Bulgarian PM to be fined for failing to wear a mask indoors

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and members of his entourage will be fined 300 leva (about 153 euro) each for violating the Health Minister’s order to wear masks indoors, after Borissov visited a Rila Monastery church, daily Sega reported the ministry as saying on June 23.

Borissov’s failure to wear a mask came on the first day of the renewed order by Health Minister Kiril Ananiev to wear masks indoors in enclosed public places.

Also facing fines are the journalists, photographers and camera people who entered the church without wearing masks, the report said.

The Health Ministry statement to Sega did not say whether the clergy in the church, also not wearing masks, would also be fined.

The statement on the fine came a day after Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev said that Borissov’s GERB party and the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party each would be fined 3000 leva for recent large-scale events held by the respective parties without maintaining physical distancing rules.

Weeks ago, Deputy Prime Minister Krassimir Karachanov, leader of the ultra-national VMRO minority partner in government, was fined for violating the ban, in place at the time, on visiting public parks.

(Photos via Borissov’s Facebook page)

For the rest of The Sofia Globe’s continuing coverage of the Covid-19 situation in Bulgaria, please click here.

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