January 28, 2022
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 28.01.2022, 13:55
UN – The US called Thursday for the United Nations Security Council to hold an open session to address concerns about the threat to international peace represented by the build-up of Russian troops at the Ukrainian border. Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops on its border with the former Soviet republic and is engaging in other destabilizing actions targeting Ukraine, which is a clear threat to the international peace and security and to the United Nations Chart, said the US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Monday is the last day of the Norwegian presidency of the Council, presidency that will be taken over by Russia starting February 1st. Convening a Security Council meeting after this date would complicate things for the US, given that it will be Russia setting Council’s agenda. The West fears another Russian invasion of Ukraine, after the annexation of Crimea in March 2014. Moscow opposes Ukraine’s joining NATO and the Alliance’s further enlargement towards the east and wants a return to the NATO configuration from before the countries in the former communist bloc had joined the Alliance.
UKRAINE – The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said Thursday that he saw no problem for Russia or any other side visiting the military base in Deveselu, in southern Romania, to convince themselves there is no threat to Moscow. He invoked, however, the principle of reciprocity, in keeping with which, NATO members, Romania included, should also be allowed to visit the missile base on the territory of the Russian Federation. Also on Thursday, Bogdan Aurescu discussed with his Bulgarian counterpart, Teodora Genchovska. The two officials expressed their firm commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed about a possible joint visit to Kiev, in sign of solidarity with Ukraine. In another development, Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dincu had a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd J. Austin III, about the security situation at the Black Sea, NATO’s posture on the eastern flank and enhancing the American presence in the region.
OECD — The Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, is today paying a visit to Bucharest, shortly after Romania’s accession negotiations with this body have been opened. PM Ciuca said that, in the presence of the OECD chief, the Economic Study for Romania is launched, a document presenting a radiograph of the country’s social and economic situation which offers solutions that should generate development and wellbeing, on intelligent, sustainable and inclusive grounds. Romania’s accession to the OECD is a strategic goal, after the country’s NATO and EU accession, Ciuca explained. Made up of 32 countries, OECD is an international organisation that debates global economic and social policies, an apolitical association of the strongest economies, tasked with consolidating economy in the member states, perfecting market mechanisms, expanding free trade and contributing to economic development.
CORONAVIRUS — Some 31,724 new infections with Covid-19 in 24 hours have been reported today in Romania, along with 60 deaths, of which two from a previous date. Wednesday saw the largest number of new infections since the onset of the pandemic — 34,255. The number of new cases is expected to go up as of next week, to more than 40,000 a day. Around 8,000 people are treated in hospitals across the country and 730 in intensive care units. 85% of the latter are not vaccinated. A new medicine for the treatment of Covid-19 in the case of patients at risk will reach Romania in the upcoming days. Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila, hopes this medicine, called Molnupiravir, should have a positive impact in the next 10 days and help ease pressure on ICUs and reduce the death toll.
MINISTER – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has today signed the decree appointing Marcel Bolos minister of research, innovation and digitalization, the Presidential Administration announced. Bolos was validated for this post on Thursday, by the Political Bureau of the National Liberal Party (PNL) whose member he is. The position had been vacant since December 2021, when the former minister, Florin Roman, resigned, following accusations of plagiarism in his MA thesis. Marcel Bolos was a minister of European funds in the 2019-2020 Liberal cabinet. (EE)
