On March 29, 2020 a new Military Ordinance was published in the Official Monitor of Romania which stipulates new measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Therefore, the Military Ordinance no. 4 stipulates that people over 65 can leave their domicile apart for the time frame previously set from 11:00hrs to 13:00hrs only for medical purposes by presenting to the competent authorities a duly filled-in statement in this respect.

Furthermore, the above mentioned can leave their domicile as well during the hours 20.00 – 21.00 if in order to ensure the needs of pets or domestic animals but only in the vicinity of their houses. A dully filled-in statement is no needed in this case.

In addition, the retailers marketing food and products of strict necessity will have to organize their program in order to facilitate and ensure, the priority access for persons over 65 between 11.00 and 13.00, limiting, during these hours, the access of people of other age categories.

According to the Military Ordinance, the persons who leave the place where they were quarantined, without the approval of the competent authorities, will be conventionally sanctioned and will be forced to resume the 14-day quarantine cycle and to cover all the expenses.

With respect to those that break the rules of home insolation and that are identified outside the isolation space, will be conventionally sanctioned and will be placed in quarantine for 14 days and will be forced to cover all the expenses.

Mention should be made that according to a draft of law initiated by Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is now in public discourse, the minimum limit of the fine applied in case of failure to comply with the provisions of the military ordinance, will be increased from Ron 100 to Ron 2000 and the maximum limit of the fine will be increased from Ron 5.000 to Ron. 20.000.

Moreover, according to the Military Ordinance no. 4, the employers will organize for a period established by them, preventive isolation measures at the work location or in specially designed areas where no no other people form outside have access, for the employees who hold essential positions in order to ensure the performing of production, transport and distribution of electricity and natural gas, servicing and maintenance activities of specific equipment and installations, as well as other supply, extraction, production and processing activities of energy resources and raw and / or semi processed materials which are necessary for a proper performance of the National Energy System in accordance with the provisions of their own continuity plans of basic activities in case of establishing the state of emergency on the Romanian territory. This measure will apply as of today, starting at 12.00 the refusal to be placed in preventive isolation will entail disciplinary, civil, contraventional or criminal liability, as the case may be.

Last but not least, according to the provisions of the Military Ordinance, during the period of emergency the prices for electricity and heat, natural gas, water supply, sanitation and fuels cannot be increased over the level practiced at the date of the issuance of this military ordinance, depending on offer and demand, they can only be decreased.

Moreover, the Military Ordinance provides for a for the modification of Military Ordinance no. 2/2020, namely the introduction of paragraph 3 at article 3 according to which the prohibition of the movement of 3 or more persons applies exclusively to pedestrian circulation.