COVID-19 19,371
\nnew Covid cases and 48 related deaths have been reported in Romania today. The
\nnumber of fatalities is over 10 times smaller than at the peak of the previous
\nwave of the pandemic, but the infection rate continues to grow, reaching 8.77
\nper thousand in Bucharest. The highest SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in the capital
\ncity (16.54 per thousand) was reached on 22nd October last year. The
\nworst-case scenario considered by the authorities predicts up to 70,000 new
\ncases per day in the first half of February. The health minister Alexandru
\nRafila says that 173 outpatient Covid-19 evaluation centres are already
\noperational across the country, out of a planned 230. <\/p>\n
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NATO On Friday
\nNATO rejected Russia’s request for the pull-out of the Alliance’s troops in
\nBulgaria and Romania, and denounced the concept of spheres of influence, NATO
\nspokesperson Oana Lungescu said. Russia requested guarantees from the US and
\nNATO that the Alliance would not enlarge further eastwards, and demanded the
\nwithdrawal of the troops and equipment deployed to the countries that have
\njoined the organisation since 1997. Also on Friday, the Pentagon announced a
\nlarge-scale NATO naval exercise in the Mediterranean, amid tensions with
\nRussia, which also announced major naval manoeuvres, AFP reports. Poland’s PM
\nMateusz Morawiecki called on European leaders to take a firm and united stand
\nagainst Russia, in the context of fears that Moscow might plan an invasion of
\nUkraine. NATO members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will provide Ukraine with
\nUS-made anti-armour and anti-aircraft missiles, the defence ministers of the 3
\ncountries announced in a joint statement. In Romania, president Klaus Iohannis
\nhas called a meeting of the Supreme Defence Council on Wednesday. The meeting
\nwill focus on the security situation at the Black Sea and on NATO’s eastern
\nflank, and measures to develop resilience and response capabilities related to
\nthe new security challenges.<\/p>\n
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CELEBRATION
\nThe government of Romania celebrates today 160 years since the first government
\nof Romania was formed, after the union of the principalities of Moldavia and
\nWallachia was officially recognised. On this occasion, on the walls of Victoria
\nPalace in the capital city Bucharest, which hosts the head offices of the
\ngovernment of Romania, images will be projected during the evening, which are
\nrelevant for this milestone in Romanian history, such as the Romanian flag, the
\ndate when the first government of Romania was formed, namely 22nd of
\nJanuary, 1862 and the name of the country’s first prime minister, Barbu
\nCatargiu. On Monday, which is a national holiday in Romania, 163 years since
\nthe union of the Romanian Principalities will be marked. On 24th
\nJanuary 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, elected ruler of Moldavia the previous week,
\nwas unanimously elected sovereign of Wallachia as well, and proclaimed ruler of
\nthe United Principalities. During his rule, the institutional foundations were
\nlaid for modern Romania.<\/p>\n
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SOCIAL Romania’s capital city Bucharest finds itself without above-ground public
\ntransportation means on Saturday as well. It is for 3rd consecutive
\nday of strike for the Bucharest Transport Corporation, although a court ruled
\nthe protest illegal. Unions stand by their demands, which include pay raises
\nand the resignation of the corporation’s CEO. Meanwhile, the government and
\ntrade unions in public education are working to reach an agreement by 4th
\nFebruary, following a first round of negotiations after teachers went on strike
\non Wednesday. Unionists want pay raises, additional staff to be employed, and
\n6% of GDP to be earmarked for public education. Public healthcare unions are
\nalso to discuss their demands next week with officials from the healthcare,
\nfinances and labour ministries.<\/p>\n
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TENNIS The
\nRomanian tennis player Simona Halep qualified in the round of 16 of the
\nAustralian Open, after defeating Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, 6-2, 6-1, in the
\n3rd round of the tournament in Melbourne today. Halep (15 WTA and 14th
\nseed), won the match in 64 minutes. It was the 8th consecutive win
\nfor the Romanian player this season. In the next round Simona Halep takes on Aliz\u00e9 Cornet of France (61 WTA). Also
\ntoday, another Romanian, Sorana C\u00eerstea, is playing in the 3rd round
\nagainst Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, seed no 10. In the women’s doubles,
\nJaqueline Cristian (Romania) \/ Andrea Petkovic (Germany) qualified in the 8th-finals,
\nhaving defeated the Slovenians Kaja Juvan \/ Tamara Zidansek, 6-4, 6-0, and are
\nnext to play agaist Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) \/ Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spain). (tr. A.M. Popescu)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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