Simona Klodnischi

The National COVID Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV) announced Friday the decision to cancel the suspension of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine batch ABV 2856.

The Chamber of Deputies' Law Committee issued on Thursday a favorable report on an amended version of the bill dismantling the Section for the Investigation of Judicial Crimes. The vote on the bill was 17 to 11.AGERPRES (RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Simona Klodnischi, editor: Maria Voican)

Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna said that during the meeting this Wednesday at the Cotroceni Palace, President Klaus Iohannis emphasized the importance of the Health Ministry and Minister Vlad Voiculescu getting full support in the context of the measures that need to be taken against the pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna discussed today with European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova, focusing mainly on the future Rule of law Report on Romania and Romania's progress towards closing the process of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM).

The Senate rejected today by a vote of 55 to 72 and one abstention the simple motion against Economy Minister Claudiu Nasui, titled "Romania in agony, with Nasui at Economy". The 41 Social Democratic Party (PSD) senators who signed the motion demanded the "immediate" dismissal of Economy Minister Claudiu Nasui. The vote was secret, with balls.

Social Democrat deputy, doctor Alexandru Rafila, said today that in order to hold realistic hopes to return to normal at the end of September, Romania needs to rapidly increase the vaccination pace from 50,000 to 100,000 doses daily, pointing out that in terms of the vaccine rollout performance, Romania has slipped from the 3rd to the 19th position among EU countries.

The Board of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) decided today to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.25 pct per annum, the central bank said in a release. The monetary authority also decided to maintain the deposit facility rate at 0.75 pct per annum and the lending facility rate (Lombard) at 1.75 pct per annum.

Romania's FOB/CIF trade balance deficit stood at 1.193 billion euros this January, by 124.6 million euros less from a year ago, as imports dropped 5.8 percent and exports 4.9 percent, according to data released on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). FOB exports totaled 5.405 billion euros this January, and CIF imports stood at 6.599 billion euros.

Romania's annual inflation rate rose to 3.2 percent in February this year from 2.99 the month before, as non-foods grew by 3.8 percent more expensive, food prices advanced 2.7 percent and service prices 2.32 percent, shows data released on Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). "Year-over-year, February's consumer prices were 3.2 percent higher.

President Klaus Iohannis and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone call today, in preparation for this year's NATO Summit and in the context of the NATO 2030 forward-looking reflection process.