Today was published in the Official Monitor of Romania the Military Ordinance no. 8 establishing new measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

According to Military Ordinance no. 8, the following categories of persons can leave their domicile:

1. holders of commercial fishing authorizations / permits on the Danube, inland waters or Black Sea for the purpose of conducting commercial fishing and aquaculture activities, as well as for marketing the products resulting from these activities;
2. beekeepers moving to or from the apiary.

In order to attest the aforementioned reasons, the persons will present to the competent authorities a dully-fill in statement in which will be mentioned, as a reason, that they leave their domicile in order to undertake professional activities.

Furthermore, the Military Ordinance stipulates the possibility to leave the domicile in order to purchase motor vehicles, replacement parts for cars or auto repair services. In such case, in the statement will be mentioned that the persons leave their domicile in order to provide goods that cover the basic needs of the people.

According to article 2 from the Military Ordinance, the measure regarding the suspension of flights run by airline operators to Spain and from Spain to Romania, is extended for an additional 14 day-period, as of 14 April 2020. The measure will be enforced after the state of emergency period expires only if the state of emergency will be extended and if the prerogative of Minister of Internal Affairs to apply such measures will be maintained.

Mention should be made that these measures are not applicable to flights operated by state-owned aircraft, freight transport and mail flight, humanitarian flights or flights providing emergency medical services, as well as technical landings for non-commercial purposes.

With respect to the agri-food markets, they will be opened during the state of emergency, for the farmers who present a certificate of agricultural producer, their movement being allowed based on a statement and the certificate of producer.

According to the provisions of the Military Ordinance no. 8, during the state of emergency will be extended the measure regarding the temporary closure - total or partial - of some state border crossing points, namely:

1. Border with Hungary: Turnu, Arad County (except for the movement of cross-border workers); Salonta, Bihor county - railway and road (except for the movement of cross-border workers by road); Săcuieni, Bihor County (except for the movement of cross-border workers); Mihai Valley, Bihor County - railway and road (except for rail freight traffic); Carei, Satu Mare county.
2. Border with Bulgaria: Negru Voda, Constanta county; Lipnița, Constanța county; Dobromir, Constanța county; Zimnicea, Teleorman County; Turnu Măgurele, Teleorman county; Bechet, Dolj County (except for freight traffic).
3. Border with Ukraine: Sighetu Marmaiei, Maramureș county; Isaccea, Tulcea County.
4. Border with Republic of Moldova: Rădăuți-Prut, Botosani County; Oancea, Galați county.
5. Border with Serbia: Iron Gates II, Mehedinți County; Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Mehedinți county (except freight traffic); Orșova, Mehedinți county; Moldova Nouă, Caraș-Severin county; Naidăș, Caraș-Severin county; Vălcani, Timis County; Stamora-Moravița, Timiș county - railway (except for freight traffic); Lunga, Timiș County; Foeni, Timis County; Jimbolia, Timiș county - railway (except for freight traffic).

In addition, during the state of emergency will be prohibited or suspended the export as well as the activity of issuing phytosanitary certificates in order to export agri-food products such as wheat, barley, corn, rice, flour, soybean seeds, sunflower seeds, sunflower seeds oil, safflower cottonseed sugar, bakery, pastry and biscuit products, dried pasta.

According to the provisions of the Military Ordinance no. 8 activities of social services such as residential care and assistance centers for the elderly, residential centers for children and adults, with or without disabilities, as well as for other vulnerable categories, public and private, will continue during the state of emergency. As regards the employees the military ordinance stipulates the measure of preventive isolation at work for a period of 14 days, which will be followed by a period of preventive isolation at home. Mention should be made that the refusal of preventive isolation at work entails contraventional or criminal liability.

Moreover, the ordinance stipulates that during the state of emergency, the procedures regarding the sale or purchase of majority shares of the companies in the National Energy System, regardless of the form of their ownership, are suspended.

Last but not least, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, before the Easter holidays, the economic operators that market agri-food products can extend their schedule according to their needs.