NEWS OF THE DAY: Government with second set of measures for citizens and firms for mitigating impact of COVID-19
Financial support for private sector companies for payment of the salaries of their employees in the amount of 14.500 denars for the months of April and May, a cut in the salaries of all elected and appointed officials at the level of the minimum wage and establishing a solidarity fund in which funds will be donated for tackling the coronavirus crisis, are part of the second set of measures that were presented today by the Government for coping with the consequences caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
The set of measures was adopted at today’s government session, and according to estimations about 200 million euros are needed for its implementation.
The measures do not anticipate a reduction in the salaries of public sector employees, rather in the salaries of all elected and appointed officials.
For April and May, minimum wage salary will also be provided for sports workers, freelance artists and media workers, while those workers who have been left out of work will be paid 50 percent of the average salary.
Part of the measures also include subsidizing 50 percent of the salary contributions, as well as interest-free loans for companies provided through the Development Bank.
STATE OF EMERGENCY, DAY 13
In the past 24 hours, 392 tests have been made, with 44 new cases of coronavirus being confirmed in the country, by cities as follows: Kumanovo- 23, Skopje – 11, Tetovo – 4, Bitola- 3, Struga – 2 and Prilep – 1. The Ministry of Health stated that two men have died of coronavirus at the Infectious and Diseases Clinic, one at the age of 45 from Kumanovo, and the other at the age of 78 from Debar.
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According to statistics of the MoI, in the past 24 hours (yesterday and today) 101 persons across the country have been issued orders for isolation, while 40 persons have signed a statement for self-isolation.
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The Stip Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office today requested for the court to pronounce the highest fine for the 32-year-old man from Stip who disregarded the measure for mandatory self-isolation. The man from Stip who did not stay at home is facing a fine of 5.000 euros.
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The security situation on the territory of the municipalities of Debar and Centar Zhupa is stable. Within the framework of the anticipated measures in the operational plan, the police officers are conducting patrols in the city areas and suburban areas. There have been no gatherings of citizens in public places, no violation of the public order and peace and no registered traffic accidents.
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The Ministry of Health through an announcement thanked all those who with donations of funds and goods have supported the efforts of the institutions for tackling the situation with COVID-19 in the country.
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There are 154 persons placed under state quarantine due to coronavirus in the hotels “Popova Sapka” and “Slavia” at Popova Sapka, which are in the ownership of AD ESM.
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“The inter-institutional cooperation has produced results. We are finishing the setting of the field hospital next to the Clinic for Infectious Diseases. For less than 7 days. The City of Skopje, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defence, institutions with world standards of compliance”, stated yesterday the Mayor of the City of Skopje, Petre Shilegov, on his Facebook profile, who expressed gratitude to the employees of these institutions.
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All state bodies and institutions are obliged, the units of local self-government are advised, while the private sector is recommended, to release from going to work and performing work activities, employees of these institutions and companies who go to work with an escort – completely blind persons, wheelchair-bound persons, and persons with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities, informs the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, referring to a conclusion made by the Government.
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All citizens who will be left out of work due to the crisis caused by the spread of coronavirus, will receive from the state a compensation in the amount of 50% of their monthly salary in the past year. The duration of the payment of the compensation will depend on the length of the employee’s work service.
FLAASH NEWS
Ismet Guru and Ejup Alimi, charged for the “Titanic 3” case, have been found guilty of destroying election material in the Municipality of Cair in the 2013 local election, ruled today Judge Maria Kletnicka and sentenced them to three years and six months in prison each.
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Former Mayor of Bitola Vladimir Talevski, has been sentenced to eight years of prison for abuse of official position in the “Transporter” case. Of the 20 defendants with him, ten have been charged with a total of 28.9 years of prison, while the remaining ten received two years each suspended prison sentence that will be activated if one of them commits a crime within five years.
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A session of the Security Council of the Republic of North Macedonia has started in the Cabinet of President Stevo Pendarovski.
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The number of workers in the industry in February this year compared to February last year has fallen by 3,2 percent. A decrease by 3,2 percent of the number of workers has been registered also in the period from January to February this year, in regard to the first two months of last years, announced the State Statistical Office today.
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The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov had a telephone conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Bogdan Aurescu, who was to visit Skopje today, but the visit was postponed due to the situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event that is observed on March 31, dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination that transgender people face worldwide, as well as celebration of their contributions to society.
Angela Petrovska
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
