Restrictions and protests

On Sunday evening, the new restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus took effect. In areas with an incidence rate exceeding 4 cases per thousand inhabitants the nighttime curfew will start at 8 PM from Fridays through Sundays, instead of 10 PM for the other week days. On weekends, stores will close at 6 PM. The measures will apply over the course of the entire week in areas with an incidence rate exceeding 7.5 per thousand inhabitants. Gyms will be shut down and will reopen only when the incidence rate falls below 3.5. Meanwhile, the Government is planning harsher sanctions for businesses repeatedly violating COVID-related measures. A draft law targeting nightclubs and restaurants is expected to be adopted this week. Interior Minister Lucian Bode says the Government wants people to observe anti-COVID measures.

"I've said it before and I'm saying it again, our goal is not to sanction citizens and economic operators. The Interior Ministry's goal is to limit the spread of the pandemic".

The authorities' decisions have been lately perceived as illogical and abusive, some Romanians starting to lose patience. On Sunday, after midnight, as the new measures took effect, thousands of people took to the streets in large cities, voicing their disgruntlement.

"They're locking us down in our homes like dogs".

"We're protesting for our freedom and our right to go out, because we have the right to be free. They have no right to take that away from us! No one has!"

"We're protesting all these measures. They are laughing at us. We voted for them, we put them there and what do they do? They lock us down like rats".

"Freedom", "Don't stay at home, or you'll die alone", "No restrictions" were some of the slogans shouted out on the streets of Bucharest, Sibiu, Arad, Galați, Constanța or Brăila. The protesters criticized the way the Government designed the curfew and called for new jobs, the reopening of schools, restaurants and gyms, also demanding the healthcare system be improved to help more people struggling with COVID-19. People also shouted anti-Government slogans and called for the resignations of the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, and Liberal Prime Minister, Florin Cîţu. (V.P.)