Constitutional Court rules on the PM’s notification regarding the existence of a legal conflict between the Parliament and the Government. The speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, the Liberal leader Ludovic Orban, who is competing with Florin Citu for the Liberal Party – PNL leadership, considers that the decision to postpone the debate and vote on the motion calendar is deeply unconstitutional. In turn, the speaker of the Senate, Anca Dragu representing the Save Romania Union, says that the Liberals are using all possible tricks to prevent the debate and vote on the censure motion. In turn, the PM Florin Citu said he would ask for the resignation of the speakers of the Parliament’s two chambers if the decision of the Constitutional Court on his notification is favorable. We remind that USR PLUS filed a censure motion after they demanded the resignation of the prime minister, whom they accuse of undermining the coalition through his decision to dismiss the justice minister, Stelian Ion, representing USR. Subsequently, the USR PLUS ministers have resigned, and the secretaries and undersecretaries of state, as well as the prefects and sub-prefects representing this party have been dismissed.



    Covid-19 — As of Friday the government extends by 30 days the state of alert on the Romanian territory, imposed by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The validity of antigen tests has been extended from 24 to 48 hours. The number of daily cases of infection exceeded on Thursday 2,000. 2,226 new cases and about 40 deaths were reported. The number of patients in ICUs exceeded 500. The National Public Health Institute analyzed the infections confirmed last week and found that over 80% of cases were reported in unvaccinated people. Almost 93% of all deaths were in unvaccinated people and 5% in people vaccinated with only one dose. Interest in vaccination remains low. All in all, about 5.2 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated.



    Visit — In 2021 we celebrate 110 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Romania and Switzerland and we could see the excellent level of bilateral cooperation at political, economic and social levels, said Thursday in Bern, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, in a joint press conference with his Swiss counterpart, Guy Parmelin. The two heads of state discussed the consolidation of bilateral relations, including economic cooperation, with focus on investments, with Switzerland ranking 10th in the top of investors in Romania. The presidents of Romania and Switzerland have agreed to deepen cooperation in such areas as research and innovation, digitalization, education and cyber security. President Iohannis thanked his Swiss counterpart for supporting Romanias accession to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Discussions also included topical issues of international policy, focusing on political and security developments in the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood and the Western Balkans region.



    Untold – The biggest electronic music festival in Romania, UNTOLD, started on Thursday in Cluj-Napoca, in the center of Romania. More than 70,000 people from more than 100 countries are expected daily at this special event, held in pandemic conditions, until Sunday. The organizers allow access to the festival only to vaccinated people, people who have recovered from the infection or who test negative for Sars-CoV-2. Besides famous DJs such as Dimitris Vega and Like Mike, the famous Romanian panpipes player Gheorghe Zamfir will also be performing. Thus, UNTOLD proposes an original synthesis between electronic music and traditional sounds. Performing in this year’s festival will be David Guetta, Martin Garrix, The Script, Parov Stelar, Tyga and Sam Feldt, among others. Spectators will be welcomed by fantastic characters, who will give light and fire shows. Famous bands will get involved in these shows, such as Moon Ladies from Italy. The festival also includes art exhibitions, including a South American art exhibition highlighting the tribal traditions in the Amazonian forest. The organizers have also prepared a fashion exhibition bringing together the creations of 20 designers. The festival also has percussion workshops for those who want to learn the secrets of this art.



    Emergency – The Republic of Moldova will instate, as of Friday, the state of public health emergency at national level for a period of 50 days, following the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, the health minister Ala Nemerenco announced on Thursday. She said that in the next five days the health ministry, in agreement with other institutions, will come up with an action plan regarding measures to combat and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which she will present to the Extraordinary National Public Health Commission. In the Republic of Moldova, 731 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on Thursday, out of which 591 among unvaccinated persons. (LS)

