President Iohannis enacts the law on state of alert measures

On Friday, President Klaus Iohannis has signed a decree for the promulgation of the Law on measures for preventing and combating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Presidential Administration. The Chamber of Deputies adopted on Wednesday, as a decision-making body, a government's bill on the measures in a state of alert, after several changes were made, among which one that Parliament will have to approve the state of alert if it is established in at least half of the country. According to the law, the state of alert is the response to an emergency of special magnitude and intensity triggered by one or more types of risk, consisting of a set of temporary measures, proportional to the level of severity displayed or predicted and necessary for the prevention and elimination of imminent threats to the life, health of persons, the environment, valuables, cultural values or property. The law also says that if the state of alert is established in at least half of the country, the approval of Parliament is needed within 5 days. Parliament can also make changes to the measures proposed by the government on alert. The law also provides for the possibility of opening shopping centres with an area of less than 15,000 square metres. It also provides for the possibility of outdoor bars and restaurants reopening. The document also contains restrictions. Any measures restrictive of rights provided in this law shall be ordered in compliance with the principle of equal legal treatment for identical or comparable situations. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)