IntMin Vela: International passenger road transport remains suspended to and from countries affected by pandemic

Minister of Interior Marcel Vela on Saturday informed that the Military Ordinance no. 7 is prolonging the suspension of the international passenger road transport, with a series of facilities for drivers in international freight transport being introduced in exchange.

"Another provision of the Ordinance refers to the prolongation of the suspension of the international passenger road transport to and from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Ireland, Holland and Turkey, during the entire period of the state of emergency," said Vela, in his press statement at the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior.

He also announced a series of changes for drivers of freight vehicles with a capacity of more than 2.4 tonnes. Thus, those who do not have symptoms associated with COVID-19 will fill, upon entering the country, a declaration on their own responsibility, according to a model established by the Ministry of Transport, specifying the location where they can be contacted during the period between jobs.

"They will not be isolated at home, on condition that the employers provide them protection materials against COVID-19 and on condition that they don't have any symptoms of infection with the new coronavirus when entering the country," said Vela.

Another provision refers to the drivers of freight trucks passing through the territory of Romania, the measure is meant to streamline international traffic and to limit the crowding at border crossing points.

"The drivers of the freight trucks that pass through Romania will no longer fill in the epidemiological declarations upon entering the country if they will strictly use the transit corridors and the points for crossing the state border located at the ends of these corridors, any deviation from these being forbidden. Also, Romania will be transited within a maximum of 48 hours, they need to stay only in parks located on the transit corridors appropriately marked by the Ministry of Transport," said Vela.

Upon entering Romania, foreign drivers will be required to apply a special glue on the windscreen and keep a transit form on their way out of the country.

"If he does not comply with these provisions, he will be forced to stay in quarantine for 14 days, bearing the expenses incurred, and the truck may be taken in this case by a representative of the owner or of the company that owns it," said the Ministry of Interior.