Government Officials Hold Video Conference Dedicated to COVID-19 Situation

Caretaker PM Oliver Spasovski, Health Minister Venko Filipce, Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska and Deputy PM for European Affairs Bujar Osmani held an online video session in which they discussed measures implemented by the government for dealing with the COVID-19 situation. Caretaker PM Spasovski said that the government intends to relax some of the measures starting with the beginning of May. “One of our greatest priorities with these measures was to create favourable conditions for healthcare workers to do their job in the combat with this virus. This is a crisis from which all of us, in all segments of society, and no one should try to profit from the troubles of the people. In the government, however, we are discussing possibilities for relaxation of some of the measures against COVID-19 after the Labour Day holidays (1 May), having in mind that we are having the situation under control,” Spasovski said, pointing out the state quarantine as one of the most successful measures taken by the government. At the moment, all around the country there are 2,800 citizens staying in state quarantine facilities after they have been repatriated from other countries. Health Minister Venko Filipce said that all measures implemented by the government so far are giving good results and that they really help to flatten the curve of new cases and deaths caused by COVID-19. “At the moment we have over 1,200 cases, and still hospital capacities are not full. At the moment in function are 50 % of the capacities at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and the 8 September Hospital in Skopje. We must bear in mind that once the peak of the epidemic passes, the virus will not disappear, and then we will have to adapt departments of hospitals around the country to take care of citizens with COVID-19,” Filipce said. DM Sekerinska informed that soldiers from the Macedonian Army (ARM) have been deployed to several municipalities like Skopje, Kumanovo, Prilep, Tetovo, Debar, Ohrid etc. to keep the order, mostly in front of supermarkets, banks and other objects where citizens tend to form lines and crowds. “Besides this, ARM is also securing the facilities where repatriated citizens are staying in state quarantine. We are constantly adapting to the situation and deploy additional units if necessary,” Sekerinska said. Deputy PM Osmani, who also chairs the state crisis headquarters for COVID-19, said that the headquarters is currently discussing measures for the upcoming Ramadan Month observed by the Islamic community in Macedonia, and thanked the Islamic Religious Community of Macedonia for closing the mosques during the state of emergency.