The Week in Review (17-23 May)

State of alert replaces 2-month long state of emergency

The state of emergency imposed over the Covid-19 pandemic and which lasted two months was replaced in Romania by a state of alert. The minority Liberal government in Bucharest adopted an order in this respect that was then also passed by Parliament. The government now has all the legal instruments, including the ability to levy fines, to protect people's health and lives, as prime minister Ludovic Orban put it. Among other measures, wearing a face mask is now obligatory in enclosed public spaces, in shops, at work and on public transport. 

Public gatherings, demonstrations, processions and concerts, as well groups larger than three persons are all banned. Out-of-town travel is only allowed for specific reasons and people must sign a written declaration in advance stating the destination and purpose of travel. Following amendments in Parliament, the legislation also stipulates that the government must supply the local authorities with face masks to be distributed to the disadvantaged persons. Under a subsequent government order, 2.3 million people are to receive 50 face masks each. 

How the population respects state of alert restrictions

People in Romania welcomed the end of the state of emergency and the entering of a less restrictive phase. They started leaving their homes as soon as they were able to do so, with parks becoming overcrowded as a result. Viral images circulated on social media from Herastrau park in Bucharest where many young people were partying without respecting physical distancing and without wearing any face covering. Border crossing points in western Romania were also very busy, both for leaving and entering the country. The queues formed by the cars waiting to cross the borders stretched for kilometres. Religious gatherings are again permitted after two months in which churches held services behind closed doors. The first day after restrictions were eased also saw the first protest, attended by hundreds of people who accused the government of violating the Constitution, confusion in the management of the current health crisis and the economic situation and of giving fines abusively during the state of emergency. 

The Romanian economy post-pandemic

Answering questions in the Chamber of Deputies, prime minister Ludovic Orban this week told MPs that his cabinet is working on an economic recovery plan, being reassured by the fact that Romania saw the highest economic growth level in the European Union in the first quarter of the year. The opposition believes, however, that the government's economic policy shows a lack of solutions. 

A cold shower came from Brussels. In its economic forecast for Romania, the European Commission says that if the current policies are maintained, the country's budget deficit will reach 9.2% of GDP this year and 11.4% next year and that economic recession is in sight. Among other measures, the Commission recommends supporting the economy in the form of liquidities, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises and independent workers, and expanding social protection measures. The EU Council has already approved a regulation to put into practice the so-called SURE programme by which Brussels supports the employment measures proposed by European governments. According to the Romanian labour minister, over 600,000 employment contracts had been suspended and almost 400,000 terminated in Romania by 21st May. 

Romanian seasonal workers abroad

Romanian labour minister Violeta Alexandru had talks in Berlin with her federal counterpart Hubertus Heil and the German minister for food and agriculture Julia Klockner about the situation of the Romanian seasonal workers. Alexandru urged the latter to report the violation of their rights when this occurs. Minister Hubertus Heil admitted that the mass infection with the novel coronavirus at a number of German abattoirs employing Romanian workers is unacceptable and that Romanian workers must enjoy the same rights to social protection, security and health as the German workers. The Romanian and German officials signed a joint declaration of intention on expanding cooperation in the areas of labour and social policy. 

With the coronavirus pandemic in full swing, many Romanians left the country to work abroad, especially in agriculture. Around 30,000 people have travelled to western Europe for this purpose in the last two months. One of the most controversial episodes took place on the night of 8th of April, when some 2,000 workers left for Germany to harvest asparagus. When they got there, they complained about the difficult working and living conditions. It is still not clear if their departure was facilitated by the authorities or if thousands of people organised their own bus trips and charter flights and left, during one night, from Suceava, which was quarantined, to Germany. (CM)