TIRANA – Albania will continue to be in lockdown beyond April 25 because of the persistence of the coronavirus pandemic, the government has said which will present the proposal to Parliament for adoption in its first plenary session this week.
Earlier Prime Minister Edi Rama had confirmed that the emergency situation which was declared on March 24 would be extended beyond April 25, but he did not elaborate. However, media reports say that the lockdown will last until June 23.
The decision of the Albanian government specifies that it is planning to extend the emergency situation at least until June 23 to protect the health and safety of the people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The previous decision on the proclamation of the emergency situation due to coronavirus ruled that that the rights of citizens provided by articles 37, 38, 41, 49 and 51 of the Constitution would be limited. The government said that the decision also sanctioned the taking of extraordinary measures by institutions to cope with the coronavirus situation.
Public bodies are tasked to compile administrative plans and use financial resources so as to handle the natural disaster. According to the decision, access to public spaces is restricted and gatherings are banned, while all infected persons are ordered to remain in quarantine. /argumentum.al
