Morning headlines – December 14th 2021

Coronavirus and vaccines

• Vaccination in Romania: In the last 24 hours, more than 32.000 people got vaccinated. Totally, more than 7,85 million people got the vaccine, with more than 7,65 getting both doses and 1,80 of them getting the third dose.
• Coronavirus in Romania: In the last 24 hours, there were recorded 494 new SARS CoV-2 cases, 45 deaths, and in ICU there are now 690 people hospitalized.

Global politico-military events

• Clouds of war over Europe. The European Union warned Russia on Monday that it would respond with severe economic sanctions to a military offensive in Ukraine after Putin dislocated more than 100,000 troops at the border and demanded written assurances that NATO would not expand eastward. (CNN)
• Turkey warns Bosnian Serbs not to form theri own militia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that a vote by Serbian lawmakers to begin withdrawing Republika Srpska from Bosnia and Herzegovina's armed forces, judiciary and tax system was dangerous and could threaten regional stability. The initiative belongs to Serbian President Milorad Dodik, who said he will form his own militia and has Russia's support. (Reuters)
• The United States is urging China to end aggression in the Indo-Pacific region. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on China on Tuesday, in Jakarta, to end its aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region, while being on its first Southeast Asian tour. (AP)
• The first Israeli prime minister in the United Arab Emirates. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met in Abu Dhabi on Monday with the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. (AP)
• The EU has imposed sanctions on the Russian mercenaries company. The European Union imposed sanctions on Russia's Wagner Group and three individuals, on Monday, for clandestine military activities in Ukraine, Syria, Libya and other African countries. (Mediafax)
• Russia says it has arrested a Ukrainian-led neo-Nazi group. Authorities in Russia announced on Monday the arrest of more than 100 members of a neo-Nazi group allegedly backed by Ukraine in the context of tensions with the neighboring state. Kiev denies any involvement. (Le Figaro)
• Tunisian president extends parliamentary suspension for another year. Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday extended the suspension of parliament, which he decided in July 2021 by assuming full powers, until the legislative elections in December 2022. (AP)
• Emmanuel Macron met with V4 leaders in Budapest. The French president visited Budapest on Monday to attend the summit of the Visegrad countries (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia), during which he held bilateral talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an opponent of Macron in European policy. (Hotnews)

Romania's defense and security

• The Russian Embassy in Bucharest has invited some Romanian mayors at the embassy to ask them not to listen to the journalists’ false criticism of Russia. At the end of last week, several mayors and deputy mayors from across the country met with the Russian ambassador to Romania, Valeri Kuzmin, who, in the context of tensions on the Ukrainian border, called them to talk about "bilateral cooperation". However, according to a statement posted on the Embassy's Facebook page, Valeri Kuzmin asked, among other things, the Romanian mayors to treat "critically the false accusations" of the journalists against Russia. (Digi24)
• The first gas supplies from the Black Sea will arrive in 2022. The first quantities of natural gas from the Black Sea will come in 2026 for the perimeter owned by OMV Petrom and Romgaz, and from the perimeter leased by Black Sea Oil & Gas the gases will come in 2022, he said on Monday the Minister of Energy Virgil Popescu. In the case of Black Sea Oil & Gas, it is one billion cubic meters per year. (Mediafax)