October 3, 202112:35 AM +07Last Updated 2 days ago
BUCHAREST,
Oct 2 (Reuters) - Thousands of people demonstrated in the main squares of the
Romanian capital on Saturday against new coronavirus restrictions announced by the government this
week to fight a steep rise in infections. Protesters,
mostly not wearing face masks, gathered in University and Victory squares
outside government offices, holding Romanian flags, blowing vuvuzelas and
shouting: "Freedom, freedom without certificates," and "Down
with the government." Local
media put the number of demonstrators at 15,000. The
new measures due to take effect on Sunday include restricting entry to public
spaces such as theatres, cinemas, restaurants and gyms to people who can
present a digital certificate proving they are fully vaccinated or have had the
illness. The
number of new COVID-19 infections reached a record high of 12,590 on Saturday
and authorities said intensive care units were running out of space. Romania
has the second lowest vaccination rate in the European Union, just ahead of
Bulgaria. Weekend
curfews have been introduced for unvaccinated and the government plans to make
inoculations mandatory for healthcare sector's workers, doctors and nurses. read
more The
government has also made face masks mandatory in all public spaces in places
where the case incidence exceeds 6.0 per thousand people. Bucharest reached a
record of 8.28 per thousand new infections over the past two weeks, among the
country's steepest rates. Among
the protest organisers was an ultranationalist parliamentary grouping that is
hoping, together with other opposition parties, to topple the centrist
government on Oct. 5, when a parliamentary vote of no-confidence is scheduled. read
more The
AUR said on its website: "If they don't see us, they can't hear us." Just
over a third of Romania's adult population is fully vaccinated so far, amid
widespread distrust in state institutions and misinformation campaigns.
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