May 30, 2020 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 30.05.2020, 19:07

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Over 19.000 coronavirus infections have
been confirmed in Romania since the beginning of the outbreak 3 months ago. Of
these, some 13.000.800 people have recovered and 1.259 have died. Most
infections are reported in Suceava County in the northeast and in Bucharest. As
regards Romanian citizens abroad, 3.000 have tested positive for the virus, the
most in Italy, Germany and Spain. A total of 106 Romanians have been reported
dead abroad.

COVID-19
WORLDWIDE – At global level the number of SARS CoV-2 infections has exceeded 6
million. 2.7 million people have recovered, but 370.000 have died. US President
Donald Trump announced he would cut off all relations with the World Health
Organization, whom he accuses of serving China’s interests. The United States
is currently the most affected country in the world, with the highest numbers
of victims and infections. The US administration has repeatedly claimed Beijing
has deliberately concealed the gravity of the epidemic at its outset, which
prevented Washington from taking the necessary measures to limit its fallout on
the United States. Donald Trump said his administration has detailed the
reforms the WHO must undertake, but the latter refused to act. The American
President specified Washington would redirect the funding to other global
health emergencies worthy of his country’s attention. The American Medical
Association said the president’s decision will make overcoming the health
crisis more difficult and dramatic, Radio Romania’s Washington correspondent
says. Meanwhile in Berlin, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said the US
breaking relations with the WHO is a step backwards for global health, but
pointed out the World Health Organization is in need of reform. European
Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen and the European High Representative
for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, urged the US to reconsider. Global
cooperation and solidarity by means of multilateral efforts are the only
effective and viable means to win the battle the world is facing, the two
European officials said.

REPATRIATIONS – The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest
announced that 550 Romanian citizens were repatriated on Thursday and Friday
from Spain, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands and Iraq. The action, which is
the result of the efforts of several state institutions, is part of a wider
series aimed at helping Romanians who have been affected by measures taken by
other states to prevent the spread of the pandemic return to the country. These
people could not extend theirs stay abroad for various reasons, the Foreign
Ministry reports. We recall that the Romanian national passenger airliner TAROM
has extended until mid-June the suspension of all flights to and from Italy,
Spain, Great Britain, France, Germany or Belgium. TAROM will however operate
special flights to Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, London and Madrid over the
course of the coming days.

RELAXATION – Bucharest Government is planning on
further relaxation lockdown restrictions starting June 1. Romanians will be
able to travel between cities without a signed declaration. Taverns and beaches
will reopen while observing social distancing rules. Open-air shows will admit
a maximum number of 500 viewers, while sports competitions will unfold in front
of empty stands. International rail and road traffic will resume. Meanwhile,
shopping malls, schools, nurseries and playgrounds remain closed. The wearing
of face masks is mandatory in enclosed spaces, grocery stores, public means of
transportation and at work. Romanians arriving from abroad will remain in home
isolation, together with their family members.

NOBEL CANDIDACY -
The Doina Cornea Foundation, named after the famous Romanian anti-communist
dissident, on Saturday called on the whole of Romanian society, state
institutions, foundations and associations to support Ana Blandiana’s candidacy
for the Nobel Prize for Literature. In a press release, the Foundation says
this effort must restore Romania’s true values to their rightful place, making
them visible in world contemporary literature, which would be very important.
Ana Blandiana has published around 40 volumes of poetry, fiction, essays and
children’s literature. Her works have been translated into 25 languages and have
brought her numerous international prizes. In the communist period the writer
was banned on several occasions. Once communism fell, she was one of the
founders of the Civic Alliance, which sought to restore Romanian democracy. In
1993, under the aegis of the Council of Europe, Ana Blandiana set up the first
Memorial of the Victims of Communism and Resistance in the world, joined by her
husband, Romulus Rusan. The Memorial stands today in Sighetu Marmatiei, in the
northwest, in the very place where scores of illustrious politicians died in
communist prisons.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)