October 28, 2021
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 28.10.2021, 13:55
COVID-19 – Some 13,000 new
COVID infections and 415 related fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours
in Romania, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Thursday. The
incidence rate in Bucharest has dropped to 15.67 per thousand for the second day
in a row. Alternately, the vaccination campaign has picked up, with over 111
thousand people taking the first anti-COVID jab in the last 24 hours alone. At this
rate, authorities estimate 70% of Romania’s population over the age of 12 might
get immunized by the end of the year.
ASSISTANCE – Three Danish
physicians and six nurses will come to Romania on a humanitarian mission to
support health workers deal with the coronacrisis. Over the course of their
mission, the nine Danish workers will help treat COVID patients in intensive
care in a hospital in Bucharest and will receive support from the Danish
Emergency Management Agency under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
GOVERNMENT – Talks continue in
Bucharest with a view to securing support for a minority PNL-UDMR government.
Prime Minister designate, Nicolae Ciucă, announced he would submit to
Parliament his governing programme and list of ministers on Saturday.
Negotiations have so far failed after all parties – PNL, USR and PSD – have
maintained their initial positions. USR is ready to discuss terms for restoring
the center-right ruling coalition if PNL abandons negotiations with PSD in
opposition and is willing to renegotiate the governing program. In turn, PSD
does not rule out an alliance with the Liberals, but is only willing to talk to
Prime Minister designate, Nicolae Ciucă. The Social-Democrats also want the new
governing program to include 10 measures they say require immediate attention.
We recall that a political deadlock grips Romania after USR stepped down from
the ruling coalition led by outgoing Liberal Prime Minister, Florin Cîțu, and
voted to oust his Cabinet. Nicolae Ciucă is the second prime minister
designated to form a cabinet after earlier this month USR president Dacian
Cioloș failed to rally support for his minority all-USR Cabinet.
ENERGY -
Romanians will pay the same prices for their energy bills compared to December
2020, despite the latest price hikes, says Energy Minister, Virgil Popescu.
Yesterday, the Chamber of Deputies passed the government draft emergency decree
subsidizing energy costs for home users, hospitals, schools, city halls and
NGOs. SMEs too are expected to benefit from the financial assistance scheme, as
their energy costs will not include distribution or transport fees. The measure
will take effect starting November 1 and will remain in place until March 31,
2022.
MOLDOVA -
The European Commission has approved a financial assistance package worth 60
million Euro for the Republic of Moldova to help this country deal with its
current energy crisis, European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen said
following the meeting she had with Moldova’s Prime minister, Natalia Gavrilița.
The meeting prefaced today’s EU-Moldova Association Council meeting expected to
take place in Brussels. The Republic of Moldova has recently called on EU
Member States for support after the Russian energy giant Gazprom has cut back
on its gas deliveries to Chişinău. Moldovan authorities are unwilling to accept
new terms in Moldova’s contract with the Russian energy corporation, which
would entail significantly larger costs, and prefers to import gas via Romania.
TENNIS -
Three Romanian tennis players are today competing at Transylvania Open, a WTA
250 tournament hosted by Cluj and offering some 235 thousand USD in total
prizes. The top seed, Simona Halep, is today playing Varvara Gracheva of
Russia. In case of a win, Halep will next take on another Romanian, Jaqueline Cristian,
who yesterday ousted fifth-seed Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia. Also today Irina
Bara will play Rebecca Peterson of Sweden, while Ana Bogdan will take on Emma
Răducanu of UK, this year’s winner at US Open.
(VP)
