Protest in Victoriei Square against new measures to combat COVID-19 spread (VIDEO)

Several persons are protesting on Sunday evening in Victoriei Square, in front of the Government headquarters, against the new measures and restrictions the Government announced for combating the spread of COVID-19.

The protesters are voicing the disapproval both with the compulsoriness of mask wearing and against the new restrictions imposed by the Government. They are against the movement restrictions, market closing and the other restrictive measures coming into force on Monday.

The protesters in Victoriei Square are not observing the sanitary safety measures, namely they are not keeping physical distance and are not wearing protection masks. They are holding placards with messages against the restrictions announced by the Government and tricolour flags.

Coming into force on Monday will be the obligation to wear a mask for all persons over 5 years of age in all outdoor spaces, shops are to be closed at 21:00, movement outside homes between 23:00 and 5:00 will be banned, with some exceptions in the case of which a bona fide statement must be presented, and the activity of markets, fairs and funfairs in indoor spaces will be suspended.

The Government Decision on the modification and supplementation of Government Decision 856/2020 on the extension of the state of alert on Romania's territory starting October 15, adopted on Thursday and published in the Official Journal, provides that these measures for preventing and limiting the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection come into force on Monday.

The Government also adopted on Thursday the Emergency Ordinance on the modification and supplementation of law 55/2020 on some measures to prevent and combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which provides, among others, that in the period November 2020 - December 31, 2020, by order of the Minister of Education and Research, based on the decision of the National Committee for Emergency Situations and the analysis of the epidemiological situation nationwide, there can be ordered the suspension of activities entailing the physical presence of pre-schoolers and pupils in education units and the continuation of the educational activities in an online system.