May 27, 2021

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 27.05.2021, 13:55

Vaccination. Romanian prime minister Florin Cîţu today attended the launch of a public information campaign
on Covid vaccination. Comprising of 11 different ads targeting different categories
of public, the campaign is based on the idea of the vaccination is a form of solidarity
and a way for the whole society to return to normalcy. Since the start
of the vaccine rollout in Romania in late December last year, more than 4.2
million people received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, while over 3.3
million people are fully vaccinated. Today, Romania recorded 307 new infections
and 39 new fatalities, while almost 500 Covid patients are in intensive care.

EU. Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu is today attending a
meeting of EU foreign ministers in Gymnich format held as part of the
Portuguese presidency of the Council of the EU. According to a statement from
the Romanian foreign ministry, talks are focusing on the protracted conflicts
in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood, a subject included on the agenda at
Romania’s proposal, the EU-Africa relations and the EU’s strategic vision for
the Indo-Pacific region. The EU ministers are also having an informal meeting
with Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi. Also in Lisbon, Romanian defence
minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă is attending on Thursday
and Friday an informal meeting of his counterparts in the EU. Talks, which are also
attended by NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, are focusing on the stage
and progress of the EU-NATO partnership in light of the reflection processes
undertaken by the two organisations, the Strategic Compass and NATO 2030.
Friday’s talks will be looking at the EU-Africa partnership for peace and
security and will also be attended by representatives of African regional
organisations and of the United Nations.

Romania-Moldova.
Romania is the biggest trade and investment partner of the neighbouring
Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking
population, while Moldova is Romania’s 6th biggest non-EU trade
partner and its 34th biggest investment partner, said Romanian
economy minister Claudiu
Năsui at a business conference entitled The Republic of Moldova – a
destination for Romanian investments held online by the National Union of
Romanian Employers and the Association of Romanian Investors in the Republic of
Moldova. The minister said bilateral trade already began to make up for the 12%
loss recorded last year because of the pandemic, while trade exchanges grew by
8.4% in the first quarter of the year. The minister also said it was time to
make better use of the opportunities provided by Romania’s EU membership and Moldova’s
free trade agreements with the Community of Independent States by placing goods
and services manufactured jointly on these markets. Năsui also said Romania
will continue to support Moldova in the west, especially in Brussels, and that
he hopes the latter will make progress in its democratic reforms and path
towards joining the European Union, the only way to ensure prosperity and
security for its citizens.

Government. The Romanian government is today discussing a draft emergency
order to supplement support measures for employees and employers affected by
the pandemic. As a result, some 5,000 persons may benefit from an allowance
amounting to 41.5% of their average gross income, a sum that will be granted
until the end of June. Also today, the government is expected to adopt a bill
establishing the areas in which it will be able to issue emergency orders when
Parliament is in recess. The cabinet will also discuss an amendment to the law
regulating the organisation and running of the Romanian police and a draft
order on the adoption of the national strategy for preventing and combating
sexual violence.

Auction. The presidential plane of the communist dictator Nicolae
Ceauşescu, who was tried and executed during the 1989 Revolution, was put up
for auction today for a reserve price of 25,000 euros. The first passenger
aircraft built in Romania, Rombac 1-11 was unveiled publicly in August 1982
before carrying out its first official flight in autumn that year. It first
flew with passengers on board in January 1983 on the Bucharest-Timişoara route
and conducted its first international flight in March, to London and back.
Romania thus became the first communist state in the world with the exception of the Soviet Union
to manufacture a passenger jet, whose engines were made in Romania under Rolls
Royce licence. Also up for auction is a plane of the same model used during the
first time in office of president Ion Iliescu, Romania’s first post-communist
leader. This was to be the last Rombac 1-11 aircraft to be built in Romania.

Tennis. Romania’s Sorana Cirstea will be playing 5th
seed Shuai Zhang of China today in the round of last 16 of the Strasbourg
tennis tournament. The match, which was initially scheduled for yesterday, was
postponed because of unfavourable weather. The only match the two played was in
2008 in Cuneo, in Italy, which the Romanian won. Cirstea reached the round of
last 16 after winning against Venus Williams in three sets, which is the first
time Cirstea ever defeated the American player. (CM)