NEWS OF THE DAY: SDSM with an initiative for putting Parliament back to work
SDSM MPs, supported by the signatures of their colleagues from NSDP, LDP, Alliance for Albanians, DPA, Besa, Alternative and MPs from the Independent Parliamentary Group of VMRO-DPMNE, this morning sent a request to Parliament for convening an urgent session to confirm the decisions of the State President for declaring state of emergency due to the COVID-10 pandemic.
The initiative has been submitted to the Parliament archives, and Parliament President Talat Xhaferi has been informed. There is no information as to how Xhaferi will act – whether he will submit it to the other MPs and whether he will convene a session. There is no deadline for any action of the President of the Parliament in regards to the initiative.
Opposition party VMRO-DPMNE has opposed this initiative, while DUI is leaving space to look at the initiative and then to give its position, stressing that a general consensus is needed for such decisions.
STATEMENT OF THE DAY: Tufegdzic: Nowhere in the world or in Europe does the opposition oppose convening a session for controlling the government
“For me this is shocking behaviour of the opposition party, because I have never heard of the opposition opposing the convening of a session for controlling the government anywhere in the world or in Europe. The constitutionalist anticipates the mandate to continue if there is a state of emergency. We still have status of employees in the Parliament and I really do not understand the position of the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE”, stated MP Ivana Tufegdzic in regards to the opposing of the opposition for convening an urgent session of the Parliament.
INTERVIEW: Gacov: Although delayed, the measure for increasing the excise duty on oil will not harm the economy
“In my opinion, the criticism is that they are late, they should have been brought earlier. Of course, we bring measures according to our strength. We cannot compare ourselves with countries where the budget is not in the context of current collection and payment, but have rather created a balance that gives them the possibility to behave comfortably in such conditions, although the word comfortable is relatively unnecessary. That is why in such conditions for us it is very important not to expose ourselves too much even when we are trying to save the economy”, said tax expert Pavle Gacov.
STATE OF EMERGENCY, DAY 36
The Ministry of Health informs that today the Institute for Public Health has registered 29 recovered patients. Of them, 4 patients who had been treated in a hospital and 25 in home treatment. Recovered patients in home treatment have been registered in the following cities: Skopje – 21, Bitola – 3 and Strumica – 1.
In the past 24 hours, 42 new cases of COVID-19 have been registered, as follows by cities: Skopje -17, Kumanovo -11, Prilep– 5, Tetovo – 3, Kavadarci – 1, Gostivar -1, Kriva Palanka -1, Kicevo -1, Negotino -1. The person registered in the regional unit Negotino is a resident of Demir Kapija. This brings the total number of diagnosed patients with COVID-19 in our country to 1.300.
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Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Affairs Bujar Osmani and Minister of Education Arber Ademi have tested negative for COVID-19. They posted on their Facebook profiles today that their first test is negative. Osmani and Ademi together with Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski and Minister of Health Venko Filipce were in self-isolation after they had a meeting with the Mayor of Kumanovo who tested positive for COVID-19.
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Today in the “Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia” the Decree with the force of law has been published for wearing of personal protection for preventing and tackling the spread of the contagious disease caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus and protection of the population during state of emergency, which was adopted by the Government at its 45th session.
After April 30, the Decree determines that a fine in the amount of 20 Euro in Denar counter-value will be imposed for violation by any domestic or foreign natural person if acting contrary to the provisions of the Decree with the force of law. A fine of 2.000 Euro in Denar counter-value will be imposed for violation of any domestic or foreign legal entity if acting contrary to the provisions of Article 3 of this Decree with the force of law, which provides for wearing of personal protection equipment for all natural entities working and prohibiting entry and movement in these premises of every natural person entering as a visitor in these premises that is not wearing personal protection equipment.
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The Doctor’s Chamber announced that its Executive Board and the Ethical and Legal Issues Committee yesterday at an extraordinary session discussed the ethical aspect of the behaviour of the doctors from the Infectious Unit of the General Hospital Ohrid, who had not enabled health care to the patient Mavlule Ibrahimi from the village of Tatesi, Struga, who had symptoms of COVID-19 and had requested health services.
The Doctor’s Chamber condemned the behaviour of the doctors from the Infectious Unit of the General Hospital Ohrid, as in the specific case they had acted inappropriately and unconscionably, with which they have violated the reputation and dignity of the medical profession, as well as the moral principles, honesty and necessary commitment to the medical call and discipline in performing the medical profession.
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“COVID is a ‘killer-virus’ that will not be eliminated quickly, because of which the authorities need to be extremely careful in easing the restrictive measures and the gradual economic recovery”, said Dr Jihane Tawilah, Head of the WHO Country Office. She stressed that the process of relaxing the measures has to go in balance between the socio-economic benefits and the health-epidemiological risk.
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The EU Delegation in the country informed that the EU will assist with 66 million Euro for North Macedonia to deal with the crisis caused by the coronavirus.
FLASH NEWS
The stories about Marie Curie, Anna Pavlova, Malala Yousafzai, as well as about other famous and unknown heroes and heroines and inspiring people will be part of the latest joint initiative of the wife of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Elizabeta Gjorgjievska and 5 Plus Family, the project “We tell stories together”.
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“Increasing the excise duty on fuels by three Denars during the state of emergency and seven months after it ends, which has been decided by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, is temporary and conditional. The Decree is another anti-crisis measure, and in case of an increase in the price of oil, the excise duty will be decreased or will return to the previous level”, announced today SDSM.
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The President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, Oliver Spasovski, at an online video conference together with Minister of Finance Nina Angelovska and Minister of Economy Kresnik Bektesi, held a meeting with the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Suma Chakrabarti and his associates, about the situation with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and about the consequences, which have been caused by this virus globally and in our country. This year the RNM will be supported by the EBRD with a package of 250 million Euro intended for support of the financial sector, the energy sector, small and medium-sized enterprises, but also large companies.
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As a result of the crisis with the coronavirus outbreak, it can already be said that there will be changes in the labour market in Germany, but also in North Macedonia. With the increase of unemployment in Germany, the emigration from North Macedonia to Germany will decrease at the same time. For companies in North Macedonia this means that the availability of workforce could increase indirectly, stated the Chief Executive of the Delegation of the German Industry and Commerce in the country, Patrick Martens in today’s morning telegram.
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The President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, had a telephone conversation with the President of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Matarella. Pendarovski, on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia and on his own behalf expressed condolences to President Matarella and to the citizens of the Republic of Italy for the large number of deaths and expressed solidarity with the country, which is among the most severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Presidents exchanged information about the situation in the two countries, in the context of dealing with the consequences of the pandemic.
Biljana Jordanovska
translation: Natasa Cvetkovska
