December 28, 2021 UPDATE
Click here for a news update
Newsroom, 28.12.2021, 19:20
Covid – 1,144 new Covid cases were registered in Romania in 24 hours alongside 67 deaths, the Strategic Communication Group informed on Tuesday. The Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus is also spreading in Romania, 38 cases being confirmed, so far, by lab tests. The authorities and public health experts estimate that a new pandemic wave will begin in January, in the context of the spread around the world of the Omicron variant, of the people who work abroad returning home for the holidays, and of the people coming home from holidays. Under these conditions, the medical units are preparing for another difficult period, with a peak of the pandemic being expected in February and March. One year after the start of the vaccination campaign, on December 27, 2020, only 7.8 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated, i.e. about 40% of the eligible population. About two million also had the booster dose.
Protests — The Romanian Sanitary Solidarity Federation organized new protests on Tuesday in front of the Government, Presidency and Parliament headquarters. Their main demand is to receive the income promised almost two years ago, which was not granted in 2021. They are also asking that the bonuses and the payment of on-call services be related to the basic salary. Simultaneously with the three protest actions in Bucharest, the health workers protested in the courtyards of the hospitals in Bucharest and other cities of Romania. The Sanitary Solidarity Federation is a representative trade union organization in the healthcare system, having as members over 25,000 employees.
Government — The Romanian government adopted several emergency ordinances on Tuesday. One introduces new obligations for online stores related to product warranty, and is needed to avoid European sanctions. By December 30, 2021 Romania was supposed to introduce in its legislation a series of European directives that make online commerce a safer activity for both sellers and buyers. The law does not apply to contracts regarding the supply of digital content or digital services. On the other hand, the government has decided to provide new aid for low-income pensioners who need medicines. Therefore, people with incomes from pensions and social allowances of up to 1,429 lei per month (the equivalent of less than 300 Euros), regardless of whether or not they earn other income too, will benefit from a 90% compensation of the reference price of medicines. Also on Tuesday, President Klaus Iohannis promulgated the State Budget Bill and the Social Welfare Bill for 2022.
Court of Human Rights – 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 considered that the program and statute of the Communist Party included vague, general terms, ignored democratic values and the social and political evolution of the country after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, and allowed for totalitarian and extremist actions that could undermine national security and posed a threat to democratic values. The Court also notes that national courts wanted to prevent any political party that seriously abused its position of power over a long period of time by instating a totalitarian regime from making the same abuse in the future. The communist regime in Romania came to power in 1945 with the help of the Soviet occupation troops and was ousted in 1989. During this totalitarian regime, thousands were imprisoned and killed. The regime was declared illegitimate in 2006 by the then president, Traian Băsescu. (LS)
