Iohannis: I have decided to decree state of emergency as of Monday due to coronavirus epidemic

President Klaus Iohannis announces state of emergency. "It is very important that the measures that will be taken be taken on time, so that they bear fruit, and to make this fight possible with all instruments provided by law, I have decided to decree state of emergency at the beginning of next week," the head of state said, Saturday evening, after the swearing-in ceremony of the members of the Orban III Cabinet.

He underscored that the state of emergency will allow the allotment of new important resources for the management of the coronavirus crisis. "This way, the Government will be able to earmark more money to the healthcare area, more money for medicines, more money for the medical equipment which is absolutely necessary. Likewise, this situation will allow acquisitions in a very short time with simplified procedures, thus putting at the Government's disposal all necessary instruments to manage in the most efficient manner the crisis generated by the coronavirus," Iohannis explained.

The President made a call on Romanians to avoid contacts that are not absolutely necessary and to get informed from public sources. "Dear Romanians, the authorities are doing their job, the Government has also done its job very well so far, but alone we will only be able to do a part of the job that needs to be done. We need you, dear Romanians! We need you to respect the advice, the indications of the authorities, we need you to respect the hygiene rules that are broadcast on the public channels and, yes, we need you to avoid contacts that are not absolutely necessary - I know this is a bit harder - and, yes, we need you to get informed correctly, from public sources, straight from the authorities," Iohannis said.

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The state of emergency can be established for a maximum period of 30 days. The Parliament must approve the president's decree within five days.

The state of emergency can be enforced in crisis situations that require exceptional measures, such as when the national security and constitutional democracy are threatened or when a disaster occurs or is imminent.

The state of emergency represents the set of exceptional measures of a political, economic and public order nature applicable throughout the territory of the country or in some administrative-territorial units.

During the state of siege or the state of emergency, the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms may be restricted, with the exception of human rights and the fundamental freedoms, only to the extent that the situation requires.

When establishing the state of emergency, some attributions of the specialized central public administration and of the local public administration fall within the competence of the military authorities and other public authorities, provided in the decree establishing the state of siege or emergency.

During the state of emergency, instituted in the case calamities that make it necessary to prevent, limit or eliminate, as the case may be, the consequences of disasters, the management of the measures taken is the responsibility of the National Emergency Management System, under the direct supervision of the minister administration and interior and in the coordination of the prime minister.

Measures that the authorities can take when the state of emergency is established:

• closing the state border, in its entirety or in the area in which the state of emergency was established, intensifying the control at the border crossing points that remain open, as well as border surveillance throughout its entire length.

• requisition of goods, according to the law

• limiting or prohibiting the movement of vehicles or persons in certain areas or between certain hours and issuing, in justified cases, free movement permits;

• to carry out checks on persons or places, when required;

• deciding the temporary closure of some fuel distribution stations, restaurants, cafes, clubs, casinos, headquarters of associations and other public places;

• temporarily suspending the appearance or distribution of publications or programs of radio or television stations;

• ordering the rationalization of food and other products of strict necessity

• prohibiting road, rail, maritime, river and air traffic on different routes

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