RODICA

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Friday, at a meeting with leaders of the Romanian Association of Banks (ARB), that the success of the economic rebuilding plan lies in the partnership with the financial and banking systems.

Eight crossing points are currently operational at Romania's western border for customs checking both coming in and out of Romania for individuals and haulers, according to Romania's General Inspectorate of Border Police (IGPF).

Acting president of the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) Mirel Talos is optimistic that the events scheduled for this fall will be organised live, remarking the Institute's capacity to adapt during the pandemic and diversify the online promotion of Romanian intellectual values.

Five more persons infected with the novel coronavirus have died, the COVID-19 death toll in Romania thus reaching 1,156, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed on Thursday. It is about three men and two women aged between 45 and 66. AGERPRES (RO - author: Roberto Stan, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - editor: Rodica State)

Romania's defence spending of two percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for ten years should be found increasingly more in investments in the Romanian industry, in modern production facilities and highly qualified jobs created in the country, National Defence Minister Nicolae Ciuca said on Thursday.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban had talks with officials of the Federation of Romanian Haulage Operators on how to conduct the haulage business in compliance with the health safety rules established as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to assist the sector.

Chief Prosecutor with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) Crin Bologa announced on Thursday that anti-corruption prosecutors have registered 33 cases in connection with the award of healthcare procurement contracts during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) informs that 156 Romanian citizens and two foreign citizens who reside in Romania but were on Italian territory were repatriated to the country on Wednesday evening, with a special air charter.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban had a meeting on Thursday, in a videoconference system, with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, occasion on which the Polish Development Fund model was presented, with the talks on this topic to be continued at the level of expert teams of Romania and Poland.

Minister for Youth and Sport Ionut Stroe told AGERPRES on Thursday that there will not be just one sport where competitions will be resumed in the first phase, but several, having so far received requests for football, cycling, motoring and motorcycling.