October 11, 2021

A roundup of domestic and international news.

Newsroom, 11.10.2021, 13:55

CONSULTATIONS – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is today holding consultations with representatives of the parliamentary parties, with a view to designating a candidate for the position of prime minister. The government made up of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), headed by the Liberal Florin Citu, was ousted last Tuesday through a no confidence vote. The Citu Government become a minority government after the coalition partners, Save Romania Union (URS) had left the cabinet. The Liberals have announced they are going to the consultations with President Iohannis without a proposal for PM, as they do not have a majority at the moment. The Social Democratic Party (PSD), in the opposition, the main party in Parliament, will not propose a PM either, as they favour the idea of early elections. This is also the stand of the Alliance for the Union of Romania (AUR), an ultranationalist party in Parliament. USR wants to rebuild the ruling coalition alongside PNL and UDMR, but without Florin Citu at helm and are going to consultations with a proposal for PM in the person of the party leader, Dacian Ciolos. UDMR do not support early elections and also want to rebuild the ruling coalition with PNL and USR. In this context, the head of state has already warned that a single round of consultations may not be enough to unblock the situation.

CORONAVIRUS — Some 10,400 new infections with Covid-19 in 24 hours were reported on Sunday in Romania, a quarter of them in the capital Bucharest. More than 200 related deaths were registered in the same interval. Over 16,000 Covid patients are treated in medical units, of whom more than 1,600 in intensive care. Doctors say the number of patients who need intensive care treatment is much larger. Two modular hospitals will be operational as of Tuesday for patients in a serious condition. In the context of the fourth wave of the pandemic, that has hit Romania very hard, an increasing number of people have opted for the anti-Covid vaccine. Almost 5.8 million Romanians have received at least one dose. Stay tuned fro more on this topic, after the news.

REPORT — Interim PM Florin Citu has been invited to present Parliament with a report on the vaccination campaign in Romania. The request was made by USR, the party that held the Health Ministry until they left the coalition government. USR see Florin Citu as the person responsible for the failure of the vaccination campaign, which he wanted to coordinate himself. Romania ranks last but one in the EU in terms of anti-Covid immunization, with only one third of its eligible population being fully vaccinated.

TRADE – Romania’s trade deficit went up to 14.6 billion euros in the first eight months of the year, up 3.087 billion euros as against the same period last year, according to data supplied by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) made public on Monday. During this period, exports totalled 48.184 billion euros, while imports stood at 62.787 billion euros. Romania’s exports went up by over 24% and imports by almost 25%.

STRIKE — A general strike is today held in Italy, affecting transports, public services and school activity. Unionists are unhappy with job security, saying that in the eight months of this year alone, 772 deaths have been registered in the country, which means three deaths per day per workplace. They also disagree with the suspension of salaries for employees who, starting October 15, do not provide a Covid green certificate. Street protests are held in Rome, Milan, Turin and Naples. The strike comes after Saturday’s violent protests against the so called green pass, compulsory for all employees. More than 80% of Italians aged over 12 have been fully vaccinated, the epidemiological situation is improving and authorities say resuming economic activity and school activity no longer has a negative impact.

FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football squad is today up against Armenia in Bucharest, in Group J of the World Cup preliminaries. Romania lost on Friday to Germany, 2-1. Germany leads the group with 18 points, followed by Armenia and North Macedonia with 12 points each. Romania is 4th in the group, with 10 points and has chances to end the preliminaries on second place. (EE)