November 13, 2021 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news.

Newsroom, 13.11.2021, 20:00

CORONAVIRUS — The number of new Covid infections is on the decrease in Romania. Little over 4,000 new infections in 24 hours were reported on Saturday as well as 323 related deaths, of which 19 previous to the above-mentioned interval. Around 15 thousand people are currently treated in hospitals in Romania, of whom 1,743 in intensive care. The infection rate at national level has dropped to 5.95. The number of Covid cases in 14 days exceeds 6 per one thousand inhabitants only in 11 counties and in Bucharest, standing at 6.68 in the capital city.

DIPLOMACY — The Romanian Foreign Ministry hails the re-election of the country’s interim foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu as member of the UN International Law Commission for a second 4-year term. Aurescu was re-elected in this position by the UN General Assembly, on November 12, in New York. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Bogdan Aurescu was directly involved in the analysis of a very important international topic, the sea-level rise in relation to international law. The International Law Commission was established by the General Assembly in 1947, to initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of encouraging the progressive development of international law. It is made up of 34 international law experts.

PROSECUTOR – The chief of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Romanian Laura Codruta Kovesi, has lost the court case against the Higher Magistracy Council in Bucharest. The High Court of Cassation and Justice has issued a definitive ruling against Kovesi, who no longer holds the professional rank of prosecutor with the General Prosecutor’s Office and returns to the one of prosecutor with the prosecutor’s office attached to the Tribunal. In 2018, the Prosecutors’ Section with the Higher Magistracy Council decided not to grant Kovesi promotion to the professional level of prosecutor with the General Prosecutor’s Office without a competition, which the former anti-graft chief required based on the fact that she had been Prosecutor-General of Romania.

NEGOTIATIONS — Representatives of the National Liberal Party (PNL), in power, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) in opposition and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), a partner of the party in power, have agreed on most topics in the future governing programme but talks will continue on Sunday in order to harmonise views on domains like justice, finance and labour. The announcement was made on Saturday by the Liberal leader, Florin Citu, Agerpres reports. The Social Democrats insist on raising pensions and child allowances and on applying taxes on big fortunes to increase revenues to the state budget. The Liberals, on the other hand, are against bigger taxes and in favour of increased efforts to combat fiscal evasion. The dismantling of the Section for the Investigation of Crimes in the Justice System is another hot topic, the Social Democrats firmly opposing the idea. The parties also have to decide on the government makeup and the prime minister.

FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football squad on Sunday will end the World Cup preliminaries with an away match against Lichtenstein. Playing in Group J, the Romanians were previously up against Iceland, at home, but the match ended in a goalless draw. Also on Sunday in the same group, Armenia will play Germany and North Macedonia will take on Iceland. The Romanians, who have not participated in a World Cup since 1998, need a victory against Liechtenstein and that Iceland does not lose, in order to come out second in the group and qualify to the playoff. Germany, which already qualified at the 2022 World Cup, ranks first in group J, followed by North Macedonia, Romania, Armenia, Iceland and Lichtenstein.

HANDBALL — The Romanian handball team SCM Ramnicu Valcea defeated the Spanish side Super Amara Bera Bera 34-28 on Saturday, on home turf, in the first leg of the third preliminary round of the Women’s EHF European League. The Romanians had an extraordinary second half as they managed to turn the game around and win by a difference of six goals. The return match will be held in San Sebastian on November 20. (EE)