September 17, 2021

CONNECTING EUROPE — In Romania, the interim minister of transport and infrastructure, Dan Vilceanu, greeted on Friday in Bucharest’s main railway station, Gara de Nord, the arrival of Connecting Europe Express, a special train designed in the European Year of Rail. The event was also attended by EU Commissioner for Transport, the Romanian Adina Vălean. ”It is an experimental train, a laboratory train, that mirrors not only the advantages of rail transport but also the obstacles we have to overcome in order to have a single European railway system. Romania needs to boost investment in rail infrastructure, for improved connectivity with the other EU countries,” Adina Valean said. Connecting Europe Express is a special train designed in the European Year of Rail, the European Commissions office in Romania reports. The train will stop in over 100 towns and cities during its five-week journey, before arriving in Paris on October 7. The train will travel 20,000 km across 33 border crossing points. It departed from Lisbon and, before reaching Paris, it will stop in Ljubljana, connecting the Portuguese, Slovenian and French presidencies of the Council of the EU.

CORONAVIRUS — The big number of daily infections has prompted the Romanian authorities to take new measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Thus, the Green Covid certificate, attesting vaccination, negative testing or recovery from COVID-19 will become compulsory for attending a number of activities in towns and villages where the infection rate is over 3 per thousand inhabitants. The decision was passed on Thursday by the National Committee for Emergencies and awaits government approval in a meeting scheduled for today. On Friday, authorities announced 4,478 new cases of COVID-19 infection in 24 hours, from over 46,000 tests. In the same interval, 73 related fatalities were also reported and 762 patients treated in intensive care. Bucharest exceeded, on Friday, the threshold of 2 per thousand inhabitants cumulated in 14 days, which brings the capital city in the yellow zone.

COURT — Romania’s Constitutional Court will discuss on September 28 the notification filed by the Government headed by Liberal Prime Minister Florin Cîţu, in connection with an alleged constitutional conflict with Parliament concerning the no-confidence motion filed by the USR-PLUS alliance, a former junior coalition partner, and AUR, a nationalist party, in the opposition. The Government denounced Parliament’s alleged unconstitutional, disloyal and abusive behavior towards the Government, as the no-confidence motion tabled by the latter had allegedly been initiated, filed and communicated in terms that are against the Constitution. Prior to the Court’s ruling, the debate and vote of the motion are in standby, according to a decision by Parliament.

NEW MEDIA – The biggest new media art event in Romania will be held on Saturday. iMapp Bucharest — Winners league is also among the top three international video mapping competitions. The works of teams from the US, Germany, Ukraine, Japan and Hungary will be presented on the world’s biggest screening area, namely, the façade of the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, of 23,000 sqm. The theme of this year’s edition is “The Show Must Go On” and celebrates through works that blend light, technology and music, the way in which people have been returning to normal life.

TABLE TENNIS – Romania won silver and gold medals on Thursday at the Balkan table tennis championships held in Albena, Bulgaria. The women’s team, made up by Irina Ciobanu, Adina Diaconu, Andreea Dragoman and Alina Zaharia, won 3-nil all four matches against Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Bulgaria and Turkey came out second and third, respectively. In men’s competition, Alin Spelbuş, Alexandru Manole and Cristian Chiriţă won the match with Bulgaria and Italy in Group B, then defeated Albania in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals the Romanians managed to beat Serbia, but were then defeated by Turkey in the final, 3-nil. Serbia got the bronze medals. The 46th edition of the Balkan Championships continues today with the single’s competition.

NATO – Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant-General Daniel Petrescu is taking part over September 17-19 in the conference of the NATO Military Committee, which brings together heads of military from allied countries in Athens, Greece. Talks will also tackle NATO operations, missions and activities. Additionally, the conference will also address means of implementing the Deterrence and Defense of the Euro-Atlantic Area, and NATOs Warfighting Capstone Concept. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, the Military Committee will analyze the NATO 2030 initiative and all its military implications and opportunities. (EE)