Official Despescu: Almost 300,000 people, of whom 250,000 Romanian citizens, entered Romania in March

Almost 300,000 people, of whom more than 250,000 are Romanian citizens, entered Romanian in March, through the Western border checkpoints, Secretary of State with the Ministry of Interior (MAI) Bogdan Despescu, stated on Wednesday evening.

"In the past couple of days, the influx of Romanian citizens entering Romania has slowed down. But we cannot say the same thing about the previous period. In statistical terms, almost 300,000 persons entered Romanian in March. Of these, more than 250,000 are Romanian citizens," Despecu told Romanian TV private television broadcaster.

He went on to admit traffic at the borders crossing points could grow before Easter, but he said that the MAI structures, with the support of the forces from the Ministry of Defence, will "manage this situation very well."

"We are taking into account the fact that, especially as the Easter holiday is coming, traffic at the borders will most likely grow. We will deploy enough forces to manage this situation very well. We are also considering to guide those who are coming, as we did before, on sanitary corridors, on corridors leading to their counties of domicile or the places where they will self-isolate. I also want to mention that the military ordinances established all Romanian citizens who enter the country will be forced to self-isolate or will be placed in quarantine, depending on the case," said the MAI official.

He recommended the Romanian citizens to stay in the countries where they are now, considering that "this is the best scenario for Romania."

Moreover, Bogdan Despecu underscored that all persons who arrive on foot at the border checkpoints will have to continue their journey by boarding the means of transportation especially provided by the authorities.

"All citizens who come on foot or by various means of transportation that bring them to the border so that they can then cross on foot will be stopped at the border checkpoints until there will be enough means of transportation to take them, not individually, but as a form of protection, on certain itineraries, to the location of their self-isolation or quarantine, depending on the decision of the physicians at the border checkpoints," added Despescu.