VIDEO LIVETEXT Klaus Iohannis, press conference: Restriction measures are inevitable / We do not need to close the whole country, if we have major outbreaks, there will be action – Essential

• Romania has experienced the largest increase in the number of cases since the beginning of the epidemic in the last week.
• We have extremely worrying numbers of deaths and patients in ATI
• The current trend is one of accelerated growth leading to overcrowding in hospitals and, sadly, an increasing number of deaths.
• Restrictive measures are inevitable
• The sooner they are introduced, the faster they will take effect
• I send a special message of gratitude and appreciation to the physicians and medical staff for their professionalism and dedication.
• These extraordinary people deserve our respect and admiration.
• We trust our doctors
• The next few months will not be easy
• I assure doctors, nurses, hospital directors that I am with them and that together we will face this crisis.
• It is a fight in which we all have a great responsibility
• I repeat, the epidemiological situation does not allow us to return to the normality that we had before the pandemic.
• The greater the number of patients, the further we move away from this long-awaited moment
• Once again we are at a critical juncture and we have a fundamental choice to make for our future
• Do we want to go down a path that leads to an explosion of cases? It is a path at the end of which much suffering awaits us
• Or we choose to have a social life and jobs
• Wearing a mask, social distancing, hand hygiene, avoiding congestion, working from home, are in our power
• No matter how many steps the authorities take, they lose their effectiveness if some of our peers refuse to participate in this collective effort.
• The virus that has affected our lives is coming to life
• All the dead left a huge void in the hearts of their loved ones
• Rational behavior and small sacrifices can save the lives of our fellow men.
• Let’s be in solidarity

Press questions

Antenna 3: Why can’t we increase the testing capacity?

Klaus Iohannis: The number of tests increases from week to week. But it is a double problem. Not only are the devices being tested still insufficient, qualified personnel cannot be invented overnight. Its preparation takes years and years. We should not expect miracles, things are improving, but if we are not careful the paperwork will be faster than us

B1 TV: The first restrictions have arrived, what will happen if the expected results do not appear in the next two weeks?

Klaus Iohannis: We will react locally and regionally. We don’t need to shut down the entire country if we have major outbreaks, there will be action. We still have very different situations in different localities. We have cities and communes where there are almost no patients and then it is very good to act locally, focused

Libertad: Have you done enough to reverse the growing trend toward attention to electoral issues?

Klaus Iohannis: Romanian politics is threatened by PSD, health from Covid, we must address both sides. This increase in the number of patients worries us more than the next elections. Things will probably get more complicated in the colder weather. The political approach is necessary, society advances, we do not want to stop in the middle of the disease. The authorities reacted correctly, but no one can expect that the government will only stop the epidemic, it is a shared responsibility. The citizen probably has a greater responsibility, the disease is not transmitted from one institution to another, but from one person to another. It is not good to mix these things up, but sometimes politicians get it wrong.

Agerpres: One area affected by the pandemic is cultural. What are the arguments for closing theaters and cinemas?

Klaus Iohannis: Culture is one of the areas most affected. But it is clear that we are talking about measures taken by the authorities on the advice of experts, who recommend what measures should be taken to stop the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, culture often manifests itself through performances, where people come together and experts believe bigger. I hope we get through this difficult period, including the Romanian culture.

Digi 24: Is it appropriate to hold parliamentary elections?

Klaus Iohannis: A democracy does not work without elections. It worked reasonably well in local elections. It is clear that if the number of cases increases, the campaign will take place under even more special conditions, but elections must be held. This parliament expires on December 20, even if it remains, it can no longer pass organic laws. How long could we postpone the elections? The constitution says a maximum of 3 months, I don’t think anyone imagines that in three months the situation will be much better in winter to spring. The conditions are special, we are in a pandemic, but we have to find a way to do more campaigns online and go to the polls. The act of voting itself is no more dangerous than going for bread, for example.

The Epoch Times: The latest EC report talks about the importance of the independence of the media authorities. How do you assess the performance of the CNA in this electoral campaign?

Klaus Iohannis: At CNA there are highly qualified and independent people who do their jobs very well. But it is based on a political vote and reflects the majority in Parliament, more PSD members than anything else. Another formula needs to be found to have truly independent people in the NAC. The CNA as a whole could do a better job

Reality PLUS: Can we talk about the state of emergency again?

Klaus Iohannis: I think good decisions have been made, but a pandemic is not a political choice and it is not bad luck, it is a catastrophe that we have to live with until we find solutions. This pandemic was nobody’s choice, it occurred regardless of who is in power. Little by little we learned something, how it spreads, and we can have a life somewhat close to normal, we can have a somewhat functional economy and yes, very unfortunate, we have many who have died from this disease. The authorities have their role to play, each one has a responsibility to comply with the restrictions, and the disease will spread much more slowly, the health system will manage and when we find a vaccine we can get rid of this virus. Until then, we must be responsible and make those little sacrifices. It will take longer, the end of the pandemic is not imminent. Only together can we restrict the spread of the disease.