Bulgaria’s Labour Day weekend: Stormy weather, strict security measures
Bulgaria has a three-day weekend with the May 1 Labour Day public holiday on Friday, with stormy weather forecast across the country and with the Interior Ministry pledging strict enforcement of restrictions on intercity travel under the regulations against the spread of Covid-19.
Vesselin Mladenov, head of the security police department, told a briefing on April 30 that in Bulgaria’s capital city Sofia, restrictions are stricter and only those travelling for work reasons would be allowed to leave or enter the city.
There have been extensive checks of more than 55 000 declarations submitted by motorists at intercity travel checkpoints. About 3400 were found to have made false statements and have been handed over to prosecutors.
Those who had made false statements included people who said that they were travelling for work reasons but did not have employment contracts, while there were 466 who said they were travelling for work while it had been established that they were registered as unemployed.
Mladenov issued a reminder the intercity travel restrictions ordered by Health Minister Kiril Ananiev remained in force.
These included work, health reasons, returning to a current or permanent address, the need to take care of loved ones and the need to supply goods.
A total of 1287 pre-trial proceedings had been initiated for non-compliance with the anti-epidemic measures.
About 200 pre-trial proceedings were for incorrect information in the intercity travel declarations.
A total of 19 262 fines had been issued, of which 14 628 were for failure to wear a protective mask or other appropriate face covering while in public.
Bulgarian media said on April 29 that there already were queues of cars seeking to leave Sofia ahead of the long weekend.
(Photo: Lucretious)
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