The
\ngovernment in Bucharest has decided to extend the state of alert for 30 more
\ndays. However, it is for Parliament to take the final decision on that.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nCOVID-19 outbreak in Romania resulted in a two-month state of emergency and
\nanother period of time when the state of alert has been officially ruled
\nthroughout the country. Immediately afterwards, the Government in Bucharest has
\ndecided to keep part of the restrictions in place and lift other restrictions,
\nbeginning June17, for another 30 days. In other words, quite unlike their
\nfellow citizens across the European Union, all Romanians will still have to
\nwait before they can return to the life they had before the COVID-19 outbreak,
\na life free of any kind of restriction! The State Secretary with the Interior
\nMinistry Raed Arafat has made public the reasons why such a decision has been
\ntaken by the Government.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Raed Arafat:<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We may have a downward curb of the outbreak, yet there are nonetheless
\nsigns the situation may get worse any time and we may have at least serious hotbeds or even a more difficult situation,
\nunless compensatory measures are complied with, which have already been made public,
\nthat is the wearing of protection masks, maintaining the physical distance, the
\nepidemiological screening in enclosed areas, wearing protection masks while on
\npublic transport means..<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To put
\nit differently, the wearing of protection masks in enclosed areas remains
\nmandatory, and so are the frequent hygiene of the hands and maintaining the
\nphysical distance. However, workout is resumed in gym halls, with the required
\nsanitary precautions in place. Shops in malls will be opened, but cinema
\ntheaters and children’s playgrounds stay closed. Indoor divine services are
\nallowed, provided churchgoers have their protection mask on and physical
\ndistance is observed. No more than 20 participants are allowed to take part in
\nindoor private events, while no more than 50 people will take part in such
\nevents outdoors. Opened again will be the bookmakers’ and the gambling areas.
\nAlso, a list will be published every week, including the destination countries
\nfor which flights will be resumed and the foreign countries Romanian citizens
\nmay come from, without being placed in lock-down any longer. The law stipulates
\nthat, under the circumstances, it is for Parliament to finally rule on the
\ndecisions taken by the Government. The opposition Social Democratic Party, the
\nmost numerous political group in Parliament, has already made public the fact
\nthat they would not vote the extension of the state of alert for 30 days, but
\nonly for 15 days. Moreover, the Social Democrats want the bill to be voted into
\nlaw by Parliament to clearly stipulate hospitals must treat patients suffering
\nfrom chronic diseases. We recall that many such patients had a lot to suffer from and some of them even lost their lives since in the past three months the
\nactivity has been drastically restricted in non-Covid hospitals throughout the
\ncountry. The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, took a
\nbroadside at Liberal Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, because of the latter’s
\nflawed communication with the Parliament. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Marcel Ciolacu:<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I don’t understand why Mr. Orban did not join us for specific talks on
\nthe issue. There are several European models available, it’s not for us to
\nreinvent the wheel. Local administrations may be allowed to take the liberty to
\nimplement such models. We only create the legislative framework and afterwards,
\nthe authorities can adjust their measures in keeping with the number of cases
\nand the situation reported for every county.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There
\nis an official five-day time span for Parliament to give its consent or turn
\ndown the Government’s suggestion to extend the sate of alert throughout the
\ncountry for another 30 days. <\/p>\n
( Translation by Eugen Nasta)<\/p>\n
\n
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