An emergency government order was issued, providing for an entry form for travelers to Romania. Minister of Health Alexandru Rafila said that the document is not meant to hinder travel, but to allow for quick identification of contacts for people infected with COVID-19. The measure comes into effect on December 20. This type of document is already in use in 18 EU member states. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Romania has had 1.8 million cases of infection so far, and about 58,000 infected people have died. Against the background of an anti-vaccination campaign, fomented by a part of the media, along with some politicians and public figures, the country has the second lowest immunization rate of the 27 EU members.
2022 budget
The executive in Bucharest has submitted for public debate the budget and social insurance bills for next year, which Parliament will hopefully vote into law before the winter holidays. The bill provides for higher pensions, allocations, and indemnities, introduced this week. At the same time, an announcement was made that wages in the public system will be frozen, with the exception of social assistance and health, and that the issuance of special pensions for local elected officials will be postponed for another year. Special health social insurance will be paid for pensions over 4,000 Lei, about 800 Euro. Micro-enterprises with turnover between 500,000 and one million Euro will be taxed at a rate of 16% of income, as opposed to 1% so far. The government commits to not raising taxes, and fighting tax evasion more efficiently. The opposition has been critical of many of these decisions, while police and healthcare unions resumed protests against the government's social and wage policies.
The first government resignation in Bucharest
Romanian Minister of Research, Liberal Florin Roman, has resigned, as announced on Wednesday by the press office of the government. Previously, both the USR and AUR, the opposition center-right and nationalist parties respectively, had called for his resignation. He was denounced by the parties for falsifying his resume and for plagiarism in his graduate thesis. Roman's resignation is the first in the new coalition government, which took office less than a month ago. The research ministry portfolio was taken temporarily by Minister of Energy, Liberal Virgil Popescu.
HCR delays changes
The Higher Council of Magistrates of Romania voted by a majority for the current president, Bogdan Mateescu, to hold this position as interim even after his term runs out. Previously, the judge section of the HCR had rejected two candidates for the presidential position, Andreea Chis and Gabriela Baltag. The present term of the leadership of the council is one year, and it runs out on January 6. According to the Constitution, the HCR guarantees the independence of the justice system.
Brussels discusses the Republic of Moldova
EU member states have to recognize and respect the aspirations for integration of the Eastern Partnership member state, as well as their free and sovereign elections, said the president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis. He was speaking at the Brussels summit of the 27 with heads of state and government in the ex-Soviet republics of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. According to the president, the EU must focus on enhancing cooperation and support for eastern partners in terms of security. At the same time, he called on Brussels for support for the Republic of Moldova in its pro-European ascension, as it now has a decidedly pro-Western government and president, Maia Sandu.
Election shenanigans in a phantom republic
The Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that it does not recognize the legitimacy of the Sunday elections in the pro-Russian breakaway republic of Transdnestr, in the east of the Republic of Moldova. The diplomats in Bucharest reiterate their support for a sweeping, peaceful, and sustainable settlement of the Transdnestr conflict. A ministry press release states that this should be done in compliance with international law, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, within its internationally recognized borders, without impeding its European future. Transdnestr de facto broke away from the central authority in 1992, after an armed struggle which left hundreds dead, which was then settled by the intervention of Russian troops fighting on the side of the rebels.
Romania in the world handball championships
Romania's national women's handball team finished in 13th place in the world handball championships held in Spain. They were supported in all their games by numerous compatriots, settled in Spain or who came from Romania to support them. The national squad had three victories, against Iran, Kazakhstan, and Puerto Rico, and suffered three defeats, facing Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The team, selected by Adrian Vasile, was missing top player Cristina Neagu, declared four times best player in the world, who has decided to take a break from the national team this year. Romania, who has never missed a world championship finals, won the gold in 1962, silver in 1973 and 2005, and the bronze in 2015. They also won the bronze in the European championships of 2010.