April 28, 2022
Click here for a roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 28.04.2022, 13:55
REFUGEES The number of Ukrainian nationals who crossed the border into Romania
went up 30% on Wednesday compared to the previous day, reads a news release
issued by the Romanian Border Police. As many as 8,635 Ukrainian citizens
entered Romania in 24 hours, coming from Ukraine or the R. of Moldova. Since
the start of the crisis over 2 months ago, over 800,000 Ukrainians have come
into Romania. Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced in a
conference in Geneva that over 8 million Ukrainian may leave their country.
According to the UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo, the Agency and its partners
intend to raise USD 1.85 billion to support an estimated 8.3 million refugees
in Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, as well as
in other countries in the region, including Belarus, Bulgaria and the Czech
Republic.
TROOPS The Romanian defence ministry announced
that the Romanian Army currently has no troops deployed in the Rep. of Moldova
to take part in drills or other joint training programmes. The statement comes
after a Russian-language publication released fake news according to which
Romania plans to attack Transnistria with NATO support, and then to
annex the Rep. of Moldova, and claimed that Romanian troops have already been
deployed to the neighbouring country. Disinformation on Russian channels
follows a number of attacks by unknown perpetrators, which took place in the
past few days in Transnistria, a pro-Russian breakaway region in the east
of the Rep. of Moldova.
NATURAL GAS The European Union
told Russia it would not give in to blackmail, after Moscow discontinued
natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, which had refused to pay for
natural gas in rubles. The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen
said the Union had other options to make up for the suspended deliveries, and
warned member states not to breach the sanctions imposed by the EU after
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We have to guarantee alternative supplies and the
best possible storage levels across the EU, Von der Leyen explained. EU member
states have implemented emergency plans for such a scenario and we have worked
together in coordination and solidarity, the EU official added.
ARMY Military ceremonies, concerts and competitions take place in Bucharest
today to mark the Romanian Land Forces Day. Events are announced throughout the
day, including ceremonies, cultural, scientific and educational events, sports
competitions and military drills, book fairs, concerts and documentary
screenings. In Arad (west), a military equipment exhibition opens today on this
occasion, and on Saturday the city will host military and religious ceremonies.
COVID-19 Nearly 1,150 new SARS-CoV-2 infection cases were reported in Romania on
Thursday. The authorities have also reported 15 Covid-related deaths. Of the over
1,200 patients in hospitals, 193 are in intensive care, and most of them are
unvaccinated. Meanwhile, as interest in vaccination dropped significantly,
immunisation centres are closing these days across the country. Those who want
to get the vaccine will be able to do so only in family physician offices as of
May.
TENNIS The Romanians Simona Halep, Sorana Cîrstea and Irina Begu take part in
the first round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid, which starts today.
Sorana Cîrstea takes on Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain (52 WTA). Simona Halep
plays against Shuai Zhang of China (40 WTA), and Irina Begu faces Belinda
Bencic (13 WTA) of Switzerland. WTA Madrid Open takes place between April 28
and May 7. Simona Halep won the 2016 and 2017 competitions. (AMP)
