COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another
\n3,660 new infections with SARS-CoV-2 and 127 related deaths were reported in
\nlast 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication announced on Monday. The
\ntotal number of infections has thus climbed to 517 thousand, while the death
\ntoll stands at 12,447. 1280 people are currently in intensive care. 80% of
\npeople infected with COVID-19 have recovered. Several towns and villages in
\nRomania are still in quarantine. In Sibiu County, where the infection rate is 5
\nper thousand inhabitants, authorities have decided to extend the quarantine for
\nanother week in Sibiu and 6 villages. <\/p>\n
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ELECTION – According
\nto the partial results of Sunday’s legislative election in Romania, the Social
\nDemocratic Party grabbed the highest number of votes both in the Chamber of
\nDeputies and in the Senate, some 30%. The National Liberal Party is in second
\nplace with 25%, followed by the Save Romania Union – PLUS Alliance with 15%,
\nthe Alliance for the Union of Romanians with 9% and the Democratic Union of
\nEthnic Hungarians in Romania with 5% of the vote. Romanians in the Diaspora
\nvoted over the course of two days, on Saturday and Sunday. Italy, Moldova,
\nSpain, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Germany and France reported high voter
\nturnout rates. The new Parliament will have 465 seats – 136 Senators and 329
\nDeputies. Sunday’s voter turnout stood at 32%, the lowest in the last 30 years.
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MOLDOVA – Thousands protested
\non Sunday in the Moldovan capital-city Chi\u015fin\u0103u, calling for the demise of
\nParliament, at present controlled by a pro-Russian majority. The Moldovan
\nParliament recently voted for limiting the president’s prerogatives and
\nstrengthening the status of the Russian language. The rally was staged
\nfollowing a public appeal launched by the pro-European President elect, Maia
\nSandu. Sandu’s call was answered by leaders of parliamentary parties in
\nopposition, but also of non-parliamentary political parties. Protesters accused
\nParliament and the Government of promoting corruption and the misappropriation
\nof public funds, also calling for snap elections. Maia Sandu said Sunday’s
\nprotest is not advocating any ideology or political party, but is simply aimed
\nat voicing the will of the people, who have grown tired of corruption and want
\na better life. The acting president, Igor Dodon, as well as members of the
\nSocialist Party in Parliament, have refused to comment on the allegations. <\/p>\n
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BREXIT – Representatives of
\nGreat Britain and the European Union continue negotiations in Brussels with a
\nview to reaching consensus on a post-Brexit agreement, the absence of which
\nwould have serious economic consequences for both sides. On Sunday evening the
\nchief negotiators conveyed diverging messages on how talks are progressing. EU
\nofficials said they are close to solving one the major obstacles, related to
\nthe fishing rights agreement, whereas the British side dismissed the
\ninformation. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission
\nPresident Ursula von der Leyen are expected to make an assessment tonight on
\nthe progress reported so far in striking a trade agreement, which both the
\nBritish and the European Parliament must ratify before taking effect on January
\n1, 2021. London’s future relation with Brussels is also expected to rank high on
\nthe agenda of the summit in Brussels, to be held on Thursday and Friday. The UK
\nis still subject to EU legislation following its official withdrawal on January
\n31, 2020.<\/p>\n
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HANDBALL – The Romanian
\nwomen’s handball team is today playing Norway in the last fixture in Group D at
\nthe European Championships in Denmark. Romania has already secured its presence
\nin the main group phase, after defeating Poland 28-24 on Saturday. On Thursday,
\nin the first match, Romania lost 19-22 to Germany, whereas Poland lost to
\nNorway. The first three teams in each group will advance to the main group
\nphase. (V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A roundup of domestic and international news<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":75903,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[32669,35374,31311,35773,35901],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-104773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsflash","tag-brexit-negotiations","tag-covid-19","tag-european-handball-championship","tag-legislative-election","tag-protest-in-moldova"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n