Bulgaria is in emergency epidemic situation until June 14

The current anti-epidemic measures remain in force. Bulgaria’s authorities also allowed organ transplants and free movement in city gardens and parks. The recommendation for distant working remains. People entering the country will continue to be subject to the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Those who break the quarantine will be fined with EUR 2.500.

25% of all Bulgarians infected with Covid-19 have already recovered

 A total of 2,100 people have been infected so far in this country. 521 people, or 25% of the infected, recovered from the novel coronavirus. 365 patients are in hospital. 51 are in intensive care units. 99 people (4.7% of the infected) have died of Covid-19. The head of the National Crisis Headquarters, Gen. Ventsislav Mutafchiiski said the spread of the disease in the country remains clustered, facilitating the fight against the epidemic.

Bulgaria bans entry of foreign nationals until June 14

By order of Minister of Health Kiril Ananiev, Bulgaria has temporarily banned the entry of all foreign persons regardless of their nationality. The ban applies to all nationals at all border checkpoints and with any means of transport including aviation, maritime, railway and road transport. The ban will be in force from May 14 until June 14, 2020. The ban does not apply to Bulgarians and their family members, persons with permanent residence in Bulgaria, medical specialists, transport workers, foreign officials, as well as foreign citizens working under infrastructure projects in Bulgaria, seasonal workers and people travelling for humanitarian reasons. All people entering Bulgaria will continue to be subject to a fourteen-day home quarantine.

Football championships in Bulgaria resume on June 5

By order of Bulgaria’s Minister of Youth and Sports Krassen Kralev, the football championships in First Professional Football League and Second Professional Football League will resume on June 5, 2020. The games will be played behind closed doors. Trainings resume on May 15, 2020 with a gradual increase in the number of athletes.

Bulgarian prototype of vaccine against covid-19 will be ready in 3 months

 Long tests will follow, which normally last about a year, Assoc. Prof. Andrey Chorbanov, head of the Department of Immunology at the Institute of Microbiology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has told the BNR. The Bulgarian prototype is a virus constructed from nanomaterials, which carries the respective viral components for activating the human immune system, the scientist explained.

An interim parliamentary committee will examine the expenditures of public funds to overcome the effects of Covid-19

Its term will be until the end of the emergency measures.The 10-member committee consists of 2 MPs from each parliamentary group. The committee will request and publish information on all public spending, including EU funds. MP Yordan Tsonev from the Parliamentary group of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms was elected chairman of the new committee.

28,623 people have found jobs during state of emergency over Covid-19 in Bulgaria

1,200 unemployed were appointed on 13 May alone, the last day of the state of emergency, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy reports. Over 46% of the newly employed during the pandemic started work in the processing industry, 22% - in trade and car repair, more than 9% - in transport. There are new appointments in construction, the hotel and restaurant business and in education. 

The overall number of appointments at the end of March, 2020 stands at 2.26 million people, down by 25,100, or 1.1% compared to the end of 2019, National Statistical Institute data show. 

The Commission approves EUR 88 million scheme to support Bulgarian micro and small companies in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. 

The scheme will be co-financed the European Regional Development Fund with EUR 75 million, and will be accessible to 17.300 small and micro companies active in different sectors except for agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and forestry.

EU objects to preferential treatment of Bulgarian products in trade

The European Commission sent Bulgaria a letter of formal notice over the discriminatory measures the country is imposing on retail traders, obligating them to give preferential treatment to local foods. According to the EC, forcing traders to display local foods conspicuously and to buy 90% of the milk from local producers restricts the free movement of goods, an underlying principle of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

In connection with the letter sent by the Commission, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food stated that the measure taken by Bulgaria does not affect the free movement of goods produced in other countries. There are no bans or restrictions on the supply of products from EU member states and third countries on the territory of Bulgaria, Ministry of Agriculture further notes.

Complied by: D. Grigorova and Radio Bulgaria’s news team

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