June 22, 2020 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 22.06.2020, 20:00
Coronavirus RO — In Romania, another 11 people infected with COVID-19 have died in the past 24 hours, the Strategic Communication Group announced. Also in the past 24 hours 246 new cases of infection have been identified as compared to the 315 announced on Sunday. The total number of infections is nearing 24,300, with 1,523 deaths being reported. In another move another 5 states — Italy, Finland, Estonia, Ireland and France were added by the Romanian authorities to the list of countries excepted from the enforcement of quarantine or isolation measures. Flights to and from these countries can be resumed from all of Romania’s airports. The assessment of these countries was made according to the average number of new cases reported in the past 14 days, namely less than 5 cases in one million inhabitants.
COVID-19 world — The WHO has warned that the coronavirus pandemic continues to accelerate and its economic effects and other consequences are going to be felt for many decades from now. The WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has denounced the lack of solidarity and global authority which, in his opinion, were exacerbated by the politicization of the pandemic, adding that the virus cannot be defeated in a divided world. The number of infections worldwide has exceeded 9 million, with about 470 thousand people dead and 4.8 million recovered.
NATO — Romania could boost the American military presence on its territory, and the Mihail Kogalniceanu base (south east) is ideal for an expeditionary military unit — said the NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana. He also said that the increase in the number of US troops could be justified in the context in which Russia continues to substantially consolidate its military capabilities in the Black Sea region.
Dismissal — The ruling National Liberal Party on Monday submitted to Parliament a request related to the dismissal of Renate Weber from the position of Ombudsman. They accuse her of overstepping her authority by notifying the Constitutional Court against the taxation of the so-called special pensions. They add that through this move Renate Weber is actually protecting her own special pension which she is entitled to as Ombudsman. Renate Weber announced she had nothing to say about the Liberal’s move and that she was waiting for the parliamentary procedure to take its course. The leftist opposition, dominating Parliament, announced they did not support Renate Weber’s dismissal.
Motion — The Chamber of Deputies is debating, on Tuesday, the simple motion initiated by the Social Democrats against the Liberal health minister Nelu Tataru. The Social Democrats accuse him of having failed to properly manage the health crisis, thus placing Romania on top position in a classification of countries from Central and Eastern Europe rated according to the number of COVID-19 deaths reported in one million inhabitants. The motion signatories also claim that the health ministry is preventing people with chronic diseases from getting specialized treatment. The vote on the motion is scheduled for Wednesday, in the Chamber’s plenary meeting. Previously, Parliament had adopted other simple motions against Liberal ministers but the passing of these motions does not entail the dismissal of the respective ministers.
Baccalaureate – As many as 135 thousand pupils on Monday sat for the Romanian language and literature exam, the first one within the Baccalaureate examination — the Education Ministry officials announced. 3,643 were absent. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic exams are held in special conditions. The first results will be announced on June 30 and the final ones on July 5, without disclosing the names of the candidates. Just as was the case with secondary school graduates, 12th graders who could not take the exam now, will be allowed to take the Baccalaureate exam in a special session.
Banks — The banks from Romania have so far dealt with 90% of the customer requests regarding the suspension of monthly loan payments. According to a communiqué of the Romanian Association of Banks in the first 3 months since the onset of the pandemic customers have submitted 362 thousand requests. Of the ones approved by June 15, more than 60% were dealt with and almost 40% were solved based on the support measures adopted by banks as of March. 41 thousand requests are still to be solved, and are currently being processed, the cited source announced.
Repatriations — The Romanian Foreign Ministry informs that, on Saturday and Sunday, 394 Romanian citizens were repatriated from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain and Tunisia. The action was part of the joint effort of the Foreign, Interior and Transport Ministries aimed at facilitating the return home of the Romanian citizens from abroad who were affected by the measures restricting air traffic in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These people could no longer extend their stay on the territory of those respective states.
Theater — The first special online edition of the Sibiu International Theater Festival ‘The power to believe/Empowered’, which came to an end on Sunday evening, reported 217,918 unique viewers and 804,328 views for 10 days, the organizers announced in a press release on Monday. Held exclusively online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Festival featured 138 events from 30 countries that could be watched online on the festival’s official website www.sibfest.ro, Facebook page and YouTube channel. The biggest performing arts festival in central and eastern Europe has provided viewers with 250 hours of theater, dance, music, circus, conferences, debates, reading shows, as well as shows for children. (translation by Lacramioara Simion)
