Bulgaria’s Health Minister changes rules for entering and leaving Sofia

Bulgaria’s Health Minister Kiril Ananiev issued on April 21 an amendment to his order regarding the ban on private car traffic in and out of capital city Sofia.

The initial version of Ananiev’s order, issued with effect from April 17, left open a window twice a day, for two hours each in the mornings and the evenings, for those travelling for legitimate work reasons to enter or leave the city.

As of April 21, people travelling for work reasons may enter or leave Sofia at any time of day, provided that they submit a formal declaration. The declaration must include details of the workplace and the telephone number of the employer.

The change came after the end of the four-day Orthodox Easter public holiday.

Bulgarian National Radio reported on April 21 that for a second consecutive day, the columns of cars entering Sofia were extremely large. There was intense traffic also at the exits from the city, the report said.

False information on a travel declaration means a fine of 100 to 300 leva (about 50 to 150 euro) and possible imprisonment for up to three years.

On the morning of April 21, the national operational headquarters said that there were 966 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Bulgaria. Sofia had the highest number, 556. To date, there have been 45 deaths of people who had tested positive for new coronavirus, 27 of them in Sofia.

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(Archive photo: Bulgaria Interior Ministry press centre)

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