State of Emergency to Not Be Extended beyond May 13

The state of emergency in Bulgaria will not be extended beyond May 13, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov told a briefing on Monday. The briefing, which was given after an extraordinary sitting of the Cabinet, presented to the media details about draft changes to the Health Act and the Act on the Measures and Actions during the State of Emergency that the Government has elaborated.

Goranov specified that the Cabinet will review a bill to amend the Health Act so that part of the measures under the state of emergency would remain in effect after May 13, when the national emergency is set to be lifted.

Also, part of the measures under the Act on the Measures and Actions during the State of Emergency will remain in force for two months after its completion, Goranov explained. There will be a gradual return to the normal socio-economic life, he noted.
 
Addressing the briefing, Health Minister Kiril Ananiev specified that Art. 61 of the Health Act will be amended to allow the Health Minister to decree the conditions and order for the
compulsory quarantining of: persons with infectious diseases; infection carriers and their contacts; persons arriving in Bulgaria from another country.

Ananiev added that Art.63 of the Health Act authorizes the Health Minister, acting on a proposal of the chief health inspector, to declare an emergency epidemic situation. In that
case, the Health Minister can determine the corresponding emergency anti-epidemic measures on the country's entire territory or in separate regions as a means to protect citizens'
 life and health.

Justice Minister Danail Kirilov told the briefing that after May 13, the justice system will resume its work in its full volume and scope.

The norms currently in force concerning the so-called social protection package will be amended and made more specific, Kirilov said, adding that the proposals of the Labour and Social Policy Ministry have been taken into view. Some of the measures will not be limited to two months after the lift of the national emergency; some will remain in effect until the end of 2020, he noted.

It also transpired during the briefing that the there will be no external examination for fourth- and tenth-graders at the end of the 2019/2020 school year, as proposed by the Education and Science Ministry. By decision of the Education Minister, those exams could be held after the start of the 2020/2021 school year.

Source: BTA