Romania's Prime Minister, Ludovic Orban, has informed that restaurants in Romania, will be allowed to start serving indoors from September 1st, 2020, but must respect certain conditions.

The announcement on Thursday 27th, August, informed that restaurants within hotels will be allowed to re-open across the entire country, but the opening of individual restaurants will depend on the epidemiological situation in each region.

HORECA (Hotel Restaurants Cafes) were some of the worst hit industries during the coronavirus pandemic and that over 400,000 jobs were at risk. However, despite pressure from the industry, the Government continued to not allow the opening of the venues, due to the increase in infection cases as time went on.

The Prime Minister, explained, that the reason they have decided to allow the opening of these venues from September 1st, is because the warm season is beginning to come to an end, and as such, it's increasingly difficult to keep people outdoors for dining activities, especially as temperatures in mornings and evening continue to fall as Romania approaches autumn, which officially beings on September 22nd.

“Basically, we risk affecting the tourism and hospitality industry, if we do not allow meals. Serving meals, for example, to tourists in hotels will be allowed, under certain conditions regardless of the spread, in order to protect the desire for accommodation. As for restaurants, we will take into consideration the spread of the epidemic”, informed Ludovic Orban.

There has also been speculation, that indoor activities at cultural venues, may also begin to re-open in the near future.