site.btaGovernment Imposes Soft Lockdown, November 27-December 21

Sofia, November 25 (BTA) - Meeting on Wednesday, Bulgaria's
Council of Ministers imposed what can be described as a 'soft
lockdown' in the country for the period from November 27 until
December 21, 2020.

Health Minister Kostadin Angelov told a news briefing that the
epidemic emergency has been extended by two months until January
 31, 2021.

The new restrictions include suspension of in-person attendance
of kindergartens, creches, schools and universities and
discontinuing extracurricular activities for all age groups and
the operation of training centres. All congresses, conferences,
seminars, trainings and other public, cultural and entertainment
 events will be cancelled. Private parties will be limited to 15
 persons. Athletes under 18 will be barred from competing and
practising except in international competitions that are already
 underway. Sports events involving adult competitors will take
place without an audience. Gambling halls and casinos, fitness
gyms, food-service and amusement establishments will be closed,
and restaurants will be permitted to make home or office
deliveries only. All package tours using organized transport and
 group visits to tourist sights will be discontinued. Shopping
malls will be closed except  for food stores, pharmacies,
opticians, pet shops, and bank, insurer, courier and telecom
offices. Convenience stores will not be closed. Theatres may
function at up to 30 per cent seat occupancy and 1.5 metres
physical distances between spectators.

Churches, mosques and synagogues will remain open. There will be
 no curfew, and visiting parks and gardens will be allowed.

The new measures will take effect on Friday evening, and
children will go to school and the retail outlets will be open
during the day, Angelov explained. "Everything that is not
covered in the order is allowed," he added.

The head of the National Coronavirus Task Force, Major General
Prof. Dr Ventsislav Moutafchiiski, told the news briefing that
the new restrictions are imposed for three weeks because
analyses show that such a period will bring the most benefit.
"The idea is to slow down the infection rate, which is expected
to happen by the end of the second week at the earliest. The
lethality is expected to decline by the third week,"
Moutafchiiski added. He described these new measures as "strict
but far more liberal than in the rest of Europe" and said they
were triggered when the infection rate topped 600 per 100,000
population.

The Chief State Health Inspector, Assoc. Prof. Dr Angel Kunchev,
 specified that the purpose of the measures is to find the exact
 balance between safeguarding both healthcare and the economy.
On a scale of 100, Bulgaria ranks between 70 and 75 in terms of
the rigour of the new three-week restrictions, according to an
Oxford University classification. Kunchev is convinced that both
 morbidity and lethality in Bulgaria will level off.

Economy Minister Lachezar Borisov said at the news briefing that
 an opportunity is being explored to redirect 156 million leva
under Operational Programme Innovations and Competitiveness from
 two deferred measures to support for business to weather the
new epidemic-control restrictions. The Bulgarian Development
Bank has already received a go-ahead from the European
Commission and as from Wednesday will start signing annexes to
the agreements with partner banks on extending soft loans of up
to 1 million leva to small and medium-sized enterprises and up
to 2 million leva to large-size companies.

Labour and Social Policy Minister Denitsa Sacheva said that
60/40 and 80/20 job retention schemes remain in effect, as do
the home care arrangements for quarantined people. Families with
 children under 14 who study online from home will be eligible
for a targetеа allowance if the income per family member is
equal to or less than 150 per cent of the minimum wage, i.e. 915
 leva. The average monthly income per family member will be
calculated on the amount earned during the month when the
restrictions were imposed. People employed in economic
activities suspended by an order of a state body who are covered
 by social insurance for an 8 hour working day will be paid a 24
 leva compensation per day, according to a decree that the
Government adopted on Wednesday.

* * *

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said in a Facebook post that,
unlike March, the country will not be locked down now. He noted
that Bulgaria's health and social systems are working despite
the difficulties and the country is financially stable, which is
 acknowledged by all international agencies and institutions.

"I am convinced that only by standing side by side: doctors and
nurses, health workers, teachers, scientists, law enforcers,
statesmen, employees and retirees, young and all, all our
society can cope, as we have on previous occasions," Borissov
pointed out.

"After we give [the system] a breather and make a serious
analysis of the data, once these three weeks are over, we will
be able to afford a relaxation of the restriction so as to have
a Christmas and New Year together with our close ones," the PM
stressed, adding that after the vaccines arrive and we live over
 this crisis, we will be able to return to our normal everyday
lives. NV/LG