August 27, 2020
A news roundup
Newsroom, 27.08.2020, 13:55
Covid-19 Ro — 1,504 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported in Romania as against the latest figures presented, following tests made at national level- the Strategic Communication Group announced on Thursday afternoon. This is the biggest number of cases reported in one single day. Also on Thursday 38 new deaths were reported, taking the death toll to 3,459. All in all, since the coronavirus outbreak in Romania, 83,150 cases of infection have been confirmed, 36,677 patients have recovered and 10,130 patients showing no symptoms were discharged from hospital 10 days after testing. 492 people are in ICUs.
Decision — The Romanian government might decide today on the possible reopening of theaters, cinemas and restaurants. During Wednesday’s meeting with the PM Ludovic Orban the hospitality industry representatives called for the reopening of restaurants as of September 1. They have pledged to observe the European norms according to which only half of the total number of tables will be used and customers will wear masks all the time except for when sitting at the table. The government will also discuss the common order regarding the health protection rules during the election campaign.
Chisinau — The Republic of Moldova marks on Thursday 29 years since the proclamation of its independence. On August 27, 1991 after the failed coup d’etat in Moscow, the Parliament in Chisinau, picketed by hundreds of thousands of people, voted for breaking away from the Soviet Union. The Republic of Moldova is set up on part of the Romanian eastern territories annexed by Moscow in 1940, following an ultimatum. Romania was the first country of the world to recognize the independence of the neighboring Moldova on the same day.
Motion — The permanent bureaus of the Parliament’s two chambers decided on Thursday that the no confidence motion tabled by the opposition Social Democratic Party PSD against the Liberal government should be debated and voted on the last day of the extraordinary session, on August 31. The Social Democrats criticize the Liberal government for the way in which it managed the crisis caused by the pandemic. In turn, the government has notified the Constitutional Court over the tabling of a no confidence motion during the parliamentary break. The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has accused PSD of trying to create political instability out of electoral reasons.
Berlin – The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu is participating in Berlin, as of today, in an informal 2-day meeting of the EU foreign ministers. A Romanian Foreign Ministry communiqué shows that the agenda of talks is comprehensive focusing on important foreign policy issues of the EU. The participants will tackle the situation in Belarus, the relations between the EU and Turkey also in the context of the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the relations between the EU and Russia. On the eve of the meeting, minister Bogdan Aurescu said that Romania would ask again for the punishment of those guilty of abuse against the citizens during and after the presidential election. The reprehensible actions of the power in Minsk cannot go unsanctioned by the EU, said the Romanian foreign minister who also said that Romania would allot 100 thousand Euros worth of aid for the civil society and independent journalists in Belarus.
Football – Three Romanian football teams are playing today in the Europa League first preliminary round. FC Botoșani will play away from home against FC Ordabasy from Kazakhstan, FCSB will take on FC Shirak on home ground and vice-champions CS Universitatea Craiova will be up against FC Locomotive Tbilisi from Georgia. They will play one single match for qualification. On Wednesday evening Romania’s champions CFR Cluj were defeated at home by Dinamo Zagreb following penalty kicks in the second preliminary round of the Champions League. CFR will continue with matches in Europa League. (Tr. L. Simion)
