December 28, 2021

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 28.12.2021, 13:55

COVID-19 – 1,144 new cases of
COVID-19 infection were reported in the last 24 hours, in addition to 67
related fatalities, the Group for Strategic Communication announced earlier
today. The Omicron strain of COVID-19 is spreading fast, with 38 cases having
been confirmed in Romania. Public health experts warn a new wave of the
pandemic will hit Romania in January, in part due to the new Omicron strain,
but also because of hte large number of Romanians who returned to Romania from
abroad to visit their families for the winter holidays. Under these
circumstances, healthcare units are preparing for a new difficult period, as
the new wave is expected to peak in late February and early March. 7.8 million
Romanians have completed the full vaccination scheme, accounting for 40% of the
total population. Some two million Romanians have also taken the booster.

GOVERNMENT – Today the
Government is expected to adopt two emergency decrees. One decree will
introduce new obligations for online stores, linked to the warranty of
products, and is needed to avoid European infringement. By December 30, Romania
must also transpose into national law a series of European directives aimed at
making online trade safer for both sellers and buyers. The law will not apply
to contracts for the distribution of digital content or services. On the other
hand, the Government also plans to provide financial assistance to pensioners
with low incomes in need of medicine. Therefore, people with pensions or welfare
benefits below 300 Euro, even if they have additional income sources, will be
awarded a 90% subsidy for purchasing medicine.

PROTEST – The Health
Solidarity Trade Union Federation is today staging new rallies in front of the
Government, Presidency and Parliament buildings, alternatively with support
actions in hospitals across the country. Trade unions are demanding equal
rights for health workers and threaten to launch more protest actions both in
hospitals and in the street. They are unhappy that health safety restrictions
limit their right to protest and claim the lawmakers are using them as a tool
to suppress workers’ right to defend their interests. The Health Solidarity
Federation in Romania comprises over 25,000 healthcare employees.

ECHR – The European Court
of Human Rights ruled that the refusal of the Romanian judiciary to register a
political party that did not dissociate itself from the former Romanian
Communist Party (PCR) was justified. The ruling cannot be appealed. National
courts of law considered the program and statute of PCR contained vague
definitions and terms, violated democratic values and the social and political
evolution of the country after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, and promoted
totalitarian and extremist actions that could undermine national security and
posed a threat to democratic values. The Court also notes that national courts
of law wanted to prevent any political party that abused its position of power
over a long period of time by instating a totalitarian regime from abuse the same
privileges in the future. The communist regime in Romania was introduced in
1945 by Soviet occupation troops and was ousted in 1989. The dictatorship
imprisoned and killed hundreds of thousands of people, and was declared
illegitimate in 2006 by the then president, Traian Băsescu.

HANDBALL – The Romanian men’s
handball team on Wednesday is playing Turkey in a new friendly match on home
turf. The two teams also met on Monday, when Romania won 26-24. The friendly
matches are replacing the new edition of the Carpați Trophy tournament, which
was supposed to take place in Cluj. The tournament got cancelled after two
participants, Switzerland and Iran, pulled out due to COVID-19 infections
reported in their staff. Over January 7-9, Romania will take part in a World
Cup preliminary tournament, alongside the national teams of Israel, Cyprus and
the Republic of Moldova. Romania is currently coached by the legendary Spanish
coach Xavi Pasqual, who won the Champions League three times with Barcelona. (VP)