September 29, 2021 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 29.09.2021, 20:27
Covid-19RO. 10,826 new cases of coronavirus infection were reported on Wednesday in more than 70 thousand tests run in Romania. Also, 207 Covid-19 related deaths and 1,320 patients in intensive care were reported in the last 24 hours. The rate of infection with the new coronavirus is on the rise at national level, currently standing at 3.79. The highest incidence per one thousand inhabitants in 14 days was reported in the capital Bucharest and also in Ilfov and Timis counties, which reported rates of over 6 per one thousand people. Authorities have drawn an alarm signal on the Rovaccination portal, announcing that Romania ranks 2nd in Europe and 6th in the world with regard to Covid-19 related deaths reported in 24 hours. Against the alarming increase in the number of cases, the vaccination with the third dose has started in Romania. The third dose will be of the messenger RNA type, irrespective of the initial regimen. Prime Minister Florin Citu has announced that the Health Ministrys budget will be supplemented by 91 million Euros, including for the purchases of medicine needed to treat Covid-19 patients.
Protest. Dozens of trucks, brought by representatives of three employers associations of road carriers, were parked on Wednesday in front of the Government building in Bucharest, during a protest rally against the Executives policy in the field. Participants are dissatisfied with the taxation of the daily allowance of truck drivers, the cost of compulsory car insurance and quarantine measures for drivers. These would have a significant negative impact on the competitiveness of Romanian carriers in the EU, already severely affected by the new provisions of the European legislation brought by the Mobility Package 1. Protesters also claim that Romania is the only European state that taxes per diems, and the effects of this measure, they say, are devastating. Prime Minister Florin Cîţu has stated that a large part of the carriers claims have been resolved or will be resolved in Parliament, but the decision to quarantine those coming from countries with epidemiological risk lies with specialists.
Prize. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will receive, on Saturday, in Germany, the International Charlemagne Prize for work done in the service of European unification, awarded by the city of Aachen. The board has decided to award President Iohannis the 2020 prize in recognition of his merits in “leading Romania on a pro-European trajectory, based on the values of the rule of law”, for “efforts to strengthen the European Union and the Member States”, as well as for “promoting equity, the protection of minorities and cultural diversity”. The International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen has been awarded annually since 1950, and the list of laureates includes the founding fathers of the European Community, modern European Union architects and representatives of democratic movements in Central and Eastern Europe.
Visit. Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu is on an official visit to Spain on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. He has talks on means to develop and deepen the Romanian-Spanish relationship, raised in 2013 at the level of Strategic Partnership, as well as current European, regional, international and security issues. On Thursday, Bogdan Aurescu will inaugurate the exhibition Archaeological Treasures from Romania. Dacian and Roman roots at the National Museum of Archeology in Madrid. The exhibition brings together 835 exceptional exhibits from the collections of 39 museums in Romania and will stay open until the end of February 2022. In an interview with the daily El Mundo, Bogdan Aurescu has stated that the relationship with Spain is very good and is characterized by an excellent political dialogue based on common visions on most topics that are currently on the political and international agenda. He has stated that a particularly important role is that of the Romanian community in Spain, which is well integrated and which contributes significantly to the economic development of the host country.
Moldova. Germany will continue to support reforms in the Republic of Moldova, especially those in the field of justice, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is visiting Chisinau, said on Wednesday. He has also said that the political and anti-corruption reforms launched by the current Moldovan government are the basic pillars for a society that aspires to provide a decent life for its citizens and the foundation for the gradual rapprochement with the European Union. The German head of state has announced that his country has decided to offer the Republic of Moldova 10 million euros in aid for public reforms. In turn, President Maia Sandu has stated that the Republic of Moldova continues to rely on German support, including in the process of rapprochement with the European Union. Frank-Walter Steinmeiers visit is the first of a president of Germany to the Republic of Moldova, which is a predominantly Romanian-speaking country. This week, the head of the pro-Western Moldovan government, Natalia Gavriliţă, has paid her first formal visit to Brussels, where she met with the main leaders of the European Union. (MI)
