Romanian president says no to COVID passport for tourism

Romania's president Klaus Iohannis stressed at the European Council's extraordinary meeting, organized on Thursday and Friday last week (February 25-26) by videoconference, that the vaccination certificate should be used for medical purposes only.

"Regarding vaccination certificates, Romania's president spoke in favor of a coordinated and unitary approach at the European level. He argued that the vaccination certificate should be used for medical purposes, and the process of identifying the technical elements contained in a European certificate will have to continue," the Presidential Administration said in a press release sent on Friday, February 26.

One of the more contentious issues EU leaders tackled was that of digital vaccine passports for those who have been vaccinated.

Southern EU states such as Greece, Spain, and Italy — all heavily or entirely dependent on tourism — believe such a scheme could ease air travel, helping them avoid a repeat of last year's disastrous summer holiday season, Dw.com reported.

Northern neighbors have been reluctant to buy in amid concerns about discrimination and whether people who have been vaccinated can still carry the virus.

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