August 6, 2023 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 06.08.2023, 20:00

WAR President Klaus Iohannis Sunday released a message occasioned by
the centennial of the War Heroes Mausoleum in Mărăşeşti (east). The president
points out in the message that in the most important battle of the 1917 campaign
in World War I, in Mărăşeşti, the Romanian Army with support from the Allies
managed to stop the offensive of the Central Powers and stabilised the front
line for the rest of the war. Construction works on the Mausoleum, erected in
memory of the over 5,000 officers and soldiers who died then, started on August
6, 1923, at the initiative of the Romanian Orthodox Women Society, and ended in
1938. The president’s message also says that the current military conflict in
Ukraine is a reminder of the horrors of war and of the duty to strengthen
Romania’s resilience and defence capacity. A NATO and EU member state, Romania is
at present a pillar of regional stability, a major security provider in
South-Eastern Europe, and it benefits from the most reliable security
guarantees in its history, Klaus Iohannis also says in his message.

HEALTHCARE The task group entrusted with drawing up Romania’s
healthcare digitisation strategy had a first meeting in Bucharest on Sunday. According
to the line minister, Alexandru Rafila, electronic and information technologies
will improve Romanians’ access to healthcare services, will help reduce errors
and optimise management and resource planning in the sector. Calls for
proposals have already been opened for the introduction of electronic
technologies in 200 hospitals and the National Health Insurance Agency, and in
mid-August further calls will be opened for the development of the national
telemedicine system. Romania can spend EUR 400 mln for the digitisation of the public
healthcare sector, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

FIRES The Romanian
fire-fighters deployed to Greece worked on Saturday and Sunday together with
their Greek colleagues to put out a fire in the Aragonitis area, around 55 km
from the village of Vilia, in the region of Attica, the General Inspectorate
for Emergencies announced. According to the institution, at the request of the
Greek liaison officers, the Romanian unit supported the Greek fire-fighters
with 4 fire engines, personnel rotating every 4 hours, and additional lighting
equipment. Scores of Romanian fire-fighters have already taken part, over the
past few weeks, in similar missions to support the Greek authorities manage
extensive wildfires.

CATHOLICS The South
Korean capital city Seoul will host the next edition of World Youth Day, in
2027, Pope Francis announced on Sunday during a religious service in Lisbon
held at the end of the 16th edition of the event. Initiated in 1986 by
Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day, the largest international gathering of
Catholic youth, is organised every 2 or 3 years and comprises cultural and
religious events. The 2023 edition, postponed by a year because of the Covid-19
pandemic, brought 1.5 million worshippers to Lisbon, where Pope Francis, 86, Sunday
concluded a 5-day visit to Portugal, his 42nd international trip since his election in 2013.
The World Youth Day editions with the largest numbers of participants were in Manila
in 1995 (5 million people), Rio de Janeiro (3.7 million) and Krakow (3 million).
Around 11% of South Korea’s 52-million population are Catholic.

GAMES Romania came
out 2nd in the Francophonie Games hosted by Kinshasa (Congo), after
Morocco, with a total 17 gold, 9 silver and 12 bronze medals. Third came
Cameroon. On Saturday, the Romanian athletes won 2 medals, a silver and a
bronze, in African wrestling. Romania participated in the Games with 57
athletes, competing in athletics, women’s basketball, freestyle and African
wrestling, road cycling, table tennis and judo. The 9th Francophonie
Games were held between July 28 and August 6. (AMP)