Minister of Education Maia Sandu issued a circular letter by which the local authorities are authorized to decide whether to temporarily stop the education process in the schools with limited access for school buses or not. The decision was taken following the recommendations made by Prime Minister Vlad Filat in a videoconference with district heads on December 16, Info-Prim Neo reports. The Ministry of Education will continue to monitor the situation and how the education institutions all over the country obey the work program. Owing to the whiteout, the local roads in the northern districts of Briceni, Soroca, Drochia, Floresti, Donduseni, Rascani, Glodeni, Ocnita, Telenesti, and Ungheni were snowed up. According to a communiqué from the Government, the situation in Briceni district is critical. Many units of transport remained blocked there as a result of the blizzard. In the videoconference, the head of Briceni district Efimia Bandalac said that the snowstorm left many piles of snow that make snow removal difficult. The Premier said the districts that were not so seriously affected and that have available snowplows and personnel should provide assistance to the districts in difficulty. In the same videoconference, Minister of the Interior Dorin Recean said that 100 persons of the Civil Protection and Emergencies Service of Balti municipality and units of traffic police will be sent to the neighboring districts that need aid. According to the Civil Protection and Emergencies Service, rescuers unblocked 30 vehicles with about 50 persons inside on the night of December 17. They towed dozens of units of transport, including several ambulances. In two cases, they ensured the connection between the medical service and two pregnant women who sought help. The Service warns the population about the dangers to which those who travel to the northern district are exposed and about the risk of fires. The roads Brest-Briceni-Chisinau-Tiraspol-Odessa, Otaci–Edinet, Soroca-Drochia-Costesti, and Orhei-Rezina are hardly passable. Those who experience difficulties can call 0231 60 191, 0231 61 496 or 901.