Bucharest prefect: We will not give up restrictions; closing shops at 6pm, no dramatic change in our lives

Bucharest Prefect Alin Stoica has announced that the officials will not give up the COVID-19 restrictions in place in the city, as he considers that the measure to close shops at 18:00hrs does not represent "such a dramatic change" in the life of the citizens, but just a "lack of comfort." "Almost all the people of Bucharest follow these restrictions and understand their importance. They are not actually restrictions, but limitations to comfort to protect people's health. We will not give up these measures, because they are meant to protect us. The action of 2,000 people who do not understand the importance of these measures, will not determine us to change them (...)," Stoica told a joint news conference on Tuesday with Chief of the Bucharest Police Bogdan Berechet and the commander of the Bucharest Gendarmerie. The prefect also said that the protest on Monday evening was kept under control by the Police, who acted calmly and determinedly to restore order. As many as 188 people were taken to police stations after a protest on Monday evening in Bucharest, and 222 fines were issued amounting to over 200,000 lei, according to the heads of the Bucharest Gendarmerie and the Bucharest Police. The Bucharest Police, under the supervision of the relevant prosecutor's offices, have started investigations into the commission of outrage, public disturbance, destruction, arson, aggravated theft, failure to comply with weapons and ammunition regulations, and criminal possession of dangerous objects. AGERPRES (RO - author: Eusebi Manolache, editor: Catalin Alexandru; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)