PM announces traffic rules for Easter, May 1

PM Florin Cîțu has announced in a Facebook post today the amendments the Government will apply along with the extension of the state of alert. The PM will propose that movement at night on the Resurrection religious service should be allowed till 05:00hrs in the morning, while stores should stay open till 20:00hrs before Easter.

At present, in Bucharest movement is allowed till 20:00hrs, while stores are closing down at 18:00hrs during the weekend during the Covid infection incidence rate, while in other counties with the rate higher than 7.5 per 1,000 inhabitants this measure is applied included during the week.

The Orthodox Easter is celebrated this year on May 2, while the Resurrection service is on the night of May 1 to May 2. The PM’s proposal comes after the latest decisions taken on March 25 envisaged that the movement is to be allowed only by 02:00hrs on the night of the Resurrection service.

At the same time, the prime minister wants the seaside resorts to be open on May 1, while accommodation units to be occupied up to 70% at the most, a rule that is currently enforced in the mountain resorts.

A final  decision will be taken on Thursday by the National Committee for the Emergency Situations.

Tourists will spend their May 1 and Easter weekend at the seaside must observe the safety rules, to wear facemasks outdoors, to not cram in stores and on the terraces and to be in their rooms by 20:00hrs.

Only one exception will be made, on the Easter’s Resurrection service.

“We cannot negotiate the law with anybody. Health is more important than anything else”, the PM underlined.

In retort, the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) has said the PM’s announcement is “logic, predictable” and “it’s consistent with the dialogue between the cults and the authorities”.