  • September 4, 2021 UPDATE

    September 4, 2021 UPDATE

    Motion – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, said on Saturday that the new alliance made up of the Save Romania Union- PLUS – USR PLUS Alliance, a member of the ruling coalition, and the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR, is an insult to the Romanian people. He called on USR PLUS to put an end to these political gestures, which he described as irresponsible, to respect their voters and to return to dialogue, in order to work out a viable and rational solution with the Coalition partners to overcome the current situation. The head of state says that, by making an alliance with a party that does not respect the western values, USR PLUS betrays the will of the citizens who put their hopes in a center-right coalition that promised to develop Romania. Undermining the Coalition and compromising the entire reform package assumed through the government program risks throwing Romania into a deep economic and social crisis, the president warned. MPs from the USR PLUS and AUR on Friday tabled a censure motion against the cabinet led by the Liberal Florin Citu, after his refusal to resign and after the National Liberal Party – PNL refused to withdraw their political support for the PM. USR PLUS had requested the departure of the PM Florin Citu, whom they accused of cynicism and ill-will, after he unexpectedly dismissed the Justice Minister, Stelian Ion, representing USR, because he had blocked a large financing plan for the local infrastructure. The prime minister said that the only governing solution for Romania is the current coalition, an opinion shared by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR, the third partner in the governing coalition. The timetable for the censure motion will be set on Monday.




    Afghanistan — The inter-institutional crisis cell managed to obtain, on Saturday, the successful evacuation from Afghanistan of another 15 Afghan citizens, collaborators of the Romanian armed forces as well as students with scholarships in Romania, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. Earlier on Saturday, 45 Afghan citizens, magistrates and their families, were evacuated from Afghanistan, the Romanian foreign minister, Bogdan Aurescu announced at the Black Sea and the Balkans Security Forum, which takes place in Bucharest. The head of the Romanian diplomacy pointed out that another 11 Afghan citizens – judges, physicians and journalists – were evacuated from Kabul with the support of the Romanian state. All in all, the Romanian authorities contributed to the evacuation of 76 Afghan citizens, in addition to the 49 Romanian citizens and 7 citizens of the partner states. On the other hand, President Klaus Iohannis on Friday had a phone conversation about Afghanistan with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “Romania remains concerned about the serious situation in Afghanistan and is ready to contribute to NATOs efforts to address this crisis. Allied unity is essential. Afghanistan must not become a safe haven for terrorists again,” Klaus Iohannis wrote on Twitter. In his turn, the NATO secretary general wrote on Twitter that he discussed with the Romanian president and the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Spain about the developments in Afghanistan. “NATO allies will continue to bring people to safety, and we remain determined and united against international terrorism,” Stoltenberg wrote.



    Covid-19 – Against the backdrop of a low vaccination rate in Romania, the number of infections continues to grow. On Saturday, 1,568 new cases and 28 deaths were reported. 358 patients are hospitalized in ICUs. In the last 24 hours over 6,600 people have been vaccinated of whom 4,500 with the first dose or the single dose. All in all, 5.1 million people have been fully vaccinated, which means less than a third of the eligible population.



    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, seed no. 12, has qualified to the eighth finals of the US Open, the last grand slam tournament of the year, after she defeated, in 3 sets, on Friday, the Kazakh Elena Ribakina, ranked 20th in the WTA classification. On Sunday, Halep will play for a place in the quarterfinals against the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, ranked 5th in the WTA classification. Svitolina passed, in the third round, the Russian Daria Kasatkina. The score of the matches between the two is equal, 5-5. Simona Haleps best performance at the US Open is the semifinal played in 2015.



