June 6, 2020
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Newsroom, 06.06.2020, 14:06
COVID-19
Romania has so far
confirmed over 20 thousand Covid infections. Out of these more than 14,100 patients
have been cured and released from hospitals. 1318 people have been killed by
the disease so far. 3,100 Romanian nationals have been confirmed infected
abroad, where 114 have already died. Romania’s Health Minister Nelu Tataru has
again said that wearing a mask in public places and transport vehicles remains compulsory
and that prevention measures must be maintained until there is no risk for
community contagion.
OUTLOOK In its latest communiqué, Standard & Poor’s rating agency has
confirmed Romania’s rating to ‘BBB-/A-3’ for long and short term loans in
foreign and local currency with a negative outlook. Although the agency expects
the pandemic’s negative economic effects to lead to an increase in the
country’s government debt to 43% of the GDP in 2020, it also estimates that
significant consolidation measures will be implemented upon the general
election in 2020. Romania’s rating outlook remains negative as the agency believes
the balance of foreign payments and of the budget may be at risk in the
following 18 months, unless political decision-makers can stabilize and
consolidate budgetary direction after this pandemic-induced recession. S&P
believes Romania’s economic activity will start improving in the second half of
this year and in 2021 the country may see a 4% economic growth. Romania’s
current account deficit is expected to increase up to 5% of the GDP in 2020 and
to 4% of the GDP until 2023 in the wake of increasing demand and a steady consolidation
of exports.
POLICE Romania’s Interior Ministry has increased the number of police
troops deployed during the Pentecost mini-holiday in this country. So roughly
21 thousand police, gendarme and firefighters have been deployed around the
country to ensure law and order during the holidays. Romania’s motorways will
be monitored by 17 hundred road police with over 300 radar guns backed by
helicopters from the General Aviation Inspectorate. Close to 52 hundred
gendarme troops have been deployed in the regions with a potential higher number of visitors,
such as the tourist resorts. More than 180 gendarmes from the mountain corps
are expected to be present on various mountain routes.
HOLIDAY Orthodox and Greek-Catholic believers from all
over the world, including from Romania will be celebrating Pentecost on Sunday,
marking the day when the Holy Spirit came down upon the 12 apostles enabling
them to convey God’s message in foreign languages they had never spoken before.
On the same day, upon Apostle Peter’s speech, almost 3,000 people embraced
Christianity, making up the first Christian community in Jerusalem, the nucleus
of the future Christian Church. Thousands of Romanians have taken to various resorts
on the Prahova Valley, the Danube Delta and the Black Sea coast for this
holiday.
(translated by bill)
