Former Romanian PM documents car drive from Bucharest to Brussels during coronavirus pandemic

Former Romanian PM Dacian Cioloș, currently a member of the European Parliament and the leader of the Renew group, posted a video account of his car drive from Bucharest to Brussels this past weekend.

He posted the video update on his Facebook page and called it a “citizen journalism attempt,” meant to honor journalists on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, on May 3.

“After seven weeks of teleworking in self-isolation, I had to leave for the Parliament to prepare important decisions about the European budget and the European recovery plan after the Covid-19 crisis. […] Crossing Europe during the pandemic is an unusual adventure, and I found it hard to capture all the emotions I experienced,” Cioloș explained.

The MEP filmed the queues at the various border crossing points, the road, and the parking lots he stopped in.

He spoke of a crossing a “Europe frozen in time” and “paralyzed by the virus.” “An empty highway, a trip with a strange feeling. I am wondering: what will the world at the end of it look like, after several months of traveling through the world of this virus?”

The entire trip from Bucharest to Brussels took 20 hours.

“In one night, I crossed three border crossing points and as many checks, of decreasing intensity. The stores in parking lots only sell water, several refreshment drinks, and snacks. Here and there you can find sandwiches. Wearing a mask is compulsory when entering gas stations in Germany. I found no gas stations open at night in Austria, besides those with automated, card payment,” he said.

He also explained that, on the way to Germany, with a few exceptions, more than two thirds of the cars and minibuses on the highway had Romanian registration plates.

(Photo: Alianta USR PLUS Facebook Page)