RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25 April – May 1

A roundup of the main developments in Romania this past week

THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25 April – May 1
THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25 April – May 1

, 01.05.2021, 13:05


Vaccination, “the only way out of the pandemic


The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Tuesday once again called on citizens to get the COVID-19 vaccine, stating that this is the only way to end the pandemic. As many Romanians vaccinated means getting rid of restrictions and returning to normal, the head of state pointed out. In turn, PM Florin Cîţu reiterated that the government targets 5 million Romanians vaccinated by 1 June, and that as of that moment we will be able to talk in different terms about returning to normal.



Florin Cîţu: “For us there is no other way. The only solution, if we want to go to concerts again, to have family gatherings, to go on holiday abroad or in Romania, to go to restaurants, to the cinema, to the theatre, to do everything we used to do, is for us to get the vaccine. This vaccination campaign is a campaign for life, for ourselves, for returning to normal.



In turn, an inter-ministry committee working for Romanias return to normal as of 1 June, 2021, had a new meeting highlighting the need to gradually adjust the lifting of containment measures to each sector of the economy. The group also discussed the progressive reopening of the hospitality sector, as the vaccine rollout continues.



Meanwhile, several drive-through vaccination centres have been opened in the country, where people can get the vaccine without previous appointments. Moreover, between 7 and 9 May an anti-COVID vaccination marathon will be organised in Bucharest, after the operation proved a success elsewhere in the country. At present around 1,000 vaccination centres are active, with a combined capacity of over 120,000 people immunised daily.



The number of daily new COVID-19 cases has dropped across the country, and this week a number of containment measures are being lifted. The number of patients in intensive care is also dropping, and so is the number of COVID-related deaths. Of the total number of Romanians infected since the start of the pandemic, over 90% have recovered.




Talks on the National Recovery and Resilience Plan


The ruling coalition in Bucharest agreed on a National Recovery and Resilience Plan with projects worth 29 billion euro. The Plan will be submitted to Brussels as of 10 May, when final negotiations with the European Commission will be held. PM Florin Cîţu announced that no project will be dropped, but that the funding for some investment lines will be reduced, after Romania received comments from the EC especially concerning projects related to irrigation systems, natural gas networks and motorways.



The prime minister said there are no problems in the negotiations with the Commission, but that Brussels asked for more details regarding Romanias plan. In turn, the minister for investments and European funding Cristian Ghinea said, discussions continue on all the components, and the European Commission has this kind of dialogue with all member countries.



Cristian Ghinea: “We are trying to adjust to as many of the Commissions comments as possible, and we have even brough allocations in line with these comments. As for the projects that are our priorities, even if the Commission has a different opinion at this time, we will move forward with them.



According to the Romanian official, several countries are to submit their National Plans after the end of April, the original deadline set by the Commission. Meanwhile, the vice-president of the EC Margrethe Vestager announced that she had a “constructive meeting with the Romanian minister concerning the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and said progress has been made.




Protection for Romanian workers abroad


At the suggestion of the labour ministry, the government passed an emergency order providing better protection for the Romanians working abroad. The order includes new obligations for recruitment agencies and for providers of relevant services, which grant additional protection to Romanian citizens.



One provision is that mediation services for Romanians getting employment abroad should be free of charge, and that employment contracts should be provided in Romanian as well. Romanian workers are also to receive their written employment contracts before leaving the country. The labour minister Raluca Turcan also mentioned that transport companies must comply with certain requirements:



Raluca Turcan: “When transport companies take over Romanian workers who got jobs abroad, they must be grouped together depending on the chosen job. Also, when they take over workers for a particular country, a company must drop them at the employers site.



The order passed by the government also provides for tougher penalties for breaching the law.




Supreme Defence Council discusses Black Sea, Afghanistan situations


Romania will pull out its troops from Afghanistan in coordination with the other NATO members, beginning 1 May. All the 615 troops and over 80 tonnes of materials and equipment will be brought back on Romanian and NATO military aircraft, the Presidency announced at the end of Tuesdays meeting of the Supreme Defence Council. The withdrawal will be phased and spread across the forthcoming months. In the anti-terrorist mission in Afghanistan launched shortly after the 9/11attacks in the US, 27 Romanian troops lost their lives.



In the same meeting the Supreme Defence Council also decided that Romania would continue to promote efforts to strengthen the Allied posture in the country and in the region, in a responsible manner and in line with international law. Moreover, concerned with the recent build-up of Russian troops at Ukraines eastern border, Romania is interested in solving the protracted conflicts in the Black Sea region, and the foreign ministry has presented the EU with some initiatives in this respect, the presidency also said in a news release. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

Eveniment top
The Week in Review Saturday, 30 November 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Elections with surprises and ruckus The organization, in Romania, in a single year, of all types of elections – presidential, parliamentary,...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Eveniment top
The Week in Review Saturday, 23 November 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Romanians elect new president The first voting station abroad for the first round of the Romanian presidential elections opened on Friday, at 12:00...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Eveniment top
The Week in Review Saturday, 16 November 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Romanian Prime Minister’s Visit to London Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu made a two-day visit to the United Kingdom in the middle of...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Eveniment top
The Week in Review Saturday, 09 November 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

President Klaus Iohannis at the summit of the European Political Community in Budapest Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area is not only a...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
The Week in Review Saturday, 02 November 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Electoral campaigns in Romania The electoral campaign for the parliamentary elections in Romania started on the night of Thursday to Friday and will...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
The Week in Review Saturday, 26 October 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

The electoral campaign at the start The electoral campaign for the presidential elections in Romania started at midnight from Thursday to Friday and...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
The Week in Review Saturday, 19 October 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, at the European Council meeting in Brussels The leaders of the EU countries, including the Romanian President...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
The Week in Review Saturday, 12 October 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

The Central Electoral Office announced, on Thursday, the final list of candidates for this year’s presidential elections. There are 10...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company