The authorities levied close to 4,000 fines amounting to more than RON 1.2 million (EUR 245,900) on Saturday, March 26 after checks monitoring that the Covid-19 rules are followed. 

Tighter restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19 apply since Sunday, March 28, including different night curfew hours depending on the incidence rate in every locality.

More than 8,000 employees of the Interior Affairs Ministry (MAI) working alongside local police officers checked close to 1,500 venues, including restaurants, clubs, bars, fast-food units, commercial centers, farmers’ markets, and ski slopes.  They found that 107 businesses were not complying with the measures established to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and 3,376 individuals not following the sanitary protection rules, MAI said. The MAI teams also shut down 32 private parties. 

In Bucharest, police officers and gendarmes performed checks at restaurants, parks, and other crowded leisure areas. They levied 378 fines amounting to RON 367,050 (EUR 75,215) to both businesses and individuals. Among the Bucharest clubs that had their activity suspended for 30 days following the checks are Loft and Bamboo, Digi24 reported.

Hundreds of people protested on Sunday evening against the Covid-19 restrictions in Bucharest, Brăila, Galaţi, Timişoara, Constanţa, and several other cities in the country. 

Speaking on the topic, prime minister Florin Cîțu said people could protest as long as they follow the legislation in place. He said he understood people’s tiredness after one pandemic year, but efforts still needed to be made until most people were vaccinated.

“I know fatigue emerged after one year of fighting the pandemic, but this is not over yet. We need another push to overcome this period. We have introduced measures to slow the spread of the virus and allow us to accelerate the vaccination campaign,” Cîţu said at a press conference on March 29, quoted by Digi24.

(Photo: Bogdan Ioan Buda/ Inquam Photos)

simona@romania-insider.com