Bill on coronavirus relief under debate in Romania’s Senate
A bill expected to regulate relief measures enforced after May 15 is under debate in Romania’s Senate on Tuesday. Put forward by the country’s center-right government, the document will be discussed and approved under emergency procedure following a cabinet request. Romanians are set to embrace a relaxation of stay-at-home rules on May 15 when some shops and other small businesses will open while institutions will resume work. Romania is not extending the state of emergency past May 15 expiry date but will impose a ”state of alert” allowing such relaxation.
Romania’s CNAIR to restart work at Sibiu-Pitești motorway
Work at a long-awaited motorway linking Romania’s central town of Sibiu to Pitești, a town in southern Romania, is expected to resume soon, according to CNAIR (Romania’s National Company for Administration of Road Infrastructure). The construction company for the motorway’s Sector 4 is to be announced later in May while an auction for the company expected to start Sector 3 is expected next month. Romania currently has just over 850 kilometres of motorways, and according to the World Economic Forum, still has the worst infrastructure of any EU state almost 13 years after joining the bloc. Failure of successive governments (of all political stripes) to build a network of motorways has long been a grievance amongst Romanian drivers.
Romania’s latest COVID-19 figures
Romania reported 15,778 coronavirus-related cases on Tuesday with 991 deaths, and 7, 685 people recovered, according to newest figures released by the country’s Strategic Communication Group. Romania is expected to relax the state of emergency imposed on March 16 . However, the move is criticized by USR (Save Romania Union), a center-right party who insists the provision may allow public administration to face the threat of political control. USR also believes the cabinet’s plan is incomplete as it ignores some ‘mandatory economic and social measures’.
Alexandru Danga, RADOR
