January 9, 2023

SCHOOLS Schools and kindergartens reopened in Romania today after the winter break, among seasonal flu and viral respiratory infection alerts. The authorities call on parents not to send their kids to school if they have symptoms. The education and health ministries have taken measures and issued guidelines to prevent the transmission of respiratory viruses. 

GOVERNMENT The government of Romania is considering a number of projects for the forthcoming period, which have already been agreed on within the ruling coalition, the PM Nicolae Ciucă announced. Healthcare, education and investments, including the targets and benchmarks undertaken under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, are the main areas to receive special attention. The government posted for public debate a draft resolution on master's, Ph. D, post-doctoral and research grants abroad. In terms of healthcare system improvements, the proposed measures include hospital revamping using EU funds.

UNEMPLOYMENT The unemployment rate in Romania dropped slightly, from 5.5% in October to 5.4% in November, according to data made public today by the National Statistics Institute. The number of unemployed people aged between 15 and 74 estimated for November 2022 was 447,700, down from the 453,200 reported for the previous month and from the 450,000 reported for November 2021. The unemployment rate is 0.9% higher among men (5.8% for men and 4.9% for women). Unemployment among youth under 24 remains at a worrying 22.9%, the INS warns. The number of unemployed people aged 25 to 74 accounted for 74.3% of the total number estimated for November 2022.

CULTURE The first event in the series devoted to "Timişoara - European Capital of Culture in 2023" takes place today, when the vice-president of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, will hand over this official title in a ceremony held at the Acropolis Museum in Athens. This year, the city of Timişoara in western Romania is one of the 3 European capitals of culture, alongside Elefsina in Greece and Veszprém in Hungary. The official opening of the event is scheduled for February 17 to 19, and throughout the year as many as 50 shows, concerts, exhibitions and other cultural events will bring together more than 2,500 artists from Romania and abroad. Timişoara is included in a top of the best places to visit put together by the British daily "The Independent". The publication recommends Timişoara's Baroque buildings and historical squares, as well as art exhibitions, classical music concerts and jazz festivals. The mayor Dominic Fritz said this year's priority is to attract both tourists, and investors.

BORDERS As many as 302,000 people and over 75,000 vehicles crossed into and out of Romania on Sunday. More than 92,700 people entered Romanian territory, including 6,880 Ukrainian nationals. This brings the total number of Ukrainian citizens having entered Romania since February 2022 to over 3.27 million. Border checks are conducted efficiently at all checkpoints, in line with the national and EU legislation, and the Border Police are working at full capacity, the authorities announced.

UKRAINE Wars like the one in Ukraine, where civilian areas are subjected to indiscriminate destruction, are "a crime against God and humanity", Pope Francis said on Monday. In his annual speech to diplomats accredited to the Vatican, the Pope spoke about "the war in Ukraine, with its wake of death and destruction, with its attacks on civil infrastructures that cause lives to be lost not only from gunfire and acts of violence, but also from hunger and freezing cold." Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are withstanding constant Russian attacks on Bakhmut and other towns in the east of Donbas, the Ukrainian authorities announced today. "Bakhmut is holding out against all odds," president Volodymyr Zelensky said in his Sunday address. The nearby town of Soledar is also holding out, "Although there is even more destruction there and it is extremely hard," he added.

TENNIS The Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea (43 WTA) was defeated today by Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil (156 WTA), 7-6, 6-1, in the first round of the Adelaide International 2 (WTA 500) tournament in Australia.Another Romanian, Irina Begu, will play in the main draw against Australia's Storm Hunter. Begu reached the semi-finals of the Adelaide International 1(WTA 500), where she lost to the winner of the tournament, Arina Sabalenka of Belarus. (AMP)