Open-air terraces of restaurants may re-open, road checkpoints will be lifted

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, the head of the coronavirus task force and several members of the Cabinet on May 3 held a briefing on the plans to relax various restrictive measures against the spread of Covid-19.

Driving schools will be allowed to re-open from May 4. The requirement would be that those in cars used for driving lessons must wear protective face masks and there must be regular disinfection of the vehicles, every time before the next person gets into the car for a lesson.

It was announced that as of May 4, individual outdoor sports will be allowed but not competitions. “People can play tennis, run on a stadium track, run in the park,” Borissov said. He added that allowing swimming pools to open is being considered.

Open-air terraces and gardens of restaurants will be allowed to re-open following inspections by regional health inspectorates and the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and if all requirements for physical distancing are met, it was announced.

Establishments would not be allowed to re-open where physical distancing would not be possible, PM said.

The head of the task force, Major-General, Pof. Dr. Ventsislav Mutafchiyski said that physical distancing would have to be respected and staff would have to use protective equipment and undergo training.

Bulgaria’s Chief State Health Inspector Associate Professor Angel Kunchev said that rules will be included in a document on the basis of which regional health inspectorate officials and the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency would give an opinion about whether an establishment could re-open.

PM Borissov also said that after the afternoon of the May 6 public holiday (St George’s Day), the checkpoints controlling the travel between the cities would be removed. “We believe that the checkpoints played a very important role,” he said.

No agreement on whether to allow kindergartens and nurseries to re-open has been reached.