August 25, 2021

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 25.08.2021, 13:55

LAW The Romanian government is to pass
today an emergency draft on curbing the effect of plastics over the
environment. The move is actually aimed at implementing the European
legislation at national level. So under the new law, the sale of a series of
single-use plastic products, such as dishes, cotton buds, plastic straws and
other products made from expanded polystyrene will be banned. Also high on the
government’s agenda are two memorandums for granting state aid to companies,
which incurred losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Two transport companies to
benefit the law are Romania’s railway company CFR and the country’s main air
carrier Tarom.

CSAT The head of the Romanian state, Klaus
Iohannis has summoned the country’s Higher Defence Council (CSAT) for talks
over the security situation in Afghanistan and its implications for Romania.
Over 45 Romanian nationals have been evacuated from that country since the
beginning of the crisis. President Iohannis has pledged that Romania will carry
on efforts to also evacuate the Afghan citizens who supported the Romanian
troops in Afghanistan, students who have been granted scholarships in Romania
and those who are in a vulnerable situation. Romania and other countries are
making efforts to assist those vulnerable as their access to the international
airport in Kabul is becoming increasingly difficult. A petition with more than
22 thousand signatures calling on the Romanian authorities to grant visas to
the Afghan citizens who cooperated with Romania and NATO has been forwarded to
CSAT and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The signatories say that Romania must
grant visas to the Afghan citizens exposed to Taliban violence, such as human
rights activists, journalists, magistrates, teachers and students.

COVID-19 The physician in charge of Romania’s
vaccine rollout, Valeriu Gheorghita has confirmed that Romania is facing the
fourth wave of the pandemic and the Delta variant is to become dominant.
According to Health Minister Ioana Mihaila, the intensity of this fourth wave
depends on the number of those vaccinated. Mihaila says her Ministry has
increased the number of beds in ICUs and the personnel trained to intervene in
difficult cases. The Health Ministry has announced that textile masks will be
banned in schools and universities where only medical masks will be allowed.
782 new infections were reported in Romania on Tuesday out of 40 thousand
tests. 14 of those infected have died and 205 patients are being treated in
ICUs.

CELEBRATION Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis on Friday will go to the neighboring Republic of Moldova to
participate in the celebration of 30 years of independence by this ex-soviet
Romanian-speaking country. The events will involve the participation of the
country’s president Maia Sandu and her counterparts from Ukraine, Volodimir
Zelenski and Poland, Andrzej Duda. Created on a part of Romania’s eastern
territories, annexed by the Soviet Union through an ultimatum in 1940, the
Republic of Moldova won its independence after the abortive coup in Moscow
against the then Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbacheev. Adopted on August 27th
1991 by Parliament in Chisinau, the declaration of independence was recognized
by Romania on the same day. The Republic of Moldova got international
recognition on March 2nd 1992 upon its entry into the United Nations
Organisation.

TENNIS Another three Romanians are on
the main draw of the US Open, the year’s last Grand Slam tournament. Irina Bara
will be up against Caroline Dolhide of the USA, Gabriela Talaba will be playing
Robin Andreson, while Irina Fetecau will be playing Ana Konjuh of Croatia.
Yesterday four other players from Romania, Gabriela Ruse, Jaqueline Cristian,
Mihaela Buzarnescu and Monica Niculescu won their matches in the qualifying
rounds. Ruse will be playing Kurumi Nara of Japan, Cristian will be up against
Francesca Jones of Britain, Buzarnescu will take on Jule Niemeier of Germany
and Monica Niculescu will be playing Samantha Murry Sharan of Britain. The
women’s draw also includes five Romanians, Simona Halep, Sorana Cirstea, Irina
Begu, Patricia Tig and Ana Bogdan.

(bill)