Dragnea: Ruling PSD Will Not Lose Parliamentary Majority Due To Recent Party Defections
Liviu Dragnea, head of the ruling Social Democratic Party PSD, said his party will not lose its parliamentary majority following the defections of several social democrats.
Asked about the USR-PLUS alliance, Dragnea said the members of the former communist Securitate set up two political parties: a left-wing party and a right-wing party.
On Sunday, PSD had three reunions – the National Executive Committee and two meetings of parliamentary groups in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate.
Following the recent wave of party defections, the ruling PSD-ALDE coalition is left with 163 MPs in the Lower Chamber, short of the 165 required for a majority. The coalition will have to negotiate support for its bills with Hungarian minority party UDMR and MPs representing other national minorities. (romanialibera.ro)
Flu Epidemic: One More Person Dies As Death Toll Reaches 69
A 41-year old woman from Olt County became the sixty-ninth victim of influenza in the disease’s current season in Romania, according to the National Public Health Institute.
The woman was also suffering from other medical conditions and did not receive flu shots.
Romania’s Health Ministry officially declared a flu epidemic last Wednesday (January 30), following three weeks in which the number of new cases surpassed initial estimates. The ministry instructed hospitals in this context to limit the access of visitors, especially in sections which posed high risks of infection. (adevarul.ro)
Betis Sevilla Defeats Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid fell to their first La Liga defeat in five months as they were beaten 1-0 at Real Betis on Sunday, missing a golden chance to close the gap with leaders Barcelona and slipping six points adrift of the Catalans.
Alvaro Morata made his debut for Atletico after completing a loan move from Chelsea, but it was another former Real Madrid player in Sergio Canales who made the difference. He scored a penalty midway through the second half to give Betis a victory which took them up to sixth in the table.
Atletico had 13 shots at Pau Lopez’s goal, but only managed to hit the target once, losing for the first time in the league since going down to a 2-0 defeat at Celta Vigo on September 1. (romanialibera.ro)