Government will not propose extension of state of emergency beyond May 13

The government will not ask the Parliament for extension of the state of emergency, Bulgaria’s Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said on May 4 at a briefing broadcast live on BNT after the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers.

The idea of the meeting was to consider a bill that would amend the Health Act so that some of the measures under the state of emergency would remain in effect after May 13, when the state of emergency will be lifted.

The principle that is followed is to preserve all measures that have a significant impact on economic life - the social ministry programmes, some restrictions on business turnover and some rules that allow for a smoother transition through the epidemiological situation.

It is proposed that a large part of the norms should be valid two months after the end of the state of emergency.

The bill approved by the government and to be tabled in Parliament is to amend the Health Act.

The state of emergency is set to be lifted on May 13, not earlier, but all anti-epidemic measures will remain in force. They will be amended by regulations of the Minister of Health at the proposal of the state health inspector.

He said that those who attended the meeting agreed that there should be a move towards actions to gradually return to social and economic life.

The Minister of Health Kiril Ananiyev explained that, despite that the state of emergency will not continue, the anti-epidemic measures will continue to apply. This necessitates a change in Art. 61 and Art. 63 of the Health Act.

It is envisaged that the minister, by an ordinance, to determine the conditions and procedure for isolation of patients with contagious diseases, carriers of diseases, quarantine of contact persons and persons who have come back to the country from abroad.

The Minister of Health is empowered to declare with an order an emergency epidemic situation, providing for anti-epidemic measures in the country or certain regions in the country in order to protect the life and health of the Bulgarian citizens.

The specific measures are to be determined by an act of the Minister of Health at the proposal of the Chief State Health Inspector or the Directors of the Regional Health Inspectorates.