June 18, 2020

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP - Romania's President Klaus Iohannis is today taking part in an Eastern Partnership videoconference. The meeting is chaired by European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. Attending are heads of state and government from the EU27 in addition to the six partner states in the region: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The agenda will focus on three main topics: cooperation and solidarity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, reasserting the strategic importance of the Eastern Partnership and its core values as well as the Partnership's achievements and long-term goals. President Iohannis will be calling for a firm and continued commitment from the EU in its Eastern Neighborhood, which based on the partner states' visible progress in the field of reforms, can become a stable, predictable and prosperous space, compatible with European values and principles, the Presidency informs. In another move, the President on Friday is attending the European Council meeting, also held in videoconference format. The agenda will include the Economic Recovery Plan and the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework recently proposed by the European Commission, the negotiation process for the future relations between the European Union and Great Britain, as well as foreign policy topics.

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA - The number of confirmed infections continues to rise in Romania. Another 320 cases have been reported since the last update, taking the total number of infected to 23.080. Over 16.300 people have recovered and 1.473 have died. 178 patients are now in intensive care. According to Health Minister Nelu Tataru, the rise in the number of cases is the result of several measures aimed at easing lockdown restrictions. On the other hand, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said theatres and restaurants in Romania, will be reopened "whenever the epidemiological context allows it". Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said that, for the time being, the authorities don't know how the situation will evolve, and has called on everyone to remain vigilant and strictly observe the regulations.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD - Some 8.4 million people around the world have been infected with COVID-19, with the global death toll standing at some 451 thousand, considering over 4.4 million people infected with SARS CoV2 have recovered, worldometers.info reports. America totals some 4 million cases, followed by Europe with 2.5 million, the Middle East with over 800 thousand and Southeastern Asia with over half a million infections. According to BBC surveys, over 130.000 people worldwide have died to the virus on top of officially reported fatalities. The World Health Organization has announced its plans to restrict the clinical treatment of COVID patients using hydroxychloroquine. WHO experts have concluded that this medicine, commonly used to prevent malaria, has no impact in reducing mortality rates.

PENSIONS - Parliament is today debating and voting a draft law on taxing the so-called special pensions, which was yesterday approved in the Chamber of Deputies. The vote is necessary as the document also refers to the special pensions of MPs. Romanian deputies decided to levy a tax on the difference between the special pension and the regular contribution-based pension. Therefore a 10% tax will be levied on pensions ranging between €400 and €1.450, while any pension above this mark will be subject to an 85% tax.

NATO - Romanian Defense Minister Nicolae Ciuca attended a NATO ministerial videoconference, on which occasion he reiterated his call on NATO to increase its contribution to projects in the Black Sea, a region of strategic importance to NATO. According to a Defense Ministry release, NATO Defense Ministers reviewed progress in implementing NATO's deterrence and defense actions, with a focus on the ramifications generated by Russia's development of dual-capable missile systems. In this respect, NATO sanctioned a package of political and military adjustment measures, reiterating its firm commitment towards arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament efforts.

(Translated by V. Palcu)