July 10, 2020

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

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Newsroom, 10.07.2020, 14:04

COVID-19 Due to the rising number of Covid infections in
Romania, some countries like Malta, Finland and Norway are banning the access
of the Romanians to their territories, whereas others are imposing quarantine
and isolation at the border. The Netherlands is firmly recommending
self-isolation in the case of visitors from Romania. As of yesterday Austria is
asking all the Romanians willing to enter its territory to produce a medical
certificate in English or German not older than four days proving they test
negative for SARS-COV-2. In the absence of such a certificate the Romanians
must self-isolate themselves for 14 days. Britain has made a list with safe
countries from the point of view of Covid infection, which does not include
Romania, so citizens from Romania must also self-isolate themselves for two
weeks. Authorities from Hungary have announced they will re-check the rules
regarding the access of citizens from neighboring countries registering an
increase in the number of infections. Authorities in Greece have also voiced
concern regarding the rising number of infections in the Balkans and the
government might re-impose public and travel restrictions due to the latest developments.
According to Radio Romania correspondent in Athens, the measures will also
include mandatory tests for visitors entering Greece from Bulgaria.

BILL A bill on quarantine and self-isolation initiated by
the government in Bucharest is currently being debated upon in the
decision-making Senate in Bucharest. The document, which includes a large
number of amendments, was endorsed with a landslide majority by the Chamber of
Deputies yesterday. It regulates a series of necessary temporary measures in
the field of public safety in situations of high epidemiological and biological
hazard with a view to preventing and limiting contagion on the national
territory. The executive has resorted to the move after the Constitutional
Court decided that self-isolation, quarantine and hospitalization cannot be
imposed through a ministry order even in the case of infected persons. Judges
believe the aforementioned procedures are infringing upon individual rights and
liberties and imposing some restrictive measures must be done only under a law
clearly regulating these restrictions. On Friday Romania reported a fresh high
number of infections 592, which brings the total number up to 31,400. About
22,800 people have been cured and discharged from hospital whereas 1847 died.
The number of Romanian infected abroad exceeded 51 hundred with a death toll of
122.

FOOTBALL FCSB, a football side from Bucharest, in southern Romania,
and Sepsi OSK, from Sfantu Gheorghe, in central Romania on July 22nd
will be playing on neutral ground, in Ploiesti, the finals of Romania’s Cup. On
Thursday night, in the semifinals, Sepsi secured a 3-0 away win against Poli
Iasi after a 5-1 home win in the first game. In the other semifinal game FCSB
eliminated Dinamo Bucharest after a 3-0 away win and 1-0 home victory. Last
month also saw the resumption of the domestic championship interrupted in March
due to the Covid pandemic. Universitatea Craiova is at the top of the table
followed by champions CFR Cluj and FCSB. All the football games in Romania are
taking place without spectators.

PROTESTS Thousands of anti-government protesters took to the
streets of Bulgarian capital Sofia on Thursday night in spite of interdiction
to call for the resignation of centre-to-right Prime Minister Boiko Borisov and
the general prosecutor. The protest came after a series of searches conducted
at the presidency headquarters by prosecutors and police, which the protesters believed as masterminded by the ruling power. The protesters say that instead of
focusing on the oligarchy, the justice is harassing the president. According to
Radio Romania correspondent in Bulgaria, the neighboring country is practically
facing a severe crisis in which for the first time a left-right front of the
political opposition is taking on the government.

(translated by bill)