Germany calls on Romanian Consular Office in Bonn for support on Rheda-Wiedenbruck workers

Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) reported on Sunday evening that the German officials of the North Rhine-Westphalia land had requested support from the Romanian Consular Office for the management of the situation of Romanian workers at a meat processing company in Rheda -Wiedenbruck, where over 1,300 people tested positive for COVID-19.

"A working meeting of the state officials took place today, coordinated by the prime minister of the land and attended by the local Minister of Labour, Health and Social Dialogue Karl-Josef Laumann, district administrator Sven-Georg Adenauer, coordinator of the emergency management committee Thomas Kuhlbusch, representatives of the local administrations, the Department of Public Health and the Consul General of Romania in Bonn. At the meeting, the German local administration officials confirmed that all persons in quarantine have the necessary goods, food and hygiene products provided to them. At the same time, the officials will conduct checks to identify possible deviations from the health safety rules at the slaughterhouse and, if necessary, penalties will be imposed," according to MAE.

Also, according to figures provided by the German local authorities, 5,899 people have been tested so far, of whom 1,331 tested positive for COVID-19.

The Department of Public Health is to communicate updated official data as soon as all persons working with the company are tested. The representatives of the consular office reiterated the request to receive the official figures of the infected Romanian citizens, as well as the identification data of the 17 Romanian citizens who left quarantine on Saturday, with the German side saying that they will be sent as soon as possible.

MAE mentions that, according to the information communicated by the local authorities, a decision was made to partially isolate the city in question, with law enforcement deployed to the area to ensure that the people who tested positive, as well as those waiting for the test result do not leave house or the quarantine area.

At the same time, the German authorities requested the Romanian Consular Office support for appointing a representative to attend future meetings organised by the local administrations to manage the situation and urged the Consular Office to identify healthcare staff among the community of Romanian citizens to assist the efforts of local authorities, taking into account language barriers.

After the meeting, the consul general of Romania in Bonn had a meeting with Romanian workers with the company in question and from other employers, recommending them to follow the measures imposed by the authorities.

MAE also mentions that, so far, no requests for consular assistance at the level of the Romanian Consulate General in Bonn have been received from any of the Romanian citizens who carry out their activity with the said company.

The Consulate General of Romania in Bonn keeps in touch with local authorities, company representatives and Romanian citizens, and is prepared to provide consular assistance, according to the legal remit and in strict compliance with the measures adopted by the German authorities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, MAE shows.

MAE said on Sunday morning that representatives of the Romanian Consulate General in Bonn had taken, as a matter of urgency, steps with the local authorities and the meat processing company in Rheda-Wiedenbruck to request measures to be taken to manage the situation, while obtaining additional information on the citizenship, identity and health status of persons infected with the novel coronavirus.

On Saturday, the consular office was notified that 17 Romanian citizens had left the quarantine location and the local authorities were taking steps to identify them.