Romanian Christian Orthodox Church celebrates Maundy Thursday
Romanian Christian Orthodox worshippers celebrate the Maundy Thursday on April 5. Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) is the Christian holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter. It commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the canonical gospels.This meal is the last time Jesus spends with his disciples and he tells them what is to happen. It is the fifth day of the Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday.
On this day alone during Holy Week, the fast is relaxed to permit consumption of wine and oil.
Romania’s Academy expected to elect its new president
Romania’s Academy is expected to elect its new president on Thursday. The remaining candidates for the position include Dr. Bogdan Simionescu, currently vicepresindent of the academy with a PhD in chemistry, historian Ioan Aurel Pop, Rector of the Babeş-Bolyai Univesity in the Romanian Transylvanian town of Cluj Napoca, and Victor Voicu, Major Geeral of the Romanian Army, a medical doctor and pharmacologist, currently the academy’s secretary general. A fourth candidate, agronomist Cristian Hera, currently acting presindent of the academy, withdrew from the race for health reasons. The elections come after physicist Ionel Valentin Vlad, former president of the institution, passed away in December last year.
INS statistics changed
Romania’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) issued a review of figures concerning the country’s economic growth on Thursday. According to new data, the country’s growth hit 6.9 percent, which is one point lower than the previous 7 percent released earlier. In real terms, Romania’s GDP in Q4 2017 was by 0.5%1 higher as compared to Q3 of the same year. Romania’s GDP for Q1 2018, “flash” estimates will be published in a press release on May 14, 2018. Romania’s National Institute of Statistics (INS) is the main producer of official statistics in Romania. Its activities include the census of population, economic censuses and a number of social, economic and environmental surveys and analyses. INS is by far the largest producer of statistical information in Romania, and is an active member of the European Statistical System, coordinated by Eurostat.
Protests at Marius Nasta Institute in Bucharest
Some 50 nurses at the Marius Nasta Pneumo-phthisical Instiute in the capital Bucharest raised their protest for a second day on Thursday as they claimed their wages were expected to be some 1,000 lower after the „benefits” they were supposed to receive in the coming days. While working in dangerous conditions with TB and HIV/AIDS pacients, the wages will be lower by RON 1,000 or even more, protesters say. The cuts also stemmed from a change in the monthly bonuses protesters were expected to get on top of what they earned at the previous pay scale.
Alexandru Danga/adanga
