PROTESTS A new batch of Pfizer\/BioNTech has today arrived in Romania, where the
\nnational vaccination rollout programme is in full swing. 2 million people have
\nso far got the vaccine and half of them the booster dose. Out of the 21 thousand
\ntests carried out in the past 24 hours, over 4 thousand were positive,
\nauthorities announced on Sunday. Another 117 fatalities were also reported on
\nSunday when new restrictions aimed at keeping the pandemic at bay came into
\neffect. Under these new restrictions, in regions with an infection rate above 4
\nper thousand, have been imposed a night curfew over the weekend, applying from
\n20 hours, two hours earlier than in the rest of the week. Shops must close at
\n18 hours at weekend and in regions with an infection rate above 7.5 per
\nthousand the curfew is applicable the entire week. The newly adopted measures
\nhave sparked off protests in Romania’s big cities, where thousands took to the
\nstreets chanting anti-government slogans. <\/p>\n
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MOTION A simple motion against Romanian Agriculture Minister
\nAdrian Oros is due to be debated upon today in the Chamber of Deputies in
\nBucharest. The opposition PSD, who tabled it, is blaming the minister for
\nhaving failed to take the right measures to offer compensations to the farmers
\naffected by the drought, and that the fuel excise has not been paid for. This
\nis the worst period for the Romanian agriculture heavily affected by the
\ndrought and the pandemic and also by the minister’s incompetence, the Social
\nDemocrats said. After debates the document is to be voted upon on Wednesday.
\nThis is the third simple motion tabled by the opposition PSD in the present
\nParliament season. The other two, tabled against the ministers of Health and
\nEconomy have not been endorsed by the Legislature. <\/p>\n
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TALKS Trade union representatives and leaders of Metrorex, the
\ncompany, which operates the Bucharest underground, are to resume talks today after the
\nunofficial protest, which blocked the underground all day long on Friday. High
\non the agenda is a proposal by the company’s board to cut the 18% pay rise by
\nthe end of the year in order to fit into the present budget. Another issue on
\nthe agenda is that of the shopping areas on Metrorex premises, as the company
\nrunning them, which belongs to the trade union, had to evacuate these places until
\nApril 2nd. According to Transport Minister Catalin Drula, the Friday’s
\nprotest failed to comply with the regulations presently in force aimed at
\npreventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, forcing citizens to resort to
\novercrowded public transportation vehicles, putting their health at risk in a time
\nwhen the infection rate is high. The Minister has also filed a criminal
\ncomplaint against the protesters accusing them for undermining the government’s
\nefforts to fight the pandemic, abuse of office and for jeopardizing the
\ntravelers’ health. In turn trade union leaders say the unofficial protest on
\nFriday was sparked off by the board’s intention to apply pay cuts; they also
\nblaming the board for its lack of interest in a constructive dialogue. <\/p>\n
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FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side lost to Germany 1-0 in
\nBucharest on Sunday in a match counting towards the Group J of the World Cup
\n2022 preliminaries. On Thursday our footballers clinched a 3-2 win against
\nNorth Macedonia in Bucharest and will be up against Armenia in Yerevan.
\nRomania’s group also includes Iceland and Lichtenstein. The first sides in the
\ngroups are qualified for the final tournaments, whereas runner-ups will be
\nplaying tie games. Romania last participated in a World Cup in France in 1998.
\nOn Saturday night Romania’s under-21 representative secured a 2-1 win against
\nHungary in Budapest in Group A of the European Under-21 Championship 2021. They
\nalso secured a one-all draw against the Dutch representative on Wednesday.
\nRomania is to play Germany in a decisive match on March 30th. The
\ncompetition’s group stage is taking place over March 24th and 31st
\nand the first two sides of each group will be playing in the Final 8 tournament
\ndue in Slovenia and Hungary over May 31st and June 6th. <\/p>\n
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(bill)<\/p>\n
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