A roundup of domestic and international news
FIRE - A fire broke out on Friday morning at the "Matei Balş" Institute for Infectious Disease in Romania, killing five patients. Several wards burned down in the fire and heavy smoke spread throughout the building. 120 patients were evacuated and transferred to other medical units. So far the cause of the fire remains unknown, but prosecutors have launched a manslaughter investigation. Prime Minister Florin Cîţu has conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and said all the measures are being taken to bring the situation under control. The Prime Minister's Office inquiry team is already conducting its own investigation. Senate Speaker Anca Dragu said the fire is a tragedy that cannot remain without consequence, adding that, once the cause of the fire is ascertained, swift actions are needed to right the wrongs in the healthcare sector. Social-Democrat leader Marcel Ciolacu said he felt shocked, heartbroken and appalled with the Government's lack of action to make sure the tragedy at Piatra Neamţ must not happen again. We recall another fire broke out in November at an IC unit at the Piatra Neamţ Emergency County Hospital which killed 10 people.
COVID-19 IN ROMANIA - Romania's national vaccination campaign is in full swing, with over 534 thousand people immunized so far. Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu has announced Romania is facing a shortage of vaccine doses. The Minister also said certain centers, which immunized people from outside the eligible categories, are to face sanctions. 2,737 new infections were announced on Friday in addition to 91 COVID-related fatalities. Since the outbreak, over 724 thousand people have got infected in Romania and more than 18 thousand died. About one thousand people are currently being treated in IC units.
COVID-19 IN THE WORLD - The infection rate remains high on the continent, putting pressure on medical systems, which is why a relaxation of restrictions would be premature, the WHO Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, has said. The WHO official believes the high rates of infection and the emergence of new strains of the coronavirus have stressed the need for urgently immunizing top-priority categories of people, but the rate of production and distribution of vaccines has fallen short of expectations, for the time being. The vaccination process has started in 35 European states, Director Kluge argues, and some 25 million shots have already been administered. The UK is the first European country to start a national anti-COVID vaccination campaign. In other states, such as the Seychelles, Iceland or Cyprus, authorities announced they would renounce testing and quarantine for travellers who present an international vaccine certificate. Over 102 million infections have been reported globally since the start of the epidemic and over 2.2 million people have died to the virus, the latest worldometers.info update reveals.
EPPO - The Romanian Justice Ministry today is announcing the candidates it selected for the position of EPPO delegate prosecutor in Romania. The prosecutors will be working for the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in their home countries and will have the same responsibilities as national prosecutors in terms of investigations, criminal actions and prosecution. The EPPO will also investigate fraud and other crimes infringing on the EU's financial interests. EPPO will also be investigating crimes with EU-wide effects or crimes perpetrated by civil servants or members of European institutions. We recall Romanian Laura Codruța Kovesi is the head of the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
MOLDOVA - A Romanian delegation on Thursday discussed with Moldovan authorities in Chişinău about technical and legal proceedings needed to deliver the batch of anti-COVID-19 vaccine to Moldova. The batch totals 200,000 doses, in addition to medical and protection equipment required to treat the infected. The assistance package offered by Romania has been announced by President Klaus Iohannis during last month's visit to the Republic of Moldova.
NAVALNY - A Russian court has ruled against the appeal lodged by Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, who demanded his release from prison. A vehement critic of President Vladimir Putin, Navalny took the opportunity to warn the Kremlin, whom he accuses of attempting to assassinate him after poisoning him last year. The police has searched the apartments and offices of people close to Navalny, detaining several people, including Navalny's brother and his associates. Alexey Navalny was arrested on January 17 at the airport shortly after his arrival from Germany, where he was hospitalized and treated for Novichok poisoning. The Russian authorities have denied any involvement in his attempted assassination. The United States requested Navalny be released. (V. Palcu)
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