May 15, 2021 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

România Internațional, 15.05.2021, 18:54

Covid-19 The first relaxation
measures decided by the Romanian Government against the background of the
decrease in the coronavirus infection rate across the country were applied on Saturday. Thus, the
protective mask is no longer mandatory outdoors, but wearing a mask is still a
must in public transport stops, markets, fairs and in areas where rallies,
processions, concerts or other types of gatherings take place. Traffic
restrictions during the night have also been lifted, and restaurants, bars and
terraces can stay open from 5 till midnight. Also, outdoor sports competitions
can be organized and held, at 25% seating capacity. Cultural events are also
allowed, with a maximum of 500 people who must follow certain rules. If the
pandemic maintains its favorable evolution, with the decrease in the number of
contamination cases, other restrictive measures will be lifted on June 1. On
Saturday, authorities announced 729 new cases of Covid-19, out of 33,000 tests
run nationwide. The Strategic Communication Group also reported 72 Covid-19
related deaths. Currently, there are 784 patients in intensive care.

School. 90% of the
Romanian pupils will physically return to school on Monday. There are about 2.6
million children living in localities where the rate of infection with the new
coronavirus is below one per one thousand inhabitants. The Minister of
Education, Sorin Cîmpeanu, has stated that there are 2,527 such localities.
Another 654, including Bucharest, have infection rates above one in one
thousand, and school will continue online. The Minister has also stated that
the syllabus for this year’s exams has been adapted, due to the fact that most
children attended online classes, but that the level of difficulty of the
National Assessment and Baccalaureate examinations will remain the same.

DNA. The general mayor
of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, has announced that he has filed a complaint with the
National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) concerning an estimated damage of
several million euros. Elected, in September 2020, as an independent, supported
by the governing PNL and USR, the mayor says that the municipality registered
the damage during the previous administration, led by the Social Democrat
Gabriela Firea, currently a senator. The ‘criminal scheme’ is all the more
‘cynical’, as the cemeteries in Bucharest are concerned, Nicusor Dan said, also
stressing that, taking into account the legal provisions and the involvement of
several public institutions in this case, he cannot provide, for now, more
details.

Gaza. A tower building in Gaza,
hosting the offices of Associated Press and Al Jazeera was destroyed on
Saturday by Israeli rockets. The owner of the building had been warned about the attack and the
building had been completely evacuated, Reuters reports. The building was also
hosting apartments and other company offices. At least 139 people have died and
more than 1000 have been wounded in Gaza since Monday. 10 victims and hundreds
of wounded have been reported on the Israeli side. The diplomatic efforts to
cease the fight between Israel and Hamas have started to show results after the
arrival in Israel of the American diplomat Hady Amr. Egyptian officials run the
negotiations with Hamas, and the UN and the UAE are also involved in the talks.
The UN Security Council will discuss the Middle East developments on Sunday. (MI)