September 1, 2020

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 01.09.2020, 13:55

COVID-19 – 1053
new infections with SARS CoV-2 have been reported in the last 24 hours in
Romania, the Group for Strategic Communication announced earlier today. The
total number of infections is close to 89 thousand. Also today, 60 new
fatalities were reported, taking the death toll to 3.681. 522 patients are in
intensive care. 6.590 Romanians have tested positive for COVID-19 abroad, and
126 have died. According to worldometers.info, 25.6 million cases have been
reported worldwide. The global death toll exceeds 850.000. The World Health
Organization on Monday urged countries around the world to uphold their efforts
to counter the pandemic. WHO General Director, Tedros Ghebreyesus warned that
opening up without control of the virus would be a recipe for disaster. Also
on Monday, the European Regional Office of the WHO and representatives of the
53 member states discussed ways of protecting children after the start of the
new school year. Ensuring proper hand hygiene, physical distancing, the wearing
of face masks and staying at home in case of displaying symptoms are some of
the measures considere. WHO officials pointed out the pandemic is responsible
for the biggest disruption of education systems in history, affecting nearly
1.6 billion students in over 190 countries.

PARLIAMENT – Romanian MPs are today convening in a new session, the last of
the current parliamentary term. The previous session was marked by the COVID-19
pandemic, MPs meeting mostly online. High on the agenda is the budget
adjustment law, already passed by the Government, which will be voted in the
two chambers. Other projects in the fields of healthcare, education and social
protection, aimed at helping the authorities deal with the coronavirus
pandemic, are pending adoption.

LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS – Restaurants, cinemas and theatres are reopening today
with certain health safety provisions in place. Nightclubs and bars remain
closed. Also starting today the number of people attending private events,
training classes and workshops is increased.

ELECTION
– The campaign for the local election due on September 27 continues in Romania.
The authorities have announced the set of regulations candidates and their
teams must observe to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. According to the
Interior Ministry, face masks are compulsory, while all people attending
election events and meetings will undergo triage and will have to sanitize
their hands. Access rules and individual health safety measures will be
publicly displayed. Participants will also have to observe the minimum 1-meter distance.
A maximum of 50 people are admitted for indoor activities for a maximum
duration of 2 hours. In the case of outdoor events, the participation is
limited to a hundred people. Candidates are vying for one of the 41 positions
of presidents of county councils, 3.200 mayor seats, 1.300 county councilmen
and 40.000 local councilmen mandates. Originally slated for June, the local
election was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and the mandates of
elected officials were extended by another six months.

UNEMPLOYMENT
– The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5.4% in July, by 0.1%
higher than in June, the National Statistics Institute announced today. Some
484.000 people aged 15-74 were unemployed in July 2020, more than the previous
month (474.000 people) as well as compared to the same month last year
(362.000). Unemployed adults aged 25-74 accounted for 4.3% of the total
population in July. Gender ratios point to a 4.9% rate for men and 3.6% for
women.

FESTIVAL
– As of Thursday Bucharest is hosting the 6th edition of the
Bucharest International Dance Film Festival. For four days the city will play
host to film screenings, workshops, short-reel contests and conferences
featuring prestigious guests. According to organizers, this year’s theme is
Utopia/Dystopia, aimed as a reflection on the present and exploring the future.
Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain’s latest feature, EMA, will be premiered in the
opening of the festival. Some 32 short-reels from 14 countries around the world
are competing in the three sections – international films, national films and
musicals. Organizers have also prepared a series of events devoted to the film
and dance industry.

GEORGE
ENESCU – The George Enescu prestigious international music contest
continues in Bucharest. Some 205 young musicians from 39 countries are enrolled
in the competition, 184 in the violin, cello and piano sections and 21 in the
composition sections. Total prizes stand at €100.000. The competition is
unfolding mostly online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

TENNIS -
Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea and Mihaela Buzarnescu are today playing
in the first round at the US Open, the first Grand Slam tournament held after
the hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cirstea (77 WTA) is playing
Christina McHale of the United States (75 WTA), while Buzarnescu (122 WTA) will
take on another American, Sloane Stephens (39 WTA). Another Romanian player,
Irina Begu (73 WTA) was knocked out in the first round after losing to
sixth-seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday. Our fourth
representative, Patricia Tig (88 WTA) will play Kurumi Nara of Japan (142 WTA).
Simona Halep, world no. 2, will not take part in the tournament. No player will
represent Romania in the men’s singles. In the men’s doubles, Horia Tecau will
once again team up with Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands, while in the
women’s doubles, Raluca Olaru will play together with Sara Sorribes Tormo of
Spain. The first round in the doubles competitions will be held on Wednesday.

(Translated by V. Palcu)