Radio România Internațional

Tag: spreading

  • September 30, 2020

    September 30, 2020

    COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreaks are spreading in Romania, particularly in care centres and in hospitals. The number of schools resorting to exclusively online classes is also on the rise. According to the latest official report, there are 2,158 new cases in the past 24 hours, and 33 new deaths. So far, 4,825 COVID-19 patients have died in Romania, and more than 127,500 people have tested positive.



    ELECTIONS Police and prosecutors carry on investigations in a criminal case initiated after on Sunday a Social Democrat running for a local councilor post was caught by representatives of Save Romania-PLUS Alliance with nearly 500 official reports from polling stations. The Central Electoral Bureau is to announce today a decision regarding the Social Democrats request for a vote recount in Bucharest Sector 1. The candidate backed by the Liberals and Save Romania-PLUS Alliance, MEP Clotilde Armand, said she would request the General Prosecutors Office to take over the investigation. The acting Sector 1 mayor, the Social Democrat Dan Tudorache, said he also requested the Bureau to do a vote recount. According to centralised data, Clotilde Armand has won the election with 40.95%, while Dan Tudorache got 39.82% of the votes. In Bucharest, the independent candidate Nicuşor Dan, backed by the Liberals and Save Romania-PLUS Alliance, secured some 43% of the votes for General Mayor of Bucharest. At national level, partial results point to major changes in the administration of county capitals. The Liberals, in power, have won 15 county capitals, the Social Democrats in opposition 14, and Save Romania-PLUS Alliance and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians 4 each. As for county councils, the Social Democrats won 20, the Liberals 17, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians 4.



    COURT The Constitutional Court of Romania has dismissed an objection raised by the President and Government against a bill authorizing Parliament to set the date of this years parliamentary elections. The current bill is therefore deemed in line with the constitution, and president Iohannis is either to sign it into law, or to send it back to Parliament for a review. Meanwhile, in keeping with current legislation, the Liberal government decided on Friday that the parliamentary election will be held on December 6. Until its publication in the Official Journal, the bill tabled by the opposition parties, the Social Democrats, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians and ALDE, is not in force. If this happens, which specialists say is no longer possible because there is not enough time, it will be for the first time in 30 years that the date of general elections in Romania is set by Parliament and not by the Government.



    CONFLICT The Romanian Foreign Ministry announces that Romanian embassies in Erevan and Baku are prepared to provide consular assistance to Romanian citizens in the conflict in the region. Romanian citizens are urged to be cautious and to seek information in official sources as regards possible changes in travel conditions in the 2 countries. The European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to refrain from any measures, especially military ones, that might infringe upon civilians rights. Clashes between Azeri and Armenian troops over the Nagorno-Karabakh refion continue, in spite of an appeal for cease-fire and negotiations coming from the UN Security Council. According to official data, 98 people, mostly Armenian separatist fighters and , and 17 civilians on both sides, have been killed in the past few days in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.



    TENNIS The Romanians Simona Halep (no. 2 WTA, seeded 1st) and Irina Begu (72 WTA) are playing today in the 2nd round of the Roland Garros tournament. Other Romanians have also qualified into the second round: Ana Bogdan defeated Timea Babos (Hungary), Irina Bara secured a surprising win against Donna Vekic (Croatia), and Patricia Ţig outplayed the Swiss Stefanie Voegele. In the doubles, Ana Bogdan / Rebecca Peterson (Sweden) are taking today on Marie Bouzkova (Czech Republic) / Arantxa Rus (Netherlands), Romanians Andrea Mitu and Patricia Tig are pitted against Madison Brengle (USA) / Yana Sizikova (Russia), Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Misaki Doi (Japan) are playing against Irina Bara (Romania) / Fanny Stollar (Hungary), and Sorana Carstea (Romania) / Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spain) play against Alison Riske(USA) / Ajla Tomljanovic (Australia). (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • EU-wide mobilisation against COVID-19

    EU-wide mobilisation against COVID-19

    The EU leaders took part on Tuesday night in a conference call aimed at looking at possible solutions to the large-scale coronavirus crisis looming ahead.



    After the conference, the European Council president Charles Michel spoke about a number of priorities agreed on by all participants. First comes protecting citizen safety, through measures based on scientific information and medical sources, followed by ensuring the medical equipment and preventing shortages. Other priorities include promoting scientific research, including the development of a vaccine, and response to the economic and social consequences, among other things by making European rules more flexible.



    Taking part in the video call, president Klaus Iohannis called for solidarity and mutual help, in an address broadcast on radio and television:



    Klaus Iohannis: “We must face the facts: the risk of pandemic remains high, and fighting the coronavirus requires coordinated national, European and worldwide efforts. We held a conference call and all EU leaders discussed the developments in their respective countries. Protecting the European citizens is our top priority, and we discussed the measures that have to be taken at present. We all agree that it is absolutely necessary for us to coordinate our efforts to counter the effects of the coronavirus disease. It is only by means of joint measures that help prevent the virus from spreading further, that we will manage to successfully handle this crisis, and it is only together that we will manage to prevent its severe effects on the European economies.



    The European Parliament also discussed the current COVID-19 situation and a coordinated European response. MEPs pleaded for solidarity, for investments in research and for rethinking the European pharmaceutical and medical equipment industries. Masks, testing kits and respiratory equipment should be produced in the EU and made available to all Member States, MEPs said, among other things. The Romanian MEP Nicolae Stefanuta (Renew Europe), said:



    Nicolae Stefanuta: “Today we need joint stocks of medical supplies, we need to mobilise the healthcare personnel in the Union to the most affected areas, but we also need leadership, quick dissemination of trustworthy information. Our response to the current crisis is not to reduce exports, the answer is not ‘sink or swim. This crisis concerns all of us, and only together can we overcome it.



    Although still in the 2-figure zone, the number of COVID-19 cases in Romania is growing. In order to prevent the unwanted scenario of an uncontrolled spreading of the disease, the authorities have closed down public and private kindergartens, schools and high schools until March 22, and the period may be extended. Universities will also stay closed until the end of March. The government has decided to earmark additional funds to the Health Ministry in order to prepare hospitals to receive coronavirus patients and to secure proper care for chronic patients.



    A special issue has to do with the Romanians living abroad, particularly in severely-hit Italy, who are prompted by fear to come back home. According to the interim interior minister Marcel Vela, the Romanian and foreign citizens coming from regions with coronavirus outbreaks and reaching Romanias western border are escorted by police and gendarmes to quarantine facilities.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)