COVID-19 Over 1,600 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours were reported on
\nTuesday in Romania, along with 147 deaths, 17 of which from a previous date. Doctors
\nwarn that although ambulance services are receiving fewer requests for home
\ntesting, a large number of teams are still being deployed. After several states
\nannounced finding the Omicron variant of the virus, which has over 50 mutations,
\ntests in Romania are now taking into account this strain as well. Meanwhile,
\nthe vaccination rate remains low, with only around 12,800 people getting the
\nfirst dose on Monday, and almost twice as many booster doses administered on
\nthe same day.<\/p>\n
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REPATRIATION The Romanian nationals stranded in South Africa following
\nthe suspension of flights to the EU over the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, are
\nscheduled to land today on Otopeni Airport near Bucharest. All the passengers
\nwill be tested and quarantined. The around 50 seats available in the Tarom aircraft
\nthat flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member states to repatriate
\ntheir own citizens, as part of the European civil protection mechanism. The
\nRomanian foreign ministry announced today that after Moroccan authorities
\ndecided to suspend commercial flights to that country over Omicron concerns, the
\nRomanian Embassy to Rabat is handling the situation of 72 Romanian tourists
\nwhose flights have been cancelled. The Romanian embassy has already taken steps
\nto identify alternative flights. The foreign ministry urges citizens to analyse
\nthe situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the new
\ncoronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section on
\nthe institution’s home page.<\/p>\n
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NATO The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part on
\nTuesday and Wednesday in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held in Riga, Latvia.
\nThe meeting is a major landmark in preparing negotiations on NATO’s new
\nStrategic Concept and for the summit due in Madrid next year. Minister Bogdan
\nAurescu will reiterate Romania’s support for preparing the new Strategic Concept,
\nable to provide adequate response instruments to the challenges of the current
\nsecurity environment. According to the foreign ministry, Aurescu will also
\ndiscuss the latest security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
\nneed to carry on efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in
\na coherent and comprehensive manner for the entire Eastern Flank, including the
\nBlack Sea region. <\/p>\n
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ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
\ncelebrate today St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint
\nof Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in today’s Dobrogea, on the Black Sea coast.
\nSt. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in the city of Patras,
\nin Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named after St. Andrew the Apostle.<\/p>\n
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FAIR Romania is taking part, until December 2, in the 2nd
\nedition of Egypt’s International Defence Expo, EDEX 2021, hosted by Cairo. Public
\ndefence companies as well as private operators will be present. Some 400
\ncompanies from around the world are taking part in this year’s edition,
\nshowcasing the latest technologies in the field of defence. <\/p>\n
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NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
\nas foreign military will take part on December 1 in a parade celebrating
\nRomania’s National Day in Bucharest. Alba Iulia will also host a military
\nparade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed a
\nnational holiday after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, December 1 marks the completion of the
\nRomanian nation state in 1918, after World War 2, by the union of all
\nterritories with predominantly Romanian population. (tr. A.M. Popescu)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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