Bulgaria's Cardiovascular Crisis: Deputy PM Urges Action
Bulgaria is grappling with a staggering burden of cardiovascular diseases, with more than 6 million new cases and over 1.8 million deaths reported annually
HOT: » Assessing the Legacy of Bulgaria's "Denkov" Cabinet: Achievements, Failures, and What Comes Next
Europe proposed shutting its external borders to foreigners for 30 days on Monday in a bid to turn the page on its scramble to contain the coronavirus, but it drew criticism for doing too little, too late.
With the official death toll in Italy now above 1,800 and the number of cases growing rapidly around the continent, the crisis has exposed divisions in the 27-member European Union.
Some countries have introduced border controls inside what is normally Europe’s Schengen zone of open borders, while others have refused to share medical data or equipment.
Calls for unity from Brussels have so far seemed to fall on deaf ears. Images from crossings in Europe show vehicles in long lines waiting to cross what would normally be invisible borders.
“The less travel, the more we can contain the virus. Therefore ... I propose to the heads of state and government to introduce temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU,” said the head of the EU’s executive, Ursula von der Leyen.
“These travel restrictions should be in place for an initial period of 30 days, but can be prolonged as necessary.”
Leaders of EU member states will discuss the proposals during a videoconference on Tuesday. Diplomatic sources said the they were championed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has pushed for co-ordinated European action.
The plan would cover 30 countries: all EU member states excluding Ireland, as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein, which are part of the Schengen zone even though they are not part of the European Union.
Britain, which left the EU in January, and Ireland would have to decide independently whether to fall in line by sealing their borders. But their nationals would retain the right to travel to Europe in the meantime, according to EU officials.
From Portugal in the west to Hungary in the east, European countries have unilaterally tightened frontier controls, triggering a warning earlier on Monday from Brussels that chaotic measures risk hurting food and medicine supplies, and aggravating the crisis.
The proposals on shutting Europe’s external borders to foreigners, which include a raft of exemptions, were viewed by some as an effort by Brussels to appear in control.
“We do know the threat is already inside, the threat is not coming from the outside anymore. So it’s more about political messaging,” an EU official said, requesting anonymity.
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank, agreed. He described the proposals as “window-dressing ... to cover up the embarrassment of member-states closing their borders to each other.”
“I don’t see the potential benefits,” he said.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Bulgaria is grappling with a staggering burden of cardiovascular diseases, with more than 6 million new cases and over 1.8 million deaths reported annually
Japanese health authorities have issued a warning as the nation grapples with a significant uptick in potentially fatal strep throat infections, particularly in Tokyo
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe today released the second volume of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, which focuses on patterns of bullying and peer violence among adolescents across 44 countries and
Statement on World TB Day by WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge
The Ministry of Finance has disclosed its affirmative stance on allocating resources for covering the entire cost of 56 drugs targeting cardiovascular diseases, such as those addressing hypertension, arrhythmia, and other frequently occurring chronic ailm
During World Sleep Day week, data from recent studies conducted by the Pragmatica Agency and iSleep show that more than 70% of Bulgarians struggle to initiate sleep and experience nighttime awakenings
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022