PM Citu rules out full nationwide lockdown, says easing restrictions provided all get vaccinated

Prime Minister Florin Citu said on Wednesday that a full nationwide lockdown in Romania is not being considered, mentioning that economic relaxation is being aimed at, provided that everyone gets vaccinated. "We are not considering lockdown. I have been opposed since the very beginning: I said that there will be no nationwide lockdown in Romania, there will be no lockdown at all; we are moving, as you can see, toward economic relaxation but on condition that all of us get vaccinated. June 1 can only happen if we get vaccinated, otherwise we don't have a chance," said Citu after a government meeting. Asked to comment on top official with the Health Ministry Andreea Moldovan having spoken about a two-week lockdown, Citu said that she only gave a theoretical example and did not make a proposal. "I had a discussion with the senior official and she gave me a theoretical example. Last year, all the lockdown discussions revolved around two weeks, because the discussion about the virus was you have to stay at home for two weeks to get rid of the virus. It was a theoretical discussion, it was not a hypothetical discussion, there was not a proposal to that end," the prime minister added. AGERPRES (RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Cristina Zaharia)