    Enescu — The 25th edition of the George Enescu International festival continues. On Saturday, Bucharest hosted the concert of the Transylvania Philharmonic Orchestra from Cluj conducted by Alexander Liebreich featuring soprano Diana Țugui, pianist Andreas Haefliger and mezzo Iulia Merca. Attending the festival for the first time was the State Orchestra from Athens which performed George Enescu’s ‘Fantasia for piano and orchestra’ featuring pianist Saskia Giorgini, winner of the Mozart Competition in Salzburg in 2016. Saturday’s program will end with one of the Enescu’s most impressive works, Symphony no. 3 performed by the famous British orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra London under the baton of Santtu-Matias Rouvali. (LS)

  • September 4, 2021

    September 4, 2021

    Motion – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, said on Saturday that the new alliance made up of the Save Romania Union- PLUS – USR PLUS Alliance, a member of the ruling coalition, and the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR, is an insult to the Romanian people. He called on USR PLUS to put an end to these political gestures, which he described as irresponsible, to respect their voters and to return to dialogue, in order to find a viable and rational solution with the Coalition partners to unblock the current situation. The head of state says that, by making an alliance with a party that does not respect the western values, USR PLUS betrays the will of the citizens who put their hopes in a center-right coalition that promised to develop Romania. Undermining the Coalition and compromising the entire reform package assumed through the government program risks throwing Romania into a deep economic and social crisis, the president warned. MPs from the USR PLUS and AUR on Friday tabled a censure motion against the cabinet led by the Liberal Florin Citu, after his refusal to resign and after the National Liberal Party – PNL refused to withdraw their political support for the PM. USR PLUS had requested the departure of the PM Florin Citu, whom they accused of cynicism and ill-will, after he unexpectedly dismissed the Justice Minister, Stelian Ion, representing USR, because he had blocked a large financing plan for the local infrastructure. The prime minister said that the only governing solution for Romania is the current coalition, an opinion shared by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR, the third partner in the governing coalition. The timetable for the censure motion will be set on Monday.




    Afghanistan — The inter-institutional crisis cell managed to obtain, on Saturday, the evacuation from Afghanistan of 45 Afghan citizens, magistrates and their families, the Romanian foreign minister, Bogdan Aurescu announced at the Black Sea and the Balkans Security Forum, which takes place in Bucharest. The head of the Romanian diplomacy pointed out that another 11 Afghan citizens – judges, physicians and journalists – were evacuated from Kabul with the support of the Romanian state. All in all, the Romanian authorities contributed to the evacuation of 61 Afghan citizens, in addition to the 49 Romanian citizens and 7 citizens of the partner states. On the other hand, President Klaus Iohannis on Friday had a phone conversation about Afghanistan with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “Romania remains concerned about the serious situation in Afghanistan and is ready to contribute to NATOs efforts to address this crisis. Allied unity is essential. Afghanistan must not become a safe haven for terrorists again, “Klaus Iohannis wrote on Twitter. In his turn, the NATO secretary general wrote on Twitter that he discussed with the Romanian president and the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Spain about the developments in Afghanistan. “NATO allies will continue to bring people to safety, and we remain determined and united against international terrorism,” Stoltenberg wrote.




    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, seed no. 12, has qualified to the eighth finals of the US Open, the last grand slam tournament of the year, after she defeated, in 3 sets, on Friday, the Kazakh Elena Ribakina, ranked 20th in the WTA classification. On Sunday, Halep will play for a place in the quarterfinals against the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, ranked 5th in the WTA classification. Svitolina passed, in the third round, the Russian Daria Kasatkina. The score of the matches between the two is equal, 5-5. Simona Haleps best performance at the US Open is the semifinal played in 2015.




    Covid-19 – Against the backdrop of a low vaccination rate in Romania, the number of infections continues to grow. On Saturday, 1,568 new cases and 28 deaths were reported. 358 patients are hospitalized in ICUs. Less than 11,000 people have been vaccinated, 8,000 with the first or single dose in the last 24 hours. All in all, 5.1 million people have been fully vaccinated, which means less than a third of the eligible population.



    List – A new list of countries with an epidemiological risk, published by the National Committee for Emergency Situations in Romania, takes effect on Sunday. Spain moves out of the red list and gets into the yellow list, while Austria moves from the green list to the yellow one following the increase in the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate. Israel, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey and Portugal are still in the red zone, and the Netherlands and Bulgaria remain on the yellow list. (LS)