A roundup of local and international news.
Covid-19 update. Romania reported almost 29,000 new Covid cases today, as well as 110 related fatalities, including two from an earlier date. The positive rate hit 32.5, while the fortnightly incidence rate in Bucharest passed 28 cases per 1,000 inhabitants, the highest to date. The health ministry official Adriana Pistol says the reproduction number has decreased, but that there will still be rises in the number of infections. She said Romania adopted the EU rule according to which the validity of the Covid certificate for travel within the EU is nine months without the booster shot. In Romania, the Covid certificate for travellers who have had the booster shot is valid until end of the year, with the EU yet to make a decision in this regard. When entering Romania, unvaccinated travellers must produce a negative Covid test result valid for 72 hours or proof of recovery from infection in the last 180 days.
Migrants. 2021 saw an increase in the number of migrants trying to cross illegally into Romania from Bulgaria, in the south. Most migrants came from Syria, Turkey and Afghanistan. Illegal arrivals grew by 280% compared with 2020, amid restrictions to fight the Covid pandemic. According to the regional border police, the migrants' guides come from countries like Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria, as well as Romania.
Corruption. Mihai Chirica, the Liberal mayor of Iaşi, Romania's second largest city, was indicted for fraud and instigation to usurpation of office. He is under investigation together with the former Social Democrat deputy mayor Gabriel Harabagiu for initiating and signing documents for the building of an apartment block that was built and registered illegally. The Save Romania Union, in opposition, called on the Liberal Party to sack Chirica as soon as possible, and for early local elections to be held.
Rugby. Romania defeated Russia on Saturday at home 34-25 in their first match in the Rugby Europe Championship, the second most important continental competition after the Six Nations Championship. The match also counts towards the qualification for the World Cup, to be hosted by France, with the sides finishing in the top two positions in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the Rugby Europe Championship to go straight to the final tournament and the third ranked side to go into playoffs. After their win against Russia, Romania consolidated their second-place position, after Georgia. Romania will next be playing Portugal, again at home.
Swimming. The Romanian swimmer Avram Iancu won the World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year Award. Last year, he swam 26 km upstream on the Danube river, finishing in 18 hours and a half. He is the first Romanian to win this award. In the last eight years, he also swam across the English Channel without wearing a wetsuit, swam the length of the Danube, from its spring to its mouth in the Danube Delta and has set several endurance records. (CM)
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