September 16, 2020 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 16.09.2020, 19:45

COVID-19 – Romania reports
over 107,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic in late
February. 471 patients are in intensive care, out of nearly 6,900 hospitalized
across the country. So far the death toll stands at 4,285. Meanwhile, 2 days
after the start of a new school year, several schools in the country went into
the so-called red scenario, with all classes held online, after teaching staff
tested positive for Covid-19. In Romania the green scenario involves in-person
classes, and the yellow scenario is a blend of online and face-to-face
teaching. In other news, the Health Ministry announced purchasing double the
amount of flu vaccines compared to last year. Three million vaccine doses will
be given for free, especially to people over 65, to chronic patients,
particularly those with respiratory and heart conditions, to institutionalized
children and elderly, to healthcare personnel and pregnant women.

REPORT – The report of the
Budget and Finance Committees of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate
regarding the budget adjustment law has been approved. The report will next be
submitted to debate and vote in Parliament. Acting on the proposal of the
Social-Democrats, who are currently holding majority in Parliament, MPs in the
Committee repealed the article providing for a 14% increase in the pension
point, which means the law on the public pension system still stands. The
latter stipulates at 40% increase of pensions starting this autumn. MPs also
voted for an increase in the base salaries of teaching staff starting this
year.

ELECTION – President Klaus Iohannis on
Wednesday called on Romanians living in the Diaspora to register for postal
voting for the legislative election, saying there are no guarantees polling
stations would be opened in all countries. Also on Wednesday, the President
ratified a law allowing Romanians abroad to vote for the legislation election
of December over the course of two days. The vote can be extended until
midnight on the second day, but only for those voters inside the polls.
Romania’s Foreign Minister has also recommended to all Romanians residing abroad
to opt for postal voting, the safest and simplest way allowing them to exercise
their constitutional right to vote in the delicate context generated by the
COVID-19 pandemic.

TALKS – Foreign Minister
Bogdan Aurescu on Wednesday had talks with his counterpart from Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides. The two
officials appreciated the level of bilateral relations, expressing an interest
to boost political and diplomatic dialogue as well as sectorial cooperation.
Minister Bogdan Aurescu underlined the importance of the Romanian community in
Cyprus, which represents a bridge between the two countries, hailing
cooperation at the level of the Diaspora, including a Memorandum of
Understanding signed in 2018 in this field, which is yielding real benefits.

FLIGHTS – The Foreign Ministry in
Bucharest announced that commercial flights to and from Poland will resume
starting Wednesday. The measure adopted by Warsaw authorities will be in place
until September 29, as Poland is taking new measures regarding incoming and
outgoing flights in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry also
states that people traveling to Poland from another EU Member States, as well
as from Norway, the Swiss Confederation, the Republic of Iceland and the
Principality of Lichtenstein are still permitted entry to this state without
being subject to other restrictions or special measures such as compulsory
quarantine or self-isolation.

STATE OF THE
UNION – European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday
delivered her first state of the union address before the European Parliament
in Brussels. The coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty it brings is not
over, and the people of Europe are still suffering. It is a period of profound
anxiety for millions, von der Leyen pointed out. The European official
expressed her gratitude towards doctors and nurses and every other worker in
the front line, who are taking risks so others won’t. Ursula von der Leyen
announced the Union will create its own biomedical agency for advanced research
and development, dubbed BARDA. Leyen
said she would call a global health summit, due to take place next year in
Italy. President von der Leyen went on to say that the Green Deal will be the
engine of the EU’s economic recovery, in addition to digitization. The European
official said the Single Market is key to economic recovery, aiming to replace
coal with hydrogen, thus helping achieve a climate-neutral economy. Ursula von
der Leyen also announced the European Commission is proposing to increase the
2030 target for emission reduction to at least 55%.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis
player Simona Halep, world no. 2, on Wednesday got through to the round of 16
at the WTA tournament in Rome, where she is seeded first. Simona defeated
Jasmine Paolini of Italy (99 WTA) 6-3, 6-4. Also in the women’s singles, Irina
Begu (77 WTA) will play Johanna Konta (13 WTA) of Great Britain on Thursday. In
the women’s doubles, Romanian Raluca Olaru and Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany
qualified to the quarterfinals after defeating Miyu Kato of Japan and Sabrina
Santamari of the Untied States, 6-4, 6-3. Also in the doubles, Simona Halep and
Monica Niculescu will play Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara of Japan in the round
of 16. Totaling some €1.7 million dollars, the tournament in Rome is a Premier
5 competition and is unfolding with the full observance of pandemic-prevention
measures.

(Translated by AM Popescu & V. Palcu)