Last days we announced that Germany needs 40 seasonal workers in agriculture. Most will be from Romania. But there will also be Bulgarians, Poles, depending on the contracts concluded.
Due to travel bans, seasonal workers can no longer move freely in European countries to help harvest crops. The German Farmers' Association has called on governments for a solution through which seasonal workers can be transported.
Thousands of Romanians go to work in Germany
Thus, Eurowings (part of Lufthansa Group) was given the mission to organize dozens of charter flights to transport thousands of seasonal workers to various destinations in Germany.
For starters, it will fly from Iasi (IAS), Timișoara (TSR), Sibiu (SBZ), Cluj (CLJ) and Bucharest (OTP) to the destinations Berlin (SXF), Düsseldorf (DUS), Cologne (CGN), Frankfurt (FRA). ), Hamburg (HAM), Karlsruhe (FKB), Leipzig (LEJ) and Nuremberg (NUE).
And the madness began. Today, 12 charter flights from Cluj, 2 scheduled flights from Bucharest and 1 scheduled charter flight from Sibiu have been scheduled. The press "exploded" when it saw more than 1800 people crowded at the entrance to Cluj airport.
Although the flights were scheduled between 13:00 and 22:00, the organizer transported all workers to the airport at the same time. Hence the great hustle and bustle at the entrance. Social distancing was no longer taken into account. Those who arranged the transport to the airport had to think a little more about it.
According to the information available in the German press, all seasonal workers will be tested by COVID-19 at their destination, they will receive medical care, they will be quarantined if necessary. However, everyone will be in isolation for 14 days, but with a right to work. Small teams will be organized and will work in shifts. Accommodation will be provided in the areas where they will work.
Surely these people left in poverty. Iohannis did not send him, Orban did not send him, but Romania. There are people who go to work frequently in Germany, Spain, Italy. Can we condemn them for wanting to earn a fair amount of money, especially in these times of crisis? No, they are not the ones who have swept the country now because of the pandemic.
And I saw a lot of outrage. I didn't quite understand what was being criticized. The fact that some went to work for an extra penny? The fact that they left the house? The fact that the organizers did not know how to enforce the rules of social spacing? How would you react if I saw a few lines with 1800 people, at least 1.5 meters away and waiting for you to get on the plane?