January 19, 2022 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 19.01.2022, 20:09
ENERGY The Executive in Bucharest on Wednesday made it
compulsory to recalculate erroneously issued energy bills by non-compliance
with mechanisms of capping and subsidies. Suppliers have been given 15 days to
operate the necessary changes penalty-free, Energy Minister Virgil Popescu has
announced adding that in order to prevent any possible abuses, for the duration
of the emergency ordinance, it is illegal to go off the grid. The government
has approved a memorandum under which Romania will carry on its technical and
financial assistance to the Romanian-speaking ex-soviet Republic of Moldova in
order to support the latter’s efforts to join the European Union. This support
has recently materialized into a non-reimbursable financial aid of 100 million
euros.
PROGRAM Authorities in Romania on Wednesday launched the National Program for
Combating Cancer in an event attended by president Klaus Iohannis who said the
document has realistic and measurable objectives. According to the Romanian
official, the program lays emphasis on supporting and granting additional
funding to medical investigations. In February 2021, the European Commission
launched the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, allotting €4 billion to finance
cancer prevention, research and treatment programs across the community bloc.
Meanwhile, the Romanian Parliament set up a special task force charged with
transposing the Commission’s plan into national law. Right now, part of the
cancer treatments, lab tests and prevention programs are funded under a
nationwide program.
COVID-19 Authorities in Romania on Wednesday reported
16,610 new Covid-19 infections in addition to 58 related fatalities, of which 2
were prior to the reference period. Half of Romania’s counties are in the
so-called ‘red tier’ with a high infection rate. Since the start of the
pandemic, over 1.9 million Romanians have got infected with the virus and some
60,000 died. Against the backdrop of an anti-vaccination campaign fuelled by
part of the media, a number of politicians and other public figures, Romania
has the second-lowest national vaccination rates at EU level after Bulgaria.
PLAGIARISM The Carol I National University in Bucharest has launched a process
examining the observance of quality and academic standards in the case of Prime
Minister Nicolae Ciucă’s PhD thesis, defended in 2003. The decision follows
revelations and plagiarism allegations from the media. The Prime Minister has
denied the allegations, claiming he observed all legal and academic
requirements. Ciucă is the third head of government facing plagiarism
allegations after Social-Democrats Victor Ponta and Mihai Tudose. Last month
Research Minister Florin Roman resigned after facing similar accusations
regarding his MA thesis.
(bill)
