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 9,500 people getting the
\nfirst dose and almost twice as many the booster dose on Tuesday. However, the
\nlow number may be owing to the fact that October 30 was a banking holiday in
\nRomania.<\/p>\n
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\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, were
\nbrought to the country on Tuesday. The Tarom aircraft that brought them landed
\nat the Military Base 90 instead of Otopeni Airport near Bucharest, as
\noriginally announced. The measure was taken because of concerns with infection
\nrisks. All the passengers will be tested and quarantined. The seats available
\nin the Tarom aircraft that flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member
\nstates to repatriate their own citizens, as part of the European civil
\nprotection mechanism. In related news, PM Nicolae Ciuca said the 72 Romanian
\ntourists stranded in Morocco will also be repatriated by a Tarom aircraft on
\nThursday. Meanwhile, the authorities will try to find out whether there are any
\nother Romanian nationals in the area. The foreign ministry urges citizens to
\nanalyse the situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the
\nnew coronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section
\non the institution’s home page.<\/p>\n
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\n
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NATO A meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga, Latvia,
\ncontinues on Wednesday, with the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu taking
\npart. The 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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\n
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ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
\ncelebrated on Tuesday St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron
\nsaint of Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in
\ntoday’s Dobrogea, on
\nthe Black Sea coast. St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped
\ncross in the city of Patras, in Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named
\nafter St. Andrew the Apostle.<\/p>\n
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\n
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NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
\nas foreign military will take part on Wednesday in a parade celebrating
\nRomania’s National Day in Bucharest. According to the defence ministry, 100
\ncombat vehicles will also participate. In turn, the city of Alba Iulia will
\nhost a military parade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed
\na national 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.<\/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. (tr. A.M. Popescu)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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