Prime Minister-designate Ludovic Orban showed in his speech to Parliament, delivered for the investiture vote of his future Cabinet, that he will prioritise the necessary budget resources to purchase, under a simplified emergency procedure, the sanitary materials and necessary medical equipment.

"The National Liberal Party assumed this difficult task of governing in hard times for the country and, with a new Government, with full powers, I am convinced that it will be able to manage, in the best possible way, the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government will prioritise the necessary budget resources for the purchase, under a simplified emergency procedure, the sanitary materials and the necessary medical equipment for the prevention and combat of COVID-19 infections. At the same time, the institutions involved in managing spreading risks of the coronavirus epidemic will be mobilised at full capacity with available budget, material and human resources for the control, monitoring and support of persons exposed to the risk of infection with COVID-19," a Gov't release showed.

Orban called for the involvement of public institutions, trade companies, non-governmental organisations, but also that of citizens to prove that "we are a country of responsible people, united in the fight against a novel and unknown threat."

He showed that, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, negative social and economic effects will appear which will prove to be lasting "in the absence of some appropriate measures to limit the economic risks" for companies and employees in Romania.

In this regard, he mentioned that at the Gov't level, together with the Presidential Administration and other public institutions relevant in the economic and financial area, a broad consultation was carried out, and, in the next period, a Plan of measures to combat economic risks will be adopted. He underscored that the Gov't will make use of all possible resources from public and European funds, reimbursable and non-reimbursable, in order to support the economic environment.

"We will initiate negotiations with the European Commission, with international financial institutions and local bank entities in order to prepare support programmes for the Romanians companies. At the same time, the state payment obligations toward the citizens and companies will be honored without delay and without any bureaucratic deferral. On the contrary, to the possible extent, various fiscal and budget obligations owed by individuals and legal persons in Romania will be compensated or postponed. No Romanian citizen, no Romanian company and no Romanian employee will be left alone by Romania's Government to face the global economic risks caused by COVID-19," he mentioned.

The Prime Minister-designate underscored that Romania is going through a difficult time of economic and social challenges which demands the urgent investiture of a Gov't with full powers in order to "get the country through the severe international crisis," generated by the global coronavirus pandemic. He added that, so far, the Gov't acted "firmly and promptly from the first signs of the COVID-19 epidemic in the European partner states and has adopted strict measures to contain the spreading" of coronavirus infections in our country.

"So far, the persons who tested positive for COVID-19 have been identified in quarantine situations and isolated at home or from the epidemiological investigations carried out by the Public Health Department. This fact shows that the measures imposed by the Government managed to limit and contain the development of infections with coronavirus in our country," he added.

Orban showed that "in these difficult times for the country" it is time for political battles to cease and everyone's responsibility should come first before personal or party interests.

"Our individual political responsibility and that of every Romanian is the most important antidote against the spreading of coronavirus infections. This is why, on behalf of the Government I proposed, I ask for responsibility and the investiture vote, so that together we should get the country through this crisis," the PM-designate's message concludes. AGERPRES (RO - author: Irinela Visan, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)