December 13, 2021

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 13.12.2021, 13:55

Covid.19. Romania recoded today 494
new Covid cases and 45 new deaths, including 8 from an earlier date. Over 7.6
million people are fully vaccinated in Romania to date, while almost 1.8 million have
already had the booster shot. Arrivals to Romania from red-list non-EU
countries and who are not fully jabbed or have not had the infection are now
ordered to isolate for 10 days if they present a Covid nagative test result on
entering the country and for 14 days if they have not conducted a Covid test.

Certificate. The leaders of the ruling coalition
in Romania, formed by the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party
and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, are today resuming
talks on a bill regulating the use of the Covid pass in the workplace drafted
by health minister Alexandru Rafila.
The Liberals’ leader Florin Cîţu said he was opposed to providing unlimited
free testing for those who refuse vaccination and that the state should only
cover the cost of testing for 45 days. In response, Rafila accused Cîţu of
political spin and said he only drafted a proposal that will be debated. The
Covid pass certifies that a person is fully jabbed or has recovered from the
coronavirus infection.

EU. Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu is today attending a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. EU ministers are expected to exchange views on a number of topical issues, such as the latest developments regarding Ukraine, and the situation in Belarus, Varosha, in Cyprus, and Ethiopia. According to a foreign ministry statement, the Romanian minister will reiterate concern with regard to the security situation in Ukraine’s neighbourhood and in the Black Sea area and emphasise the need for the EU to prepare an adequate response and adopt a united and firm stance. Russia’s military build-up near the border with Ukraine has sparked at a lot of concern European and trans-Atlantic level. With respect to Belarus, EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the deterioration of the internal situation and the weaponisation of migration by the regime on the EU’s eastern border. The talks in Brussels are also tackling the Union’s relations with Africa, Central Asia and Venezuela.

Transnistria. The
Romanian foreign ministry said Romania does not recognise the legitimacy of
Sunday’s elections in the breakaway pro-Russian region of Transnistria, in the
east of the majority Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova. In a statement, it
also reiterated its support for a comprehensive, peaceful and sustainable
solution of the conflict in keeping with international law, respect for
Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally
recognised borders and without affecting its European path. The Moldovan
authorities also described the elections in Transnistria as illegal.
Transnistria de facto broke away from Moldova in 1992 following an armed
conflict in which hundreds of people were killed and which only ended with the
intervention of the Russian troops on the side of the separatists.

Handball. The Romanian women’s handball side
will be facing Sweden tonight in their final match at the World Championship in
Spain. With two wins and two losses, Romania are fourth in their group with 4
points, after The Netherlands and Norway, with 7 points each, and Sweden, who
have 6. Only the two best-ranked sides advance to the quarterfinals. Romania’s
star player Cristina Neagu did not travel to Spain, as she decided not to play
for the national side this year. Romania, who have never missed a world
championship, won the title in 1962, the silver in 1973 and 2005 and the bronze
in 2015. At the previous world championship, hosted by Japan in 2019, Romania
finished in 12th place. (CM)