March 2, 2022
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 02.03.2022, 14:34
COVID-19 Romanias Health Minister Alexandru Rafila has come up with a series of proposals regarding the new relaxation measures against the sharp drop in the number of Covid-19 infections of late. Lifting mask mandates in outdoor spaces, free access to shopping centers, hotels, restaurants or public institutions, allowing cinemas, sports centers and other entertainment facilities to function at full capacity are some of the measures presently being considered by the Romanian authorities. Minister Rafila expects the situation to improve in the following weeks and the daily infection rate to go under one thousand. Romania has reported less than 7 thousand infections on Wednesday and the number of patients under treatment in hospitals has also dropped significantly.
TROOPS During a phone call last night, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis thanked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for the presence of the French troops in Romania. According to the French ambassador in Bucharest, Laurence Auer, the 235- strong contingent will not be rotated but stay here for a longer period of time in order to contribute to the security of the Romanian territory. The French battalion is the first ground element of NATO Response Force (NRF) deployed to Romania, following a decision by the North-Atlantic Council on February 25th. 500 French and 300 Belgian servicemen, part of the NRF, are to join their Romanian counterparts in order to strengthen the Alliances eastern flank. In another development, Romanian Defence Minister Nicolae Ciuca talked over the phone with the US vice-president Kamala Harris about the security situation in the region. Mrs. Harris thanked Romania for the support offered to the Ukrainian refugees and the head of the Romanian Executive thanked the USA for having increased the number of troops in Romania. The countrys Defence Minister Vasile Dincu is expected to meet his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht at airbase 57 in Mihail Kogalniceanu. 75 German servicemen (pilots and technicians) have been deployed to Romania as well as 6 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters presently involved in Enhanced Air Policing missions under NATO command. The Italian embassy in Bucharest has today announced Italys intention to double the number of its jet fighters involved in this mission in Romania to eight.
UKRAINE Refugees from Ukraine, mainly women and children are still arriving in Romania in attempt to avoid the war currently plaguing that country. 11 thousand Ukrainian nationals have arrived in Romania, out of whom 70 thousand have already left for other countries in the West. Volunteers from all over Romania have joined the efforts of providing support to the refugees and donation campaigns have been staged in various regions. Authorities in Romania are also trying to provide proper accommodation to all the refugees coming from the neighboring Ukraine. UNICEF experts are cooperating with their local counterparts at Romanias borders with Ukraine to provide assistance and counseling to war refugees.
UKRAINE U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday pledged that Russias Vladimir Putin will pay over the long run even if he makes gains on the battlefield in Ukraine. In the state of the Union address, the US president has given assurances that the US forces will not engage in the conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine and announced that the US joined its allies closing the American air space to Russian planes. Biden pledges the US justice will punish all the illegalities committed by the Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders adding that the USA and other 30 countries have agreed to release oil from the strategic reserves to blunt prices. Authorities in Ukraines second largest city, Kharkiv, have announced that Russian missile attacks have hit residential areas, killing and wounding people.
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