December 8, 2020

A round of news from Romania and the world

Newsroom, 08.12.2020, 13:55

Working meeting — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is having a working meeting today to discuss the health situation in Romania, the way in which the COVID-19 pandemic is being managed and the vaccination campaign. Attending are the interim PM Nicolae Ciuca, the health minister Nelu Tataru and the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat. On Tuesday 7,439 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Romania out of more than 29 thousand tests. 213 COVID-19 related deaths were also reported, with 1,276 patients in ICUs. Most of the cases are reported in Bucharest 1,946. More than 524 thousand people that is 80% of the population have recovered from COVID-19. The National Committee for Emergency Situations last night decided to extended online classes until the beginning of the winter holiday, on December 23.

Resignation – The defense minister Nicolae Ciuca has today taken over the position of interim prime minister following his designation to the post by President Iohannis after the PM Ludovic Orban resigned. Nicolae Ciuca will occupy this position until a new government is formed. Also today, in his first press conference, he said that in the coming period the government would focus on the anti-COVID-19 measures, the vaccination strategy, the finalization of the 2020 financial year and the preparation of the new 2021 financial year. The former prime minister Ludovic Orban on Monday decided to step down, after one year and one month at the helm of the government. He explained that his decision had a clear purpose — to start negotiations for a new government following the results registered by the National Liberal Party in Sunday’s parliamentary elections. According to results provided by the Central Electoral Bureau, after the centralization of more than 96% of the ballots, the PSD won the elections with 30.13% of the votes for the Senate and 29.69% for the Chamber of Deputies, being followed by the PNL with 25.58% of the votes for the Senate and 25.18% for the Chamber of Deputies. 3rd ranked is the Alliance Save Romania Union –PLUS with 15.24% of the votes for the Senate and 14.75% for the Chamber of Deputies. The Alliance of Romanians’ Union AUR got 8.77% of the votes for the Senate and 8.69% for the Chamber of Deputies while the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania got 6.13% of the votes for the Senate and 5.98% for the Chamber of Deputies.

Moldova — The Constitutional Court of Moldova has suspended the application of a controversial law that was subordinating the Intelligence and Security Service to Parliament instead to the President, Radio Chisinau reports. The law was adopted by the Moldovan Parliament which is controlled by a pro-Russian majority that recently voted for the reduction of the president’s prerogatives and the strengthening of the status of the Russian language. The passing of that law was seen as an attempt by the former pro-Russian president Igor Dodon to maintain control over the Intelligence and Security Service, after he lost the presidential election to pro-European Maia Sandu. The law created controversy and led to large scale street protests in Chisinau. The protesters asked for the resignation of the government and for early elections.

Football – Romania’s national men’s football team found out their adversaries in the preliminaries of the 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar. Following Monday’s drawing of lots in Zurich, Switzerland, Romania will play in Group J alongside Germany, Iceland, Northern Macedonia, Armenia and Liechtenstein. Romania had not qualified to a World Cup final tournament since 1998, in France. The 55 European teams have been distributed into 5 groups of 5 teams and 5 groups of 6 teams. The winners of the 10 groups will qualify to the 2022 World Championship.

Handball — Romania’s national handball team was defeated by Norway 28-20 on Monday evening in Kolding, in their last match in group D of the European Women’s Handball Championship hosted by Denmark. Also in Group D, Germany drew 21-21 the match against Poland. Romania ranked 3rd in Group D with 2 points, being outclassed by Norway with 6 points, and Germany with 3 points. (tr. L. Simion)