IntMin Vela announces suspension of flights to and from Italy until March 23

Acting Interior Minister Marcel Vela announced on Monday the suspension of flights to and from Italy until March 23.

According to him, the decision was taken within the National Committee for Special Emergency Situations.

"Is hereby approved the suspension of the flights carried out by the airline operators to Italy and from Italy to Romania for all airports in the country starting from March 9, 2020 at 12:00 (Romania time) until March 23 at 12:00 (Romania time)", Vela told a press conference.

He also stated that the air operators have the obligation to communicate to the Romanian citizens who will embark from Italy, China, Iran, South Korea to Romania, with a stopover, that they will be quarantined on the Romanian territory and will assume this responsibility by completing a declaration on their own responsibility upon boarding the aircraft. Also, the airline operators will not allow the boarding of foreign nationals who come from Italy, China, Iran, South Korea to Romania with a stopover.

As to land border checkpoints, Romanian citizens coming from the four mentioned states will be informed that they are obliged to either be quarantined within the border county or to be isolated at home.

The Interior minister added that the access of foreign nationals coming from Italy, China, Iran, South Korea is also allowed through all border checkpoints, regardless of the means of transport used, but "under the mandatory quarantine measure".

"Freight shipments of at least 3.5 tonnes are exempted from the restrictions imposed on banning access on the territory of Romania. The above provisions, adapted as the case may be, apply also for maritime or river transport," added Marcel Vela.

All the mentioned measures are applied until March 31, with the possibility of extending the period. AGERPRES