COVID-19 ROMANIA – Romania on Thursday reported over 19 thousand
\nSARS-CoV-2 infections over the course of 24 hours out of 78 thousand tests, a
\nrecord high since the start of the pandemic. The Group for Strategic Communication
\nannounced another 43 related fatalities, of which 4 were reported prior to the
\nreference period. The previous record of infections was on October 19, 2021,
\nwhen 18,863 infections were reported in a single day. At the time 561 deaths
\nwere also reported. Health Minister Alexandru Rafila says the COVID-related
\nmortality rate is at present ten times lower compared to October last year. The
\nRomanian official added that an innovative antiviral treatment will also be
\nmade available shortly. 8 million Romanians have so far received at least one
\ndose of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine. The rate of vaccination stands at 47.5% of
\nthe total eligible population, the head of the National Committee for the
\nCoordination of anti-COVID-19 Vaccination Activities, medical doctor Valeriu
\nGheorghi\u0163\u0103 has announced. According to Dr. Gheorghi\u0163\u0103, the highest vaccination
\nrate is reported for people aged 50-59. Starting January 26, the anti-COVID-19
\nvaccine can be administered to children aged 5-11. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
PROGRAM – The authorities have launched the National Program
\nfor Combating Cancer in an event attended by president Klaus Iohannis. In
\nFebruary 2021, the European Commission launched the Europe’s Beating Cancer
\nPlan, allotting \u20ac4 billion to finance cancer prevention, research and treatment
\nprograms across the community bloc. Meanwhile, the Romanian Parliament set up a
\nspecial task force charged with transposing the Commission’s plan into national
\nlaw. Right now, part of the cancer treatments, lab tests and prevention
\nprograms are funded under a nationwide program.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
NATO – Romania president, Klaus Iohannis, on Thursday hailed the
\nannouncement made the previous day by US president Joe Biden over the increase
\nof America’s military presence in Romania on NATO’s eastern flank should the
\nsecurity situation deteriorate. The Romania-USA Strategic Partnership and NATO
\nsolidarity are very strong, Klaus Iohannis tweeted. The Romanian president
\nadded that Romania’s Strategic Partnership with France will also be
\nconsolidated in the Black Sea region, following the announcement of French
\npresident Emmanuel Macron regarding France’s willingness to deploy troops on
\nRomania’s territory as part of NATO missions. The announcements follow at a
\nvery delicate time for Eastern Europe, where Russia has rallied over 100 thousand
\ntroops on the Ukrainian border. The Kremlin has called on NATO members to
\nwithdraw their troops from countries in Eastern Europe, including Romania. Romania’s
\nForeign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, said NATO should consolidate its presence on
\nits eastern flank as soon as possible, adding that the recent messages conveyed
\nby the presidents of the USA and France also serve an important deterrence purpose
\nin the current security context. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
MOLDOVA
\n– Romania’s Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciuc\u0103, on
\nThursday talked over the phone to his Moldovan counterpart, Natalia Gavrili\u021ba, over the possibility
\nof ensuring the necessary volume of fuel oil for the Republic of Moldova. For
\nthat to happen, Moldova must submit a formal request. The conversation followed
\nafter the Moldovan Parliament declared a state of emergency in the energy
\nsector due to the high risk that the Russian energy giant Gazprom should cease
\nnatural gas deliveries to the Republic of Moldova. The two officials also
\ndiscussed about preparations for the upcoming joint government session, slated
\nfor early February. We recall that on Wednesday, the government adopted the
\nmemorandum ensuring the framework for a new agreement based on which Romania
\nwill be able to continue providing technical and financial support to Moldova.
\nRomania has provided Moldova with a non-reimbursable financial aid worth \u20ac100
\nmillion. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
TENNIS – Tennis player Simona Halep advanced to the third round at the
\nAustralian open after ousting Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, 6-2, 6-0 on
\nThursday. Sorana C\u00eerstea also qualified to the next
\nphase after defeating Kristina Kukova of Slovakia, 6-2, 6-4. Irina Begu however
\nlost to Elise Mertens of Belgium in the second round. (VP)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A roundup of domestic and international news<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":105208,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[36515,36512,35374,36514,33104],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-105643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsflash","tag-austrlian-open","tag-cancer-program","tag-covid-19","tag-nato-support","tag-romania-moldova-relations"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n