Simona Klodnischi

President Klaus Iohannis, speaking today at the decoration ceremony of U.S. ambassador to Romania, Adrian Zuckerman, said that Romania remains a strong ally and a trusted friend of the United States of America.

More than three-quarters of Romanians consider schools should reopen on February 8, reveals a nationwide barometer poll conducted by the Avangarde Social and Behavioral Studies Group (GSSC). The poll found that 77 percent of Romanians believe that schools should reopen on February 8, 16 percent take an opposite view, and 7 percent do not know or didn't answer the question.

For the 2021 budget blueprint, the government examines the situation of bonuses in the public sector to see which of them are justified, Prime Minister Florin Citu declared on Thursday, announcing also that the Wage Law would undergo amendments for inequities in the public system to be ironed out.

Romania's COVID-19 death toll hit 16,969 following another 88 coronavirus-related fatalities in the past 24 hours, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informs today. Of these, one death was in the 30 - 39 years age range, seven were in the 50 - 59 age range, 24 in the 60 - 69 age range, 39 fatalities were in the 70 - 79 age range and 17 in the 80+ age group.

President Klaus Iohannis sent today to Justice Minister Stelian Ion the request for the start of the criminal investigation of former Prime Minister and former Senate Chairman Calin Popescu-Tariceanu.

Discussions are being held with representatives of the civil society, included, regarding the issue of demolishing the walls around the Parliament Palace, Senate President Anca Dragu told an interview for AGERPRES. According to Anca Dragu, this is a larger 'opening up' project, which goes 'beyond the physicality of the wall's demolition'.

The National Committee for Emergency Situations adopted on Monday the decision regarding the 30-day extension, starting January 13, of the state of alert in Romania as well as of the specific measures to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection that have been in force until now. The decision will be submitted to the government for approval in Tuesday's meeting.

Romania's SARS-CoV-2 caseload increased by 1,987 in the last 24 hours following 7,005 tests performed nationwide, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) reports on Monday. These are all cases that have not previously had a positive test, the GCS states. As of today there were 673,271 cases of novel coronavirus infection confirmed in Romania, of which 600,710 were declared cured.

The fourth installment of 150,150 Pfizer BioNTech vaccine doses arrived today in Romania by air at the airports of Otopeni, Cluj-Napoca and Timisoara, the National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV) informs.

MEP Iuliu Winkler (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania, EPP), speaking today in the western city of Deva, said that in 2021 - 2022 Romania will be able to access double the financial resources available in the last two years, advising in this context an efficient management of these funds.