COVID-19 IN ROMANIA -Over 2,200 new cases of COVID-19 infection were reported in Romania on
\nWednesday. The number of hospitalized patients is around 10,000. Of these, more
\nthan 1,300 are in intensive care. The total toll, since the beginning of the
\npandemic in February last year, has exceeded 1,050,000 cases of infection and
\n27,800 deaths. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has once again called
\non the population to get vaccinated, stating that this is the only way to end
\nthe pandemic. The authorities want to accelerate the vaccination process by
\nopening new vaccination centers over the coming days. On Thursday, the first
\ndrive-through center will be opened in Bucharest, where people will be able to
\nget the jab without prior appointment. Moreover, between May 7-9, a marathon of
\nanti-Covid vaccination will be organized in the Capital. Currently, about a
\nthousand vaccination centers are active, with a capacity of over 120,000
\nimmunized people \/ day. So far, about 3.2 million Romanians have been
\nvaccinated.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
HOLIDAY -Before the May 1st mini-holiday, which this year coincides with the
\nOrthodox Easter holiday, Prime Minister Florin C\u00ee\u0163u calls on the population to
\nkeep observing anti-coronavirus sanitary rules, even if Romania is now on a
\ndescending slope of the third wave of the pandemic. He has urged the prefects
\nand the police to take all measures to ensure compliance with the health rules
\nin place. In the Romanian resorts on the Black Sea, over 30 thousand tourists
\nare expected during the mini-holiday of May 1 and Easter. About 100 hotels will
\nbe opened, many of them already occupied at 70% capacity, the maximum allowed
\nby the authorities. Tourists are not allowed to party on the beach, and wearing
\na mask is mandatory.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
GOVERNMENT -The Government in
\nBucharest on Wednesday approved two projects for the repair and modernization
\nof the Romanian railways as well as a loan worth 150 million Euro from the
\nInternational Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which will be used to reform
\nthe health-care system. Also on Wednesday the Government adopted an emergency
\ndecree for the protection of Romanian workers abroad, which will also help combat
\nillegal employment more effectively. The decree also aims to prevent and reduce
\nthe possible effects caused by the existence of situations of force majeure or
\nhealth crisis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
VISIT – Romania’s Foreign Minister,
\nBogdan Aurescu, on Wednesday met his Hungarian counterpart, P\u00e9ter
\nSzijj\u00e1rt\u00f3, in Gyula, Hungary, home to an important community of Romanians. The
\ntwo officials signed a cooperation protocol focusing on national minorities and
\ntwo agreements modifying the bilateral judicial framework with a view to
\ncreating two border crossing points, in Varia\u015fu Mic\/Dombegyhaza and
\nGr\u0103niceri\/Elek. Minister Aurescu said Bucharest expects Hungary to provide
\nfinancial support to Romanian-language teaching, develop the network of schools
\nand high schools and provide the Romanian Orthodox Bishopric in Budapest with a
\nproperty. The Romanian official also discussed with his Hungarian counterpart
\nabout employing Romanian speakers in public institutions in those towns and
\nvillages with Romanian minorities, restoring Romanian churches and the
\nfinancing and encouragement of Romanian-language print press and audiovisual
\nmedia. Also on Wednesday, Bogdan Aurescu met with representatives of the
\nRomanian community in Hungary, discussing the protection and promotion of
\nethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious rights.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
MOLDOVA – The
\npro-European president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, on Wednesday
\nannounced she signed the decree for the dissolution of Parliament and the
\norganization of early parliamentary elections on July 11. The decision followed
\na Constitutional Court ruling invalidating Parliament’s decision to declare a
\nstate of emergency for 60 days until May 30, during which time Parliament
\ncannot be dissolved and early election cannot be held. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
BREXIT – The European Parliament on
\nWednesday ratified the post-Brexit trade agreement between the EU and the UK,
\nafter MEPs debated and voted the agreement on Tuesday. Parliament explained
\nthat, although it’s not ideal, the agreement is the best option to curb some of
\nthe serious effects of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU and securing the
\nintegrity of the single market. The document instates new preferential clauses,
\nincluding trading in goods and services, digital trade, copyright, public
\nprocurement, aviation and rail transport, energy or fishing. Wednesday’s vote
\nthus puts an end a period of four years of difficult negotiations and debates. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
TENNIS -
\nRomanian tennis players Simona Halep and Sorana C\u00eerstea on Thursday will play in the first round of the WTA
\n1000 tournament in Madrid, totaling 2.5 million Euro in prizes. Halep (3 WTA)
\nhas won the tournament twice, in 2016 and 2017. She will play Sara Sorribes
\nTormo (46 WTA) of Spain. C\u00eerstea (58 WTA) will take on Jessica Pegula (33 WTA)
\nof the United States, a week after winning the title in Istanbul. On Wednesday,
\nanother two Romanians entered the main draw. Ana Bogdan (102 WTA) defeated
\nJapan’s Nao Hibino (82 WTA), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. In turn, Irina Begu (75 WTA) won
\n6-3, 6-3 against Stefanie Voegele (127 WTA) of Switzerland. (V.P.)<\/p>\n
<\/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":[28963,34235,35374,36174,31760,36172,36173,36175,32305],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-105055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsflash","tag-bogdan-aurescu","tag-brexit-agreement","tag-covid-19","tag-dissolution-of-moldovas-parliament","tag-government-decrees","tag-mini-holiday","tag-romanians-in-hungary","tag-tennis-tournament-in-madrid","tag-vaccination-campaign"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n