June 24, 2021

A roundup of domestic and international news.

Newsroom, 24.06.2021, 14:19

EU COUNCIL – EU heads of state and government are attending the two-day European Council in Brussels, that has started today. Romania is represented by President Klaus Iohannis. The main topics on the agenda are EU coordination in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, its economic recovery, migration and EU’s foreign relations with Turkey and the Russian Federation. President Iohannis will also attend the Euro Summit in an extended format, to discuss economic challenges for the Euro zone in the context of the pandemic and the progress made in terms of banking union and capital market. On the sidelines of the European Council, EU leaders will have a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, reconfirmed for a new 5-year mandate at the helm of the organization. Also today, President Iohannis decorates the president of the European People’s Party’s, Donald Tusk, in a ceremony held in Brussels, at the permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union.

EXAMS — In Romania, students who take part in the national evaluation held the mathematics exam today. The exam in the mother tongue for national minority students is due on Friday. The first test on Tuesday was the written Romanian language and literature examination. Around 94% of the over 130,000 8th graders in Romania have taken part in the first examination, a figure higher than last year.

VACCINE — A new batch of 60 thousand Johnson&Johnson vaccines will arrive in Romania today. The number of new infections continues to be low and preparations are under way for the reopening of hospitals treating non-Covid patients. Another 66 infections in 24 hours were reported on Wednesday, out of over 32,500 tests, as well as 11 related fatalities. 141 patients are treated in ICUs.

VISIT – Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu is today starting his 3-day tour of South Caucasus together with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg and the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. The tour, that includes visits to Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia will highlight the importance that the European Union attaches to its bilateral relations with these countries, to the South Caucasus region, and to the EU’s Eastern Partnership framework. The visit signals the EU’s readiness to support broader cooperation both with and between the South Caucasus countries, including through the opportunities available under the Eastern Partnership. Also, the visit will underscore the EU’s determination to promote and actively support sustainable and comprehensive conflict settlement efforts. The three ministers will have high-level meetings in Baku, Erevan and Tbilisi and consultations with their counterparts in the countries visited. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has said the visit is very important to Romania, for which South Caucasus has a high geostrategic importance and that solving the prolonged conflicts in the Black Sea region is a strategic goal.

CELEBRATION – The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse is celebrated at home and in Romanian communities across the globe on June 24. Coordinated by the online community La Blouse Roumaine, the day, first marked in 2013, has become a truly global event celebrated on six continents, in over 50 countries and 300 localities. The theme of the 2021 edition is Nature and Craft, inviting people to reflect on the relation between this traditional blouse and nature, from inspiration, rituals and motifs to the technique used in making it. Apart from being celebrated in museums and culture institutions, the Universal Day of the Romania Blouse is also marked by Romanian embassies and diplomatic missions.

WEATHER — As of today, the west and north-west of Romania is under a red code alert for heat and thermal discomfort, with temperatures forecast to hit 39 to 41 degrees Celsius. The temperature-to-humidity ratio is expected to pass the critical level of 80. Maximum temperatures will range from 33 to 37 degrees Celsius. A yellow code alert for heat and unstable weather is in place for the eastern regions. Storms are also expected. (EE)