Full-fledged lockdown scenario back on the table in Romania

Daniel Coriu, president of the Romanian College of Physicians, stated on October 19 that a full-fledged national quarantine (as opposed to local measures taken locally currently) must be imposed "urgently" because it is the only solution to save as many people as possible.

"The activity must be stopped, and the population vaccinated. Everybody in this country must understand that he is in danger. Each of us must at least try to convince someone around us to get vaccinated," Coriu told Ziare.com.

The lockdown scenario, strongly rejected so far by prime minister Florin Citu, is becoming increasingly plausible. In Latvia, authorities have imposed a new 30-day lockdown due to the worsening coronavirus situation - although the country has a vaccination rate superior to Romania's.

The impact of a new lockdown in Romania (after that from March-April 2020) is twofold: economic and political.

From a financial standpoint, the impact would be dramatic - in terms of budget primarily. Fiscal stimulus might be needed while the fiscal consolidation would be delayed indefinitely. Romania already failed to meet October 15 deadline for drafting the medium-term fiscal strategy required by the European Commission under the Excessive Deficit Procedure.

Politically, the state of emergency might be used by President Klaus Iohannis to push his Government headed by PM Florin Citu for another term. Iohannis announced a meeting with the relevant authorities for the Covid-19 pandemic on October 20 - the day when prime minister-designate Dacian Ciolos is expected to get a negative vote in Parliament.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)