Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced the start of the application of a very important law for Romania. The Head of the Executive from Bucharest shows that those who do not respect the law will be sanctioned. What is it really about?
Snacks became forbidden
Marcel Ciolacu announced on Tuesday, April 30, during the declarations at the beginning of the Government meeting, that the application of the new law, which provides for the prohibition of peddlers, has begun.
They are no longer allowed to operate in localities with less than 15,000 inhabitants.
The Prime Minister says that economic operators in this category risk losing their licenses if they do not comply with the law.
The Prime Minister also said that the Executive wants to clean 90% of the country’s localities of brothels
He also said that the rules for the remaining 10% of the localities are to be made.
“The government has started the application of the new law on the banning of peddlers in localities with less than 15,000 inhabitants. All those who do not move their machines urgently remain without a license according to a notice already sent by the National Gaming Authority. There will be no delay. We want to quickly clean up 90% of the country’s localities. We are going to make the rules for the remaining 10% at this moment”, says Marcel Ciolacu.
Groceries will no longer exist in towns with few inhabitants
According to the new regulations, gambling operators who want to operate gambling dens are required to obtain a certificate issued by the municipality of the area where they intend to carry out these activities.
The certificate must confirm that the gaming hall is located in an administrative-territorial unit with a population exceeding 15,000 inhabitants.
According to the legal provisions, the National Gambling Office must create and update on a daily basis a public register, available online. It must include all operators authorized to carry out gambling activities.
Violation of the legal provisions attracts sanctions in the form of fines between 100 and 200,000 lei. Funds obtained from illegal activities will also be confiscated and the operating license may be revoked.
The GEO also stipulates that these companies have their headquarters in Romania.
The law also restricts the size of street advertising for gambling.
The grocery industry criticized the law
Representatives of the gambling industry have been critical of the law.
Their arguments indicate that the legislative measures do not adequately address the problem of addiction and suggest that they serve more the interests of large companies, which could dominate the entire market, adversely affecting small and medium-sized firms in the field.
“I don’t expect the industry to be satisfied that they have to close these places of gambling in more than 90% of the localities in Romania,” said PSD deputy Alfred Simonis, at the time of the promulgation of the law.
