November 17, 2021

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 17.11.2021, 13:55

Covid-19. Over 3,500 new Covid cases
were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, as well as 350 related
fatalities, including 51 from an earlier date. The incidence rate over the last
fortnight is on the decrease, with the infection rate dropping to 5.03 cases
per 1,000 inhabitants in Bucharest. The vaccination rate remains, however, low.
From the 98,000 people who received the vaccine in the last 24 hours, only
23,000 got their first dose. In another move, non-invasive
test kits are due to arrive in schools these days to begin the testing of
children and teachers. At the moment, almost three quarters of Romanian schools
and kindergartens are holding in-person classes, as only schools with a
vaccination rate among their staff of at least 60% can reopen for in-person
teaching.

Green pass. The Chamber of Deputies’
specialist committees are today resuming debates on a bill to make the Covid
passes compulsory for access to workplace. MPs are divided, and the parties
have submitted a number of amendments to the initial version of the bill. The
Social Democrats are opposed to the Liberals’ proposal that unvaccinated employees
who test positive for Covid must pay for medical services in the event of
hospitalisation. The Liberals also wish to limit to 30 days, instead of the 60
days proposed by the Social Democrats, the period during which unvaccinated
employees can get tested for Covid free of charge.

Politics. Negotiations continue in Bucharest on the
formation of a new government between the National Liberal Party, the Social
Democratic Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.
Talks are now focusing on the governing programme, with differences still to
resolved with respect to justice and finance. The leadership of the Liberal
Party last night agreed to the idea of a rotation government provided the party
makes the first proposal for prime minister. The Social Democrat leader Marcel
Ciolacu also supports this system, but says his party should go first because
it has more MPs.

Book fair. The 28th edition of the
Gaudeamus Book Fair gets under way today exclusively online. Organised by Radio
Romania, this is the longest-standing and most popular event of its kind in
this country. This year, it brings together 70 virtual stands and over 60
different events, including book launches and presentations, all of which are
available online at gaudeamus.ro until 21st of November. Visitors will
be able to purchase books by placing their orders on the virtual shops of
exhibiting publishers. Events are streamed live on the fair’s and the exhibitors’
websites and social media pages.

Tennis. The Romanian-German doubles pair Horia Tecău and Kevin Krawietz also lost their second
match in the Green Group of the ATP Finals tennis tournament held in Turin, in
Italy. They were defeated yesterday by the Croatian-Serbian pair Ivan Dodig and
Filip Polasek in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. In their final group match, Tecău and
Krawietz will be facing the Spanish-Argentine pair Marcel
Granollers-Pujol and Horacio Zeballos on Thursday evening. This is Tecău’s 7th participation in the ATP
Finals, having won the trophy in 2015 together with Jean-Julien Rojer of the
Netherlands. (CM)