Bulgaria’s Plovdiv expands measures against spread of Covid-19
Stricter measures decided on by the Plovdiv municipal crisis staff against Covid-19 took effect in the city on March 30.
No retail outlets may open, except for food shops, pharmacies, banking and insurance offices.
The police presence in parks and public gardens, to enforce the ban on visiting them, has been stepped up. Leave for police in Plovdiv has been cancelled.
There is a national ban in Bulgaria, with effect from March 21, on visiting parks, public gardens and other outdoor and indoor public places. Plovdiv mayor Zdravko Dimitrov said that in the city, no one would be allowed to go for walks in the parks, the hills, on the banks of the Maritsa river and the avenues.
Benches in parks, public gardens and in front of residential flats would not be removed, as has been ordered in Bourgas by that city’s mayor, but fines will be imposed on everyone who breaks anti-epidemic measures in Plovdiv, Dimitrov said.
Bulgaria’s State of Emergency Measures Act provides that anyone violating or failing to implement anti-epidemic measures introduced by order of the Minister of Health or head of a regional health inspectorate faces a fine of 5000 leva. When the breach is by a sole trader or juristic person, the fine is 15 000 leva.
The fines may be imposed by state health inspectors or officials designated by the head of the regional health inspectorate, by officials designated by the head of a regional directorate of the Interior Ministry, and by officials appointed by municipal mayors.
Ninety-two people were fined in Plovdiv this past weekend for breaking the ban on visiting parks.
(Photo of Plovdiv’s main shopping street: podtepeto.com)
