WEATHER – A code orange alert against
\nheavy snowfall, freezing rain and drizzle is in place until Sunday evening targeting
\nareas in the southwest, center and south. Snowfall was reported on Saturday all
\nacross the country, with strong wind reportedly drifting the snow in the
\nmountain areas. The highs on Saturday varied between minus 3 and plus 9 degrees
\nCelsius. Saturday’s snowfall also affected rail and road traffic. <\/p>\n
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HEALTHCARE – The Sanitary Solidarity Federation in Romania on
\nSaturday threatened to launch new protests before launching an all-out strike
\nif the Government passes an emergency decree to freeze salary income at the
\nlevel of the month of December, with no salary increase provided for employees
\nin the healthcare sector in 2019. Unionists say the healthcare sector is
\nshocked by the effects of disparaging salary increases for different types of
\nmedical staff. We recall the authorities have raised the salaries of medical
\nstaff to stop the exodus of Romanian doctors abroad. <\/p>\n
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KOSOVO – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed
\nconcern after the Kosovar Parliament decided to muster an army and has called
\non all stakeholders to show restraint. An unofficial meeting of the Security
\nCouncil was held at the request of Serbia. NATO Secretary General Jens
\nStoltenberg condemned the decision of the Parliament of Kosovo to create an
\narmy, saying NATO will reexamine its level of commitment with the Security
\nForce in Kosovo. The European Union too has criticized the decision. The
\nForeign Ministry in Bucharest said efforts to initiate the transition process
\nfor the Security Force in Kosovo, despite repeated messages from the NATO and
\nthe EU, have had negative impact on the situation in the Western Balkans and
\nthe Euro-Atlantic integration of countries in this area. According to the
\nMinistry, all efforts must be directed towards continuing a dialogue between
\nSerbia and Kosovo, to avoid declarations and initiatives that risk escalating
\ntensions at regional level. We recall Romania has not recognized the
\nindependence of this former Serbian province with a majority Albanian
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
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AFRICAN SWINE FEVER – A new outbreak of African swine fever was
\nconfirmed on Saturday in southern Romania, raising the number of towns and
\nvillages affected to 300 in 18 counties. There are over 1,100 outbreaks and
\nover 400 cases reported in wild animals. Some 51 million euros have to be paid
\nin damages to pig farmers. <\/p>\n
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VISIT – Romanian Minister for the Business Sector, Trade and
\nEntrepreneurship, Stefan Oprea, met the US Secretary of Trade, Wilbur Ross in
\nthe United States. Minister Oprea presented Romania’s priorities at the helm of
\nthe EU Council, which include promoting trans-Atlantic economic and trade
\nrelations. Minister Oprea thanked Washington for its constant and transparent
\nsupport for Romania’s efforts to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation
\nand Development (OECD). The two officials also discussed partnership agreements
\nsigned between the two countries’ industry sectors, as well as cooperation in
\nthe energy field. One of the biggest US investments in the energy field is
\ncurrently in development in Romania. <\/p>\n
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PARIS – Thousands of yellow jackets protested in Paris on
\nSaturday for the fifth consecutive weekend against the increase in the cost of
\nliving, France Press reports. Hundreds were arrested. Over 8,000 members of the
\nriot police were deployed in the French capital city, to try to ease public
\ntension. The Eiffel Tower and other museums remain open as well as general
\nstores. The past weeks’ protests were marked by acts of violence, with over
\n1,700 people arrested nationwide last week alone. <\/p>\n
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PROTESTS – Hungarian opposition parties have urged participants in
\nFriday’s antigovernment protest in Budapest to continue protests, Kossuth Radio
\nreports. The crowd of protesters marched for several hours in downtown
\nBudapest, at times clashing with the riot police. For days people are
\nprotesting against Parliament’s draft law on increasing the number of
\nadditional working hours for employees. Dubbed the slavery law, the project
\nwas allegedly designed to favor car manufacturers, protesters say. <\/p>\n
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HANDBALL – Romania’s handball team is playing the
\nNetherlands in Sunday’s bronze final at the European Championship underway in
\nFrance. On Friday, in the semi-finals, Romania lost to Russia while France won
\nagainst the Netherlands. Romania and the Netherlands previously played in the
\nmain group phase, Romania losing the match. Romania has a chance of matching
\nits best performance at the European championships, namely the bronze medal won
\nin 2010. By qualifying to the semi-finals, Romania has secured qualification to
\nthe World Cup in Japan next year. We recall team captain Cristina Neagu
\nsustained a serious injury and will be unavailable for the remainder of the
\nseason. The goals scored in this year’s edition have earned Neagu the title of
\nall-time top scorer at the European Championship. <\/p>\n
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(Translated by V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
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