May 7, 2021 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 07.05.2021, 20:01
EU – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is attending an informal meeting of the EU leaders, held in the city of Porto, Portugal. The meeting focuses on the social issues that stemmed from the economic problems generated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Iohannis said the summit is important because the pandemic does not only affect people’s health and economies, but also social structure. ”We want to approach all these matters united and we want to find European solutions to them,” Iohannis said. Unemployment, education, equal opportunities, gender equality, pensions and wages are some of the topics on the agenda.
VACCINATION – Romanian authorities announced on Friday more than 1,400 new cases of Covid-19, out of over 38,000 tests performed, thus confirming the pandemic is subsiding. Some 89 Covid-related deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, which brings the death toll since the onset of the pandemic close to 29,000. In the capital Bucharest, a vaccination marathon is under way in two central areas, involving some 1,200 volunteers, doctors, nurses, junior doctors and medical students. The round-the-clock event ends on Monday morning. Attending the marathon, PM Florin Citu said that only through such initiatives, which speed up the pace of immunization, a first step towards returning to normality as of June 1st can be taken. Staring on Friday, people who wish to get the vaccine can do so without an appointment. To date, over 2 million Romanians have received both vaccine doses.
IMF — An expert team of the International Monetary Fund headed by the chief of the IMF mission for Romania, Jan Kees Martijn, will hold online talks with the Romanian authorities starting on Monday. For three weeks, the IMF experts will discuss economic policies and evolutions with representatives of the Finance Ministry, the National Bank, of other governmental agencies, the business sector and NGOs. Romania does not have, at present, a financing agreement with the IMF, but the international institution is annually assessing the evolution of the Romanian economy.
BUDGET – This year’s budget for the city of Bucharest was adopted on Friday by the capital’s General Council, after misunderstandings between parties that helped Nicusor Dan become general mayor were overcome. Nicusor Dan said this is a budget “open towards investment” in the heating system, infrastructure and environment, which Bucharesters have been waiting for. He said drafting the budget was difficult due to a dire financial situation resulting from the fact that the Bucharest Town Hall “had not been built on an economic foundation for years.”
FOOTBALL – The Romanian football world on Friday celebrated 35 years since Steaua Bucharest won the European Champions Cup in Seville, on 7th May 1986. The all-Romanian side defeated FC Barcelona 2-nil after penalty shoot-outs. Steauas goal keeper Helmuth Duckadam made it to the book of records for saving all four penalty shoot-outs. Steaua went on to win the European Super Cup in February 1987 in Monte Carlo, defeating Dinamo Kiev 1-nil. Two of the players who contributed to this unique achievement in Romanian football, midfielder Lucian Bălan and defender Ilie Bărbulescu, are no longer with us. (EE)
