March 29, 2020
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 29.03.2020, 13:54
TOLL Authorities in Romania have so far reported
1760 infections with the new coronavirus and a death toll of 38. 169 Romanians
have been cured. 12 Romanian nationals have been killed by the virus most of
them in Italy. Romania’s Health Minister Nelu Tataru has told a private TV
channel that 200 thousand Romanians have returned home and 200 thousand more
are expected to arrive before Easter. The pandemic is expected to reach its
peak in Romania in mid-April when 10 thousand cases of infected people are
expected.
DRAFT The European Commission is proposing a new multiannual draft
budget to cope with the economic consequences of the COVID pandemic, the head
of the European Executive, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced according to AFP
reports. The European official has added that the draft will include a plan aimed at guaranteeing cohesion inside the Union through solidarity
and responsibility. In a video-conference on Thursday the 27 EU leaders failed
to agree upon a firm economic response to this unprecedented crisis currently
affecting the region.
PANDEMIC Over 30 thousand people have been
killed by the coronavirus around the globe as the total number of infections
has today exceeded 660 thousand. Over 10 thousand people died in Italy, while
the USA reported 2000 deaths. Britain has reported 1000 deaths while Prime
Minister Boris Johnson has called on the Brits to stay at home pledging tougher
measures to contain the pandemic. China has reported 45 new cases mostly
citizens coming from abroad. Air companies have been asked to significantly
reduce the number of international flights and restrictions have been imposed
to citizens willing to enter the country.
EQUIPMENT A plane of the Romanian Air Force has brought medical
equipment from South Korea as part of the Romanian authorities’ efforts to
fight the COVID pandemic. The shipment also includes 100 thousand hazmat suits.
In 2008, Romania, as a founding member, signed a memorandum of understanding
for the creation of the Multinational Strategic Transport Unit together with other
NATO countries like Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Slovenia the USA and Hungary as well as two countries from the Partnership
for Peace, Finland and Sweden. Also on Saturday, Romania’s president Klaus
Iohannis and Prime Minister Ludovic Orban paid a visit to a big military camp
hospital mounted close to Bucharest. The unit had been previously used in
treating infectious diseases such as Ebola and participated in a series of NATO
exercises such as ‘Saber Guardian 19’ and
‘Vigorous Warrior 19’, the biggest medical exercise NATO has so far staged in
Romania.
DST Last night Romania set its clocks one hour forward
in keeping with Daylight Saving Time, so Sunday became the year’s shortest day.
Romania has a three-hours difference from the GMT now. The country will return
to the winter hour in October when clocks are to be set one hour backward. The
European Commission has proposed to scrap the DST, allowing member states to
decide whether they want to use the system or not.
(translated by bill)
