January 5, 2023 UPDATE

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 05.01.2023, 20:03

FLU
The Bucharest-based National Centre for the Supervision and Control of
Transmissible Diseases with the National Institute of Public Health on Thursday
announced two deaths caused by the flu in Romania. The country’s Health
Minister Alexandru Rafila had earlier presented during a news conference the
situation of diagnosed infections at national level but the authorities decided
not to announce an epidemic because the situation isn’t dramatic yet in spite
of the growing number of cases. According to Rafila the flu season has expanded
a few more weeks and the infection rate is presently at 37% with a peak
expected around January 15th and 10th. The number of
infections will go down after that date and the Education Ministry says that
students will go back to classes after the winter holiday on Monday according
to the schedule. Face-covering is recommended not imposed but the infected
students will not be allowed to attend classes.

FUNDS Romania absorbed 11.3 billion EUR last
year, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă has announced, saying this is the highest
level of absorption since Romania accessed European funding. In 2023, Romania
wants to maintain or exceed the current level, which will require solidarity,
dialogue with social partners, coordination between ministries and political
stability.

TENNIS Romanian tennis player Irina Begu on Thursday qualified for the
quarterfinals of the Adelaide International 1, an Australian tennis tournament
with more than 826 thousand US dollars in prize money. The Romanian secured a
6-3, 6-0 win against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. Begu, 32, will be up against
Veronika Kudermetova of Russia. Also on Thursday Romanian Sorana Cirstea
conceded defeat to the competition’s odds-on favourite, Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.

MOLDOVA Moldova’s relation with Romania has nothing to do with our
country’s relations with Russia, good or bad, but rely on our way of moving
forward and on our appreciation for the values that bind us, Moldova’s
ambassador in Bucharest, Victor Chirilă, has said. Romania is a country
that will help the Republic of Moldova in any situation, no conditions
attached, the Moldovan diplomat also told a radio show. At the same time,
relations with Bucharest are on an upward trend. We’ve seen just how
important Romania is for Moldova, not just last year, but also during the
pandemic. Romania stood with us and provided us with assistance to cope with
the pandemic, ambassador Chirilă went on to say. The Moldovan diplomat
also recalled Romania’s support in the first months of 2022, when the Republic
of Moldova faced an energy crisis. In turn, Romania’s ambassador in Chișinău,
Cristian-Leon Țurcanu, said that the two countries share a special relation
based on the unity of language, history and culture. The Romanian
diplomat in turn mentioned the initiative of the Foreign Ministers of Romania,
Germany and France to launch the Support Platform for the Republic of Moldova,
a multidimensional instrument of support allowing the international community
to help Moldova. Ambassador Țurcanu promised Bucharest would continue to
actively get involved at European and international levels to muster a robust
financial, technical and political assistance for the Republic of Moldova.

FUNERAL Over 100 thousand Christians on
Thursday attended the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict 16th at the Vatican.
Benedict passed away on December 31, 2022, nearly 10 years after stepping down
from the Holy See. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Rome, Italian
president Sergio Mattarella and Germany’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier,
as well as representatives of royal houses, ministers and international
officials attended the event. Representatives of other Christian churches,
including the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as leaders of other religions
attended the funeral. The Romanian Orthodox Church was represented by the
Romanian Bishop of Italy, Siluan. Pope Francis presided the mass, while
cardinal Giovanni Battista Re was the main celebrant at the altar. The funeral
sermon was delivered by Pope Francis.

(bill & VP)