Politico: Romanians look to church for deliverance from fourth virus wave

Romania’s vaccination campaign started with a bang — it was among the most rapid EU vaccinators in the early part of 2021 — but soon fizzled out. August data shows just 25 percent of the population is fully vaccinated while new first-dose appointments have almost ground to a halt. Rural areas are especially lagging, Politico writes.

With fears mounting of a deadly wave that could revisit the skyrocketing rates of last fall and winter, politicians are turning to the Romanian Orthodox Church for help. But the keepers of the faith have so far been ambivalent about promoting vaccines. Some high-ranking church figures have openly promoted vaccine skepticism and conspiracy theories.

Meanwhile, Patriarch Daniel, the 70-year-old leader of the church, refuses to discuss his vaccine status despite the fact some of his colleagues have died from COVID-19 — not to mention his own risk due to age.

In Romania, the skeptics constitute about 59 percent of the population, according to a May survey from Eurofound. Uptake has been so bad that the government sold 1.17 million doses to Denmark and another 1 million to Ireland, while closing multiple vaccination centers, writes Politico.

Croatia one step away from visa-free travel to USA

The US has taken one of the last steps towards eliminating visas for Croatia. “Today I nominated Croatia to join the Visa Waiver Program. This step towards visa-free travel recognizes Croatia’s tremendous progress to meet the rigorous standards for participant countries. We look forward to an even stronger U.S.-Croatia relationship,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote on Twitter.

This development has been expected since the beginning of 2021 when it was announced that the US visa refusal rate to Croatian citizens had dropped below 3% - to 2.69%, which is one of the conditions for joining the visa-waiver programme. The US has a visa regime with 4 countries of the EU – Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Cyprus, Croatian state TV HRT reports.

Members of Serbian President’s inner circle file criminal complaint against him so as to exonerate him

Milos Vucevic, deputy to President Aleksandar Vucic in the ruling Serbian Progressive Party has filed a criminal complaint against the head of state over mafia connections. In his announcement Vucevic explains that the complaint was filed to prove the innocence of the Serbian leader.

“I filed a claim against Aleksandar Vucic and against Aleksandar Vulin (Interior Minister). The claim is drawn up in such a way as to investigate whether there exist connections between the state and the Belivuk clan,” Vucevic said.

Information had previously been made public that Veljko Belivuk – leader of a criminal group suspected of several brutal murders, extortion, abduction and drug trafficking - had disclosed, to the prosecutor’s office the connections he has to Serbia’s President Alwksandar Vucic and other people at the top of the Serbian Progressive Party, BGNES reports.

New constitution of Turkey does not envisage dismissal of President

The ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey is ready with a draft constitution. It gives citizens the right to submit bills to parliament while MPs will be able to dismiss cabinet ministers and the vice president, Sabah newspaper writes. But for a dismissal an absolute majority of 3/5ths will be required. No direct vote of confidence in the president is envisaged because, according to the head of state’s constitutional advisors “in the presidential system the president is elected directly by the people and receives a vote of confidence from the people”.

President Recep Erdogan declared on 1 February, 2021, that it was time Turkey had a new constitution to replace the old one created during the military regime in the country in 1982. On 5 August, Recep Erdogan urged his fellow party members to go to every house and home and explain to citizens the advantages of the future new constitution.

Crisis situation in North Macedonia due to multiple fires

The government of North Macedonia has declared a 30-day state of crisis over the increasing number of wildfires and for preventing their spread.

“The decision for a crisis situation was taken in view of the need of the rational utilization of the national resources and coordinated action by all institutions concerned due to the increasing number of wildfires and for preventing their spread,” reads the government announcement. According to Sitel TV the fire situation changes literally by the minute and the authorities prohibited all movement of citizens in woodland and forested areas. Firefighters and equipment from Serbia, Bulgaria and Slovenia have joined the efforts to extinguish the fires.

Compiled by Ivo Ivanov