Bulgarian Medical Association calls on protesters to comply with anti-coronavirus measures
Following the fourth day of anti-government protests attended by several thousand participants, the Bulgarian Medical Association issued a call on July 13 for participants to comply with anti-epidemic measures against Covid-19.
The association said that it was anxiously monitoring the growing number of people in Bulgaria newly diagnosed with Covid-19.
“Adherence to anti-epidemic measures – distance, disinfection and discipline is extremely important to control this negative trend,” the BMA said.
It said that, unfortunately, in the mass protests of recent days, “we have witnessed non-compliance and undervaluation of the recommendations”.
This fact, the BMA said, would inevitably lead to an increase in the number of infected and the burdening of the health system.
“The BMA calls on everyone who expresses their free will not to forget their personal responsibility for their own health and that of others. Compliance with anti-epidemic measures, albeit in the open, but in the presence of many people, is key to preserving the health system,” the association said.
Further anti-government protests, seeking the resignation of the government and of the Prosecutor-General, are set to continue for several days to come.
In other Covid-19 related developments in Bulgaria on July 13:
The press office of the Presidency confirmed that over the past weekend, an employee of the Presidency had tested positive for new coronavirus.
President Roumen Radev and those who worked with him directly had been tested and all the tests were negative, the statement said.
In a brief statement, the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party said that a member of its executive bureau, Vyara Emilova, had tested positive for Covid-19.
The entire executive bureau and all those who had been in contact with its members would be tested, the party said.
Bulgaria’s State Fund Agriculture said that from July 13 to July 24, applications for financial assistance under the “crisis storage of wine” measure would be accepted.
The measure, being implemented solely in financial year 2020, is intended to overcome market disruptions in the wine sector caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. A budget of five million leva (about 2.5 million euro) has been allocated.
The measure intends to assist Bulgarian winemakers whose wines have been temporarily withdrawn from the market to store wine in warehouses or in their own storage at their wine production facilities.
Wine companies registered as wine producers in accordance with the Wine and Spirits Act may apply for financial assistance. Also eligible to apply are producer organisations, associations of producer organisations, producer groups and interbranch organisations in the wine grape sector.
The financial assistance is 0.04 leva per litre of wine stored for a period of a month, or the equivalent calculated per day. The maximum amount of co-financing from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund under the measure is 100 per cent of the value of eligible costs.
For the rest of The Sofia Globe’s continuing coverage of the Covid-19 situation in Bulgaria, please click here.
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