Coronavirus Romania: LIVE New Measures Announced by the Authorities on March 19

The coronavirus is the central topic of discussion of a government meeting that took place yesterday for many hours, via video conference, since some of the members of the Romanian Government are in self-isolation after direct contact with a PNL senator infected with this virus.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban is currently talking about the measures that were approved in yesterday's government meeting, because it stretched long into the night, and that's also because important decisions were made to help a lot of Romanians.

The announced measures are:

1. Supplementing the MAI budget with 100 million LEi to support the activity and make the necessary purchases to protect its various structures;
2. Securing new working capital for Unifarm to make more efficient the purchases needed to support the activities of the Ministry of Health and subordinate structures;
3. GEO for increasing the loan guarantee ceiling for SMEs through the guarantee fund, initially by 5 billion, if necessary, another 5 billion will be allocated, and if the situation requires it, another 5 billion. The guarantee works for 90% of loans up to 1 million lei, it being 80% for the largest ones;
4. VAT reimbursement is ensured up to the limit of 9 billion LEI in order to ensure the flow and capital injections in companies;
5. During the budget rectification, the budget allocated for the settlement of medical leave is increased;
6. Ensuring the payment of technical unemployment from the budget of the Ministry of Labor through ANOFM, through the unemployment budget. 75% of the gross salary is paid, but not more than 75% of the average gross salary. Companies must submit a declaration on their own responsibility, the condition being that the turnover of the companies has decreased by at least 25% due to the Coronavirus pandemic;
7. The budget of the Ministry of Health is increased by 42 million LEI for quarantine centers;
8. Criminal penalties for crimes committed during the Coronavirus pandemic are increasing. Increases the penalty for false statements regarding the Coronavirus epidemic. The penalties for the crime of thwarting the fight against the spread of the epidemic are increased;
9. The crime of omission to provide data is introduced, the example being given with epidemiological investigations, when people do not provide data with the people they came into contact with;