Adina Panaitescu

Parliament has adopted on Thursday President Klaus Iohannis' decree on the establishment of the state of emergency on Romania's territory for a 30-day period. Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marcel Ciolacu announced that the decision to approve the measure adopted by Romania's President on the establishment of the state of emergency on the entire territory of Romania was unanimously approved.

Parliament gathers at 12,00hrs on Thursday in a joint online session, devoted to the President Klaus Iohannis' request on the approval of the state of emergency on Romania's territory, established under decree no 195/2020.

The National Public Health Institute (INSP) has been designated as the authority in charge with monitoring testing and the integrated reporting of the situations generated by the novel coronavirus, head of the Department for Emergency Situations with the Interior Ministry (MAI), Secretary of State Raed Arafat said on Tuesday evening.

The Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informs that a number of 184 cases of persons infected with the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been registered on Romania's territory until Tuesday. "Other 16 new cases of infection have been registered, as follows: 7 in Iasi, 2 in Suceava, 2 in Neamt and one each in Ialomita, Mures, Botosani, Bistrita Nasaud and Vrancea Counties.

Several buses with Romanians coming from Germany have been halted for a few hours at the entrance to Romania through the Nadlac II Border Crossing Point, for the medical triage of the passengers. The buses arrived on the night of Sunday to Monday and are still at the border.

The Strategic Communication Group (GCS) announces on Thursday evening seven new cases of coronavirus, their number nationwide thus reaching 59. One of them is a man, aged 53, from Covasna, who is said to have come from Trentino, Italy, on March 8 and self-isolated at home, a contact with a positive case. The other six persons are from Hunedoara, GCS points out.

Acting PM Ludovic Orban said on Thursday evening that hospitals that have ICU sections and the capacity to provide treatment to deal with a possible increase in the number of patients infected with the new coronavirus should be prepared. "Another thing that is related to the preparation of the hospital network, to receive patients.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu highlighted, at a meeting with ambassadors of EU member states in Bucharest, the need for the immediate actions to focus on ensuring a proper medical response to the COVID-19 spreading all over the EU.

Florin Citu has resigned as PM-designate, the Presidential Administration announced on Thursday. National Liberal Party (PNL) MPs leader Florin Roman said on Thursday that the gesture of the PM-designate, Florin Citu, of filing his resignation is one "of great responsibility," pointing out that the latter had consulted the colleagues in the party before taking this step.

The International Greek Language Day celebration, which took place at the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic to Romania on Thursday evening, was devoted to the personality of Latin literature professor Liviu Franga, a dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures of the University of Bucharest, and included a conference on the influence of the Greek language on the Latin language held