Romanian Government finds new employer for 36 stranded Sri Lankans - Foreign Ministry

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said the Romanian Minister of Labour Violeta Alexandru had intervened and arranged to safeguard and retain the job opportunities for the Sri Lankan workers.

The Sri Lankan workers had earlier refused to remain in their present employment having found that many others at work were suspected of the COVID-19 infection.

The Sri Lanka Embassy in Warsaw concurrently accredited to Romania had been continuously assisting the Sri Lankans in Romania with the facilitation of the Romanian Ministry of Labour and other organizations to provide suitable accommodation facilities and other necessities for the workers.

News 1st revelation about these workers: https://www.newsfirst.lk/2020/05/26/romanian-labor-minister-looking-for-job-offers-for-stranded-sri-lankans-in-botosani/

On Tuesday, News 1st highlighted the matter citing Romanian Minister of Labor, Violeta Alexandru seeking job offers on Facebook for 36 Sri Lankan workers in the Romanian Town of Botoşani.

Reports suggested the 36 Sri Lankans had sought to be isolated for 14 Days at their workplace after one employee tested positive for COVID-19.

It adds, the group moved to institutionalized quarantine for three weeks, after which they were told they could return, however, they were fired.

Thereafter, the Sri Lankans were bussed to the airport only to find there was not flight arranged for them to return to the country, following which the Labor Minister had intervened on their behalf.

On Sunday, the Romanian Media reported the Sri Lankans were threatened with abandonment near the forest in Botosani if ​​they refused to board the bus to be taken to the airport.

In a statement to Romanian Media, the country’s Labor Minister had mentioned “My wish is that they, who do not speak English or English well, let alone the Romanian language, do not feel abandoned”.