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Statements by Prime Minister Florin Cîțu and Minister of Internal Affairs Lucian Bode, at the videoconference with prefects and representatives of Public Health Directorates

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Lucian Bode: Prime Minister, Presidential Adviser, Minister, Secretaries of State, prefects and subprefects, representatives of devolved institutions, dear guests, we meet as established upon our August 24 meeting, in an extended format this time, to address two important topics with major impact in the immediately following period: preparedness for the cold season, and status of the vaccination campaign and vaccination centres. Prime Minister, I inform you that attending the videoconference are representatives of Health Ministry, Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, coordinator of the vaccination campaign Valeriu Gheorghita, Heads of the Internal Affairs Ministry structures, prefects and subprefects. Prime Minister, please, take the floor.

Florin Cîțu: Thank you, Minister. Good afternoon! In fact, Minister, I would like to add one more topic. We had before the meeting of the Interministerial Committee on Educated Romania project, and I would like to add the start of the school year as a topic, as there is little time left until then and I want to make sure that we do our best for the school year to start in the best possible conditions. Minister and madam presidential advisor are also attending the videoconference. Therefore, we address first the start of the school year. I would like us to start with this and tackle the rest afterwards. In CNSU, you know very well that today, we approved the decision whereby the joint order establishing the unfolding of the school year was adopted. We are taking into account two scenarios here, and I want them to be clear for everyone: in localities in which the cumulative incidence rate over the past 14 days is smaller or equal with 6 per one thousand, in-person attendance is allowed in the case of nurseries, kindergartens and schools. I said from the outset that the basic scenario this year is in-person attendance, in case of up to 6 per one thousand cases incidence. Of course, it is very important to observe safety rules in the pandemic: mask-wearing indoors, using a disinfectant. There are other conditions set out in the aforementioned order. Over 6 to one thousand cases, students and pupils go online, and only those going to nurseries, kindergartens, respectively those from special education institutions attend physically the classes until their locality of residence is declared in quarantine, of course, if this measure is deemed necessary.

Therefore, in-person attendance for no more than 6 per thousand cases incidence, above this, grades 1-12 go online, and everyone else goes with a physical presence until a locality is declared in quarantine. My message, both for the prefects and for the representatives of the DSPs: I am asking you to get seriously involved, to work together and make sure that all steps are taken for the educational process to run smoothly and with as little risk as possible. I am keen on having a school year with in-person attendance. It is very important that we do everything for the safety of the children.

At the same time, as I have said every time, if you encounter problems, if you have problems in organizing this process, please raise them so that we can solve them as soon as possible; this is the role of these meetings, we will have another one next week, just before the start of the school year.

The second topic I want to discuss today is vaccination. It is clear, we have a growing number of infected people and here we must be very careful. The vaccination campaign must carry on. What I want from you is to make sure that we have the vaccination capacity intact, not to close any vaccination centre, to offer this possibility to people to be vaccinated exactly as it has been until now. You need to get directly involved, as I said, both to maintain this vaccination capacity, but at the same time to inform people about the benefits of vaccination. Of course, the effort must be made especially in rural areas. All the information, all the necessary data about vaccination, how to get vaccinated, should be available to people, they should be able to make an informed decision. You know very well that vaccination is not mandatory in Romania. At the same time, of course, we must continue the information campaign on the benefits of vaccinating young people under 18 years of age. I repeat, we need to talk with the parents and inform them, give them all the answers to the questions they have about vaccination. Very important, again, for the representatives of the Police, and here, Mr Minister, you also have a very important role, you must check every case of falsification of the vaccination certificate. There were a few situations and that's why we have to take action. I know very well that you conducted some checks. I know, for example, that today, checks have been conducted in Dâmbovița County, you have other cases under investigation. Congratulations on today's action. It is very important for people to know that we do not tolerate, we have zero tolerance for those who falsify vaccination certificates; that must be very clear. Because whoever forges a vaccination certificate endangers the life of another person. So we have zero tolerance for those who do this. It is important to stop such situations, and any resources you need, you must ask them, but we must stop these networks immediately.

And, of course, another important topic that we will discuss in the next meetings: preparing for the cold season. I do not accept any excuse this year. We know that the cold season is coming, we have to prepare from now on all the stocks for energy, snow removal materials and so on. So all stocks need to be prepared. There is no excuse to say that we did not know, that it took us by surprise. This year, the cold season has no way to take us by surprise, we need to start preparations now. That's why I want everyone to be prepared, if they need something, they should say now, not in the middle of a snowstorm or other situation. So we need to say now what we need. You need to have discussions now with economic operators, make contracts, make sure you have all the stocks and I would like you to tell me what the situation is today, up to date. Thanks! Minister, I give you the floor. If there is anything else, I will intervene along the way. Thanks!