September 20, 2020 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 20.09.2020, 19:10
Covid-19 RO. Bucharest authorities reported 1,231 new cases of COVID-19, after performing over 13,300 tests. Since the start of the pandemic, at the end of February, more than 112,000 people have been infected with the new coronavirus in Romania. Of these, some 90,000 have been declared cured and 4,435 have died. 470 patients are currently in intensive care. A protest against the protection measures implemented in schools was held in Bucharest on Saturday evening. Participants in the event challenged medical recommendations, such as wearing protective masks and keeping physical distance. They also challenged specialized studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of these measures in limiting the spread of the new coronavirus and even the risk it poses. Similar protests took place in Cluj (northwest), Timisoara (west), Oradea (northwest). In turn, specialists have again stressed that there are serious concerns about the risks associated with infection with the new coronavirus and have called for responsibility and compliance with health protection rules. Doctors emphasize that wearing a protective mask is one of the simplest and most effective measures to prevent infection.
EU. The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, participates, on Monday, in Brussels, in the meeting of the heads of diplomacies from the member states of the European Union. Before the meeting, Minister Aurescu will take part, along with other EU ministers, in a working brunch with Svetlana Tihanovskaia, leader of the Belarusian opposition. During the meeting, the foreign ministers and the High Representative Josep Borrell will review, among other things, the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Lebanon and Venezuela, as well as EU-China and EU-Russia relations. Also, the agenda of talks includes a strategic debate on the future of the EUs partnerships with the states in the southern neighborhood. Also, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting, the head of the Romanian diplomacy will have a bilateral meeting with Miroslav Lajcak, the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue.
Anniversary. The capital of Romania celebrated on Sunday 561 years since it was first mentioned in documents. This year, the events part of the Days of Bucharest took place in a special context, caused by the coronavirus pandemic. An online review of the previous six editions of the iMapp Bucharest International Festival was held in the evening. Also, video projections were made on the facades of the National Theater, the InterContinental Hotel and the University buildings. Several tram sets, personalized with graffiti made by some of the best street art artists in Bucharest, run, in an exhibition of moving urban art, to several areas of the capital.
Pope. A plaque commemorating Pope Francis apostolic visit to Romania was unveiled on Saturday at St. Josephs Cathedral in Bucharest. The plaque includes a medallion representing the Holy Father giving the apostolic blessing to Romania. Last year, between May 31 and June 2, Pope Francis paid a historic three-day visit to Romania under the motto “Lets walk together”. He made this visit 20 years after that of Pope John Paul II, the first of a Sovereign Pontiff to a predominantly Orthodox country.
Migration. The European Commission will present a draft reform of EUs migration policy on Wednesday. Postponed several times, this new pact on migration and asylum was due to be presented on September 30, but the fire that destroyed the refugee camp in Moria (Greece) on September 9 emphasized the urgency of a lasting European solution. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised measures to fight traffickers, strengthen external borders and deepen partnerships with non-EU countries, and create legal access routes. In her first speech on the state of the EU held a few days ago, Ursula von der Leyen said that there would be common structures for asylum and return, as well as a strong new solidarity mechanism, in the context of countries at the forefront of migrants arrival – Greece, Malta or Italy – saying they had to deal with a disproportionate burden. In recent years, attempts to move asylum seekers within the EU have been hampered by the refusal of the Visegrad Group countries (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) to accept migrants.
UNITER. The annual Prizes of the Romanian Theater Union (UNITER) will be awarded in Craiova (south) on Monday evening. At the Gala, which, due to the new coronavirus, will take place outdoors, at the Summer Theater in the Nicolae Romanescu Park, 250 artists and professionals from the cultural world, close to the theatrical phenomenon and the Gala, are expected to attend. The jury will announce the winners of the 11 award categories. According to the organizers, this year, the celebration is threefold: 30 years since the establishment of UNITER, 170 years since the establishment of the Marin Sorescu theater in Craiova and … the joy of seeing artists and partners again after six months of waiting, due to the crisis. Usually, the UNITER prizes were awarded in April / May. Radio Romania is a traditional partner of the Gala.
Tennis. Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, world number 2, qualified, on Sunday, for the final of the WTA tournament in Rome, with over 1.7 million euros in prize money, after defeating the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Halep (28 years old) will play her third final in Rome, after in 2017 and 2018 she was defeated, in the last act, by the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. Also on Sunday, in the doubles, the Romanian-German pair Raluca Olaru / Anna-Lena Friedsam was defeated by Su-Wei Hsieh (Taiwan) / Barbora Strycova (Czech Republic), 6-2, 6-2. Raluca Olaru played her 20th doubles final. She has won 9 titles and lost 11. (M. Ignatescu)
