DECREE – Authorities
\nin Bucharest on Saturday passed a new military decree, the seventh since the
\nonset of the state of emergency called due to the spread of the coronavirus in
\nRomania. Under the new decree, total quarantine has been declared in the town
\nof Tandarei, Ialomita County, after some 800 locals returned home from abroad
\nand did not observe home isolation regulations. Starting 23:00 on Saturday, all
\ncommercial flights inbound and outbound to Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the
\nUnited States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Turkey and Iran are
\nsuspended. Flight connections had been already
\ncut off with Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Charter flights addressing the
\ntransport of seasonal workers to other states are permitted. Another provision
\nin the decree refers to the extension of the period of suspension for
\ninternational road transport of people to and from Italy, Spain, France,
\nGermany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Ireland, the Netherlands and Turkey all
\nthroughout the state of emergency. According to the latest figures, the death
\ntoll in Romania has reached 140. The number of infections stands at 3,613, of
\nwhom 329 people have recovered. 119 patients are in intensive care. Some 15,000
\npeople are quarantined at national level and over 113,000 are in home
\nisolation. Two hospitals in the northeast were fully or partially shut down,
\nrespectively, for a period of 14 days, for decontamination, after over 100
\nmedical staff tested positive for COVID-19. 317 Romanian citizens abroad have
\ntested positive for COVID-19 and 26 have died. <\/p>\n
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CORONAVIRUS IN THE
\nWORLD – The global death toll for the coronavirus has exceeded 60,000. The
\nWorld Health Organization says over 200 countries and territories are currently
\nbeing affected. The most serious situation is in the United States, which
\nreports a quarter of the total number of infections, and in Europe, the
\ncontinent with the largest number of deaths. The WHO warns that COVID-19 might
\nseriously hit Japan next, unless this country takes swift prevention measures.
\nIn Europe, the number of infections in Spain has exceeded that of Italy, and is
\nreporting 11,000 dead. Italy instead is reporting decreasing number of
\ninfections, and the death toll is closing in on 15,000. France reports the
\nthird-largest number of victims, over 6,500. <\/p>\n
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RECESSION -The coronavirus pandemic has brought the global economy
\nto a standstill and plunged the world into a recession that will be way worse
\nthan the global financial crisis a decade ago, the head of the International
\nMonetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. The IMF official called on
\nadvanced economies to step up their efforts to help emerging markets and
\ndeveloping countries survive the economic and health impact of the pandemic. A
\nsimilar message was delivered by World Bank President, David Malpass. The
\nEuropean Commission and the European Investment Bank have green-lit the
\ndisbursement of 700 million euros to the agri-food sector as part of the
\nInvestment Plan for Europe. The program will help maintain and create new jobs
\nin rural areas. The Commission has announced a temporary suspension of customs
\ntaxes and VAT for medical and protection imports from outside the EU, which
\nwill ease pressure on public spending for national governments. <\/p>\n
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LEGISLATION – Parliament on Friday passed three bills regarding the
\nsuspension of the bank loan payments, technical unemployment and fiscal
\nmeasures aimed at helping individuals and businesses. The plenary session was
\nheld online and MPs voted via telephone. Under the first bill, initiated by the
\nSocial Democrats, bank loan payments can be suspended on demand, without
\ninterest rates or penalties. The Social-Democrats say the document will correct
\nerrors in the emergency decree passed by the Liberal Government. The Liberals,
\nin power, say they will refer the bill to the Constitutional Court, saying it
\nis a populist measure that piles up pressure on the state budget. The Liberals
\nwill also challenge the bill that postpones the payment of social security
\ncontributions and utility bills for a period of three months, which addresses
\npeople who have filed for technical unemployment benefits. All parties in
\nParliament voted the bill that proposes the payment of an allowance tantamount
\nto 75% of the base salary of employees affected by the reduction or suspension
\nof activity. <\/p>\n
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PALM SUNDAY – Catholic Christians worldwide are celebrating Palm Sunday,
\nmarking the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, where the crowd
\nwelcomed him holding palm branches. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last
\nweek of Lent, also known as Holy Week, when Christians prepare to celebrate the
\nResurrection of Christ. This year, due to restrictions caused by the
\ncoronavirus pandemic, masses in Romania as well as in other countries will be
\ncelebrated in empty churches and broadcast on TV, radio or online. The Church
\nurges everyone during this pandemic to discover the beauty and plenitude of
\nprayer, praying with our loved ones in our churches at home, with our families,
\nthe spokesman of the Roman-Catholic Diocese in Bucharest, Father Francisc Dobos
\nhas said, adding that the situation is not ideal, but is the best possible one.
\nBy uniting in spirit via various means of communication, television, radio or
\nthe Internet, we stay together with Christ, Francisc Dobos added. This year
\nRoman-Catholic Christians celebrate Easter on April 12, while Orthodox
\nChristians on April 19. <\/p>\n
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(Translated by V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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