In regards to this protocol, the condition for visitors to be vaccinated with two doses of a vaccine against COVID-19 is being introduced, and it remains the responsibility of the organizer to implement and control all other suggested preventive measures against the spread of the virus, and to organize a watch service to control the measures, states the announcement. At this session, the suggestion of the Infectious Diseases Committee to accept the request of the Agency of youth and sport to allow organization and participation in competitions in all sports in the categories pioneer, youth and cadets without a vaccination certificate, has been approved, with the conclusion that the recommendation that those who are eligible to get vaccinated should get vaccinated, including children who are 12 years and up.

The government informs that today changes and amendments to the Protocol for realization of the educational process were adopted and it decided that children with special needs or disabilities can be released from the obligation of mandatory wearing of a mask in schools if they submit a doctor’s confirmation for their condition.

The Government of North Macedonia today accepted the information of the Ministry of Health that the necessary quantities of disinfectants will be provided in the polling stations for the upcoming local elections in response to the request of the State Election Commission.

At this session, the information of the Agency of Youth and Sport on the need to form an independent Anti-Doping Agency of the Republic of North Macedonia was reviewed.

To this end, the Government instructed the Agency of Youth and Sport to initiate and hold coordination meetings with representatives of national anti-doping organizations of the neighboring countries and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for exchange of experiences that will result in recommendations for best practice in accordance with relevant indicators within 6 (six) months, after which it will prepare a comparative analysis with possible solutions and recommendations for organizational set-up and fiscal implications for the establishment of the Anti-Doping Agency of the Republic of North Macedonia.

The establishment of the Anti-Doping Agency stems from the obligations of the International Convention against Doping in Sport of UNESCO, which our country signed in 2008 and which, among else, has the purpose to reduce the frequency of doping substances and other prohibited doping means and methods.

Translation: N. Cvetkovska