September 16, 2021 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 16.09.2021, 20:00
COVID-19 – 4,441 new cases of COVID-19 infection were reported in
the last 24 hours in Romania, the Group for Strategic Communication announced
on Thursday. During the same interval, 71 related fatalities were also
reported. 741 patients are being treated in intensive care. In other news, the
so-called Green Covid certificate, attesting vaccination, negative testing or
recovery from COVID-19 will become compulsory for attending a number of
activities in towns and villages where the infection rate is over 3 per
thousand inhabitants. The decision was passed on Thursday by the National
Committee for Emergency Situations. People will require to present the
certificate to enter pubs and restaurants, pools and gyms or attend public or
private events. The decision needs to be transposed into a Government decree to
take effect.
LAW – President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday ratified the law on
vulnerable consumers. The new piece of legislation introduces social protection
measures for low-income people and families struggling to cover energy bills.
The law will take effect on November 1, 2021, and will address people living
alone with a monthly net income below 414 Euro and families where each member
earns a monthly income of 370 Euro. Labor Minister Raluca Turcan estimates the
new law will benefit some 500 thousand households, given that electricity and
gas prices have gone up all over Europe in recent months. The Government is
also considering subsidizing electricity and natural gas bills, and discussed a
draft emergency decree in this respect in Wednesday’s meeting. According to the
Prime Minister, the Cabinet is also considering a cap on energy and gas prices.
MOTION – In Bucharest, the Alliance
for the Union of Romanians (AUR) an ultranationalist party in opposition,
announced a parliamentary strike starting Thursday. AUR MPs say they will
attend Parliament’s sessions, but they will not vote any of the draft laws. The
party leader accused the fact that the no-confidence motion filed jointly with
USR-PLUS was not submitted to vote and debate. The motion was filed on
September 3 and read out in a plenary sitting on September 9. On the other
hand, the Constitutional Court of Romania is expected to discuss on September
28 a Government notification over an alleged institutional conflict linked to
the filing of the no-confidence motion. In his notification, Prime Minister Florin Cîţu claims the motion was an unconstitutional,
disloyal and abusive action against the executive power, since it was filed,
submitted and transmitted with the violation of constitutional provisions. A
vote on the motion is expected once the Court has issued a ruling.
NATO – Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant-General Daniel Petrescu
will take part over September 17-19 in the conference of the NATO Military
Committee, which will bring together heads of military from allied countries in
Athens, Greece. Talks will also tackle NATO operations, missions and
activities. Additionally, the conference will also address means of
implementing the Deterrence
and Defense of the Euro-Atlantic Area, and NATO’s Warfighting Capstone Concept.
According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, the Military Committee will analyze
the NATO 2030 initiative and all its military implications and opportunities.
CONNECTING EUROPE – EU Commissioner for
Transport, Adina Vălean, on Friday will travel to Romania to greet the arrival
in Romania of Connecting Europe Express, a special train designed in the
European Year of Rail, the European Commission’s office in Romania reports. The
train will stop in over 100 towns and cities during its five-week journey,
before arriving in Paris on October 7. The train will travel 20,000 km across
33 border crossing points. It will depart from Lisbon and, before reaching
Paris, it will stop in Ljubljana, connecting the Portuguese, Slovenian and
French presidencies of the Council of the EU. (VP)
