GOVERNMENT<\/b> – In Bucharest, the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) hold negotiations on forming a parliamentary majority able to endorse a new government. On Monday evening, the Liberals\u2019 National Political Bureau decided to start negotiations with the Social Democrats to form a majority, which, according to the Liberals, should bring the country the stability it needs to overcome the political and sanitary crisis. Previously, the Social Democrats also decided to negotiate with PNL, UDMR and the national minorities other than the Hungarian one, on a new government makeup.<\/p>\n
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DIPLOMACY <\/b>— The head of Romanian diplomacy, Bogdan Aurescu held consultations on Monday in Washington DC with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The two officials discussed about including Romania in the Visa Waiver programme that eliminates visa requirements for Romanians travelling to the US and about aspects of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The two officials agreed that Romania and the US should boost cooperation in the political, security and defence fields. Aurescu also emphasized the fact that Romania\u2019s joining the OECD is one of the country\u2019s main foreign policy goals and thanked the American official for his country\u2019s support in this respect.<\/p>\n
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CORONAVIRUS<\/b> — The state of alert has been extended by another 30 days in Romania and restrictive measures in force will stay in place until December 9. Night circulation is allowed only to people who have been vaccinated or had the disease in the last 6 months, face masks are compulsory indoors and outdoors and the green certificate must be presented upon entering restaurants, malls and for other activities. The number of daily infections is on the decrease. Around 7,600 new Covid infections have been reported today and almost 500 related deaths.<\/p>\n
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ECONOMY <\/b>— Romania\u2019s trade balance deficit stood at 16.740 billion euros in the first nine months of this year, up by almost 3.9 billion as compared with the same period of 2020, the National Institute of Statistics reports. In September 2021 exports totaled 6,350 billion euros and imports 8,481 billion euros. On the other hand, EU finance ministers agreed on Monday that the high level of public debt triggered by the pandemic must be decreased but in a manner that should not affect economic growth, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n
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TENNIS<\/b> — Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is today up against Belarussian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the eight-finals of the WTA tournament in Linz, Austria. Sasnovich won the last match against Halep last month, in Indian Wells. Also today, Romanian Jaqueline Cristian is up against Swedish Rebecca Peterson, after having defeated Russia\u2019s Kamilla Rakhimova on Monday. (EE)<\/p>\n
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