April 5, 2020 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 05.04.2020, 20:00
MESSAGE – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Sunday called for European unity to tackle the economic consequences of the pandemic. He reiterated his call for “coronabonds”, EU-backed debt instruments, as well as a European Marshall plan of massive public investments. The European Union has so far failed to agree on a plan to share out coronavirus-incurred debt in the form of special bonds, despite pleas from Spain, Italy, France and others. Countries like Germany, Austria and the Netherlands are afraid to assume responsibility for other countries’ debts. The measures taken so far to support the EU economy are a good start, but are insufficient, the Spanish PM said.
COVID ROMANIA — The Bucharest authorities on Saturday passed a new military order, the seventh since the state of emergency was declared in the country over the coronavirus pandemic. The decree places the town of Tandarei, in Ialomita county, under total lockdown, after 800 locals returned home from abroad and failed to observe home isolation regulations. Tandarei is thus the second Romanian town under total quarantine, after Suceava, in the north-east. Also, all commercial flights to and from Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Turkey and Iran have been suspended for 14 days. Flights to and from Italy, Spain, France and Germany had already been suspended. Charter flights for the transport of seasonal workers to other states are still allowed. Under the new military order, the international road transport of people to and from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Ireland, the Netherlands and Turkey will continue to be banned for as long as the state of emergency is in place. As many as 151 people have died from coronavirus in Romania, 3,864 have been infected, of whom 374 have recovered and 141 are in intensive care. Almost 16 thousand people are quarantined at national level and over 109 thousand are in home isolation. 401 Romanian citizens abroad have tested positive for COVID-19 and 27 have died.
PANDEMIC — The death toll from the novel coronavirus has exceeded 65 thousand across the world. Europe, the continent most affected by the virus, with three thirds of the total deaths, seems to be stagnating, except for the UK which has enforced prevention measures very late. Spain and France have reported a smaller number of hospitalized patients while in Italy the number of critical patients has decreased for the first time. US President Donald Trump has warned the American people to prepare for the most difficult stage of the pandemic, when the number of deaths will be high.
PALM SUNDAY — Palm Sunday, kicking Holy Week events leading to the Catholic Easter was celebrated at the Vatican and in Jerusalem without public participation due to the spread of coronavirus disease. Pope Francis marked Palm Sunday in an empty St. Peter’s Basilica. The religious service was attended by around two dozen people, including a few aides, nuns and a small choir, all practicing social distancing. “The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that life is of no use if not used to serve others. For life is measured by love,” Pope Francis said on Sunday. Palm Sunday mass in Romania was also celebrated in empty churches and broadcast on TV, radio and online. The Church urges everyone during this pandemic to discover the beauty and plenitude of prayer, praying with their loved ones in their churches at home, with their families, the spokesman of the Roman-Catholic Diocese in Bucharest, Father Francisc Dobos said. This year Roman-Catholic Christians celebrate Easter on April 12, while Orthodox Christians on April 19.
NATO – NATO Day was celebrated on Sunday, April the 5th. On that occasion, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said in a message that NATO made possible the consolidation of security at regional and global level and created the premises for activities conducted jointly with the EU in fields of common interest. Romania will further act in a coherent and convergent manner together with the other allies, so that NATO continues to be strong and successful, the head of state said. Romania became a NATO member in 2004.
GOVERNMENT – The Liberal Government in Bucharest is preparing the first budget revision this year. On Monday, Government members will discuss about redirecting important funds to the healthcare system and to supporting companies at risk in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Ministers will also discuss about giving bonuses to the medical staff treating patients infected with coronavirus. More than 180 thousand Romanians have been made redundant and almost 900 thousand have suspended labour contracts over the pandemic, according to data supplied by the Labour Ministry. The Government has already decided that employees with suspended labour contracts might receive a technical unemployment allowance.
WEATHER — The coronavirus pandemic also influences the accuracy of weather forecasts. Thus, the World Meteorological Organisation has signaled the fact that it receives insufficient data to draw up weather forecasts, given the fact that important information regarding global temperatures and wind are supplied by commercial flights, whose number has decreased significantly. (translated by Elena Enache)
