Talks about easing restrictions

Romania would like to restart its economy, but lifting containment measures will be gradual, experts say.

Corina Cristea, 22.04.2020, 13:50

In Romania, the most optimistic estimate for relaxing the restrictions designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus is mid-May, Bucharest says. Traffic has been restricted for five weeks now, with Romanians confined to their homes and only allowed to go out to buy food and medicines or for other emergencies. Not many of them are still going to work, to ensure the operation of vital sectors. Schools have been closed since March 11, and shops, except for the ones selling necessary items, are also temporarily closed down. So are restaurants, cafes and the like. And all these measures introduced across the country have an impact on the economy.

Under these circumstances, good news, in whatever area, would be a breath of fresh air for everybody. A piece of good news came on Tuesday from President Iohannis. At the end of a meeting with the prime minister, some of his Cabinet members and the head of the Department for Emergencies, he announced that “the time has come to think about a relaxation plan, when conditions will have been met.

Klaus Iohannis: “A presidential order is currently in force, concerning the state of emergency, which is due to end on May 15. So after May 15, if the number of infected people drops, if the number of deaths caused by the virus drops, if we all comply with the measures introduced by the authorities and things look up, we will be able to ease these restrictions. I would like to warn you from the very beginning however that this will be done step by step, rather than all at once, because experts tell us that the virus will not just go away, so we will have to continue to live with some restrictions in place. But these things will be determined by politicians, by the government, based on scientific and medical evidence.

So we are talking about a gradual lifting of containment measures, as of May 15 at the soonest and only if healthcare data clearly prove that the worst is over and things can be kept under control. And when the relaxation period begins, the responsibility of each and every citizen will increase, the President also warned:

Klaus Iohannis: “It is equally important for us to understand now, after having completed an important stage in this pandemic, to understand that relaxation means the authorities will be less involved in our lives and that, more than before, responsibility will be in your own hands, dear Romanians.

Romania is still on an uptrend in terms of the number of cases and deaths, the Healthcare Minister Nelu Tătaru cautioned in his turn, adding that a possible lifting of restrictions can only be discussed after an assessment due to be completed next month.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)