April 4, 2020 UPDATE

DECREE - Authorities in Bucharest on Saturday passed a new military decree, the seventh since the onset of the state of emergency called due to the spread of the coronavirus in Romania. Under the new decree, total quarantine has been declared in the town of Tandarei, Ialomita County, after some 800 locals returned home from abroad and did not observe home isolation regulations. Starting 23:00 on Saturday, all commercial flights inbound and outbound to Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Turkey and Iran are suspended.  Flight connections had been already cut off with Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Charter flights addressing the transport of seasonal workers to other states are permitted. Another provision in the decree refers to the extension of the period of suspension for international road transport of people to and from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Ireland, the Netherlands and Turkey all throughout the state of emergency. According to the latest figures, the death toll in Romania has reached 140. The number of infections stands at 3,613, of whom 329 people have recovered. 119 patients are in intensive care. Some 15,000 people are quarantined at national level and over 113,000 are in home isolation. Two hospitals in the northeast were fully or partially shut down, respectively, for a period of 14 days, for decontamination, after over 100 medical staff tested positive for COVID-19. 317 Romanian citizens abroad have tested positive for COVID-19 and 26 have died.

CORONAVIRUS IN THE WORLD - The global death toll for the coronavirus has exceeded 60,000. The World Health Organization says over 200 countries and territories are currently being affected. The most serious situation is in the United States, which reports a quarter of the total number of infections, and in Europe, the continent with the largest number of deaths. The WHO warns that COVID-19 might seriously hit Japan next, unless this country takes swift prevention measures. In Europe, the number of infections in Spain has exceeded that of Italy, and is reporting 11,000 dead. Italy instead is reporting decreasing number of infections, and the death toll is closing in on 15,000. France reports the third-largest number of victims, over 6,500.

RECESSION -The coronavirus pandemic has brought the global economy to a standstill and plunged the world into a recession that will be "way worse" than the global financial crisis a decade ago, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. The IMF official called on advanced economies to step up their efforts to help emerging markets and developing countries survive the economic and health impact of the pandemic. A similar message was delivered by World Bank President, David Malpass. The European Commission and the European Investment Bank have green-lit the disbursement of 700 million euros to the agri-food sector as part of the Investment Plan for Europe. The program will help maintain and create new jobs in rural areas. The Commission has announced a temporary suspension of customs taxes and VAT for medical and protection imports from outside the EU, which will ease pressure on public spending for national governments.

LEGISLATION - Parliament on Friday passed three bills regarding the suspension of the bank loan payments, technical unemployment and fiscal measures aimed at helping individuals and businesses. The plenary session was held online and MPs voted via telephone. Under the first bill, initiated by the Social Democrats, bank loan payments can be suspended on demand, without interest rates or penalties. The Social-Democrats say the document will correct errors in the emergency decree passed by the Liberal Government. The Liberals, in power, say they will refer the bill to the Constitutional Court, saying it is a populist measure that piles up pressure on the state budget. The Liberals will also challenge the bill that postpones the payment of social security contributions and utility bills for a period of three months, which addresses people who have filed for technical unemployment benefits. All parties in Parliament voted the bill that proposes the payment of an allowance tantamount to 75% of the base salary of employees affected by the reduction or suspension of activity.

PALM SUNDAY - Catholic Christians worldwide are celebrating Palm Sunday, marking the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, where the crowd welcomed him holding palm branches. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last week of Lent, also known as Holy Week, when Christians prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. This year, due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, masses in Romania as well as in other countries will be celebrated in empty churches and broadcast on TV, radio or online. The Church urges everyone during this pandemic to discover the beauty and plenitude of prayer, praying with our loved ones in our churches at home, with our families, the spokesman of the Roman-Catholic Diocese in Bucharest, Father Francisc Dobos has said, adding that the situation is not ideal, but is the best possible one. "By uniting in spirit via various means of communication, television, radio or the Internet, we stay together with Christ", Francisc Dobos added. This year Roman-Catholic Christians celebrate Easter on April 12, while Orthodox Christians on April 19.  

(Translated by V. Palcu)