site.btaPM Borissov Discusses Pandemic Response with Cabinet Members

October 30 (BTA) - At a working meeting by video conference, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov discussed the COVID-19 situation and ways to tackle it with the members of the Council of Ministers, the Government Information Service said on Friday.

Borissov will ask the National Assembly to adopt a resolution on the future purchase of vaccines against coronavirus.

He wants to see a more flexible approach to each sphere of socio-economic life, so that it could function as fully as possible in pandemic conditions. The PM ordered each minister, regardless of their portfolio (education, sports, culture), to be in constant touch with the Minister of Health so that the necessary action be taken for the safe operation of all sectors in the context of the COVID-19 containment requirements.

Borissov asked the ministers of health and of education to propose a solution for continuing the educational process in crisis conditions. The idea is to apply a local approach after the expiry of the two-week period under the Health Minister's effective order concerning schools, taking into account the decisions of the regional task forces, the infection levels reached and the proposals of the schools themselves. At the universities, the decisions will be taken by their respective managements.

The PM ordered the Ministry of Health and the regional health inspectorates to step up control over quarantined persons. "If all contacts lock themselves down and do not go out, the spread of the infection will stop. When observance of the quarantine is monitored by the competent authorities, the measures prove effective," Borissov argued.

He briefed the ministers on the European Council meeting via video conference on Thursday, at which EU leaders discussed the need to strengthen the collective effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In Borissov's opinion, the purchase of vaccines to be marketed in the EU requires maximum public communication and a broad consensus. That is why Parliament alone can decide on the vaccines. "If the MPs support us, we will buy [vaccines] and proceed in pandemic conditions. If they don't, we won't buy any," the PM said.

"People tend to forget a crisis very soon: they forgot the swine flu, the avian flu, the African swine fever, and only bills are left after these crises. This time the bill will be very fat, which is why we expect Parliament's say," Borissov pointed out. RI/LG
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