July 15, 2020 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 15.07.2020, 20:35

ALERT The State of Alert in effect in Romania until July 16th will be
prolonged for 30 more days, the country’s president Klaus Iohannis announced on
Wednesday at the end of a government meeting on managing the health crisis sparked
off by the novel coronavirus. The Romanian president specified that no more
restrictions would be added to the already existing ones, as well as no
relaxation measures. Authorities in Romania have announced 641 new infections and
21 fatalities. The total number of infections has exceeded 34 thousand and the death
toll stands at almost two thousand. 249 patients are in intensive care units
and roughly 22 thousand patients have been cured.

RESTRICTIONS As of Wednesday, Greece no longer allows visitors coming by car to
enter its territory without producing a negative COVID-19 test. Tests must be
carried out in licensed laboratories, 72 hours before entering the Greek soil
and certificates must be issued in English. Hungary has also imposed
restrictions for citizens coming from the so-called yellow or red areas. Romania
is in the first category, and its citizens will undergo medical checks at the
border. If they show no sign of infection, they will be allowed access on the
Hungarian territory, but they will have to stay under quarantine or isolation
for 14 days, with the exception of those who present two consecutive negative
COVID-19 tests. In keeping with the new regulations in force, crossing Hungary
is allowed only on special corridors. Romanians are also on the list of
restrictions in Austria. Thus, direct flights to
Austria will be suspended beginning July 16, following a decision of the
Austrian authorities. This is also valid for another nine states, among which
Bulgaria, Moldova and countries from the Western Balkans.

GROWTH Data provided by the
National Institute of Statistics shows the beginning of economic growth in
Romania, Economy Minister Florin Citu said on Tuesday. He also said that the
recovery started quicker than expected and pleaded for a further
massive allocation of budget resources towards investment. Romania is among the
EU countries with the strongest advance of industrial production in the month
of May as compared with April, being on 5th place after Italy, France, Slovakia
and Hungary.

PLAGIARISM The High Court of
Cassation and Justice in Bucharest on Tuesday dismissed a request by the former
Social Democrat PM Victor Ponta, leader of Pro Romania party at present, to cancel
the education minister’s order from 2016, through which his PhD in law was
withdrawn due to plagiarism. The National Council for Attesting University
Titles, Diplomas, and Certificates found in late-June 2016 that the plagiarism
allegations against the former PM were justified and asked the education
minister to withdraw Ponta’s PhD. The former Prime Minister opened two legal cases
asking for the cancellation of the minister’s order, but they have both been
dismissed.

(translated by bill)