98% of all charter flights to Bulgarian Black Sea coast in June cancelled

Around 85% of foreign tourists arrive in Bulgaria by charter flight. Because of the coronavirus, however, 98% of the charter flights in June have been cancelled. What will happen to the flights to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast scheduled for July is unclear. The lack of foreign tourists at the beginning of the summer has meant that more than 70% of the hotels in Sunny Beach, the biggest resort in the Southern portion of the Bulgarian black Sea coast, have remained closed. While in June, 2019, Bulgaria welcomed more than 315,000 tourists, this year their number over the same period is expected to be around 6,000.“There is a risk of not having any tourist season at all this year,” Ivan Ivanov, chairman of the tourism chamber in Bourgas said for the BNR. 

Southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast is free of coronavirus

The results of a large-scale immunological study in the region of Burgas, which covered 2,400 people primarily employed in tourism, showed that 0.95% of the region's residents have encountered the coronavirus. This was announced at a press conference in Burgas by the state’s Chief Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev. The study shows that Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast is free of coronavirus and tourists can feel safe, Kunchev added. Data from the research and the conclusions that the southern Black Sea coast was not a risky destination will be translated into four languages and will be sent both to the foreign ambassadors in Bulgaria and to the Bulgarian diplomatic missions abroad.

128 new Covid-19 cases out of 3,016 tests in Bulgaria over past 24 hours

128 of the 3,016 Covid-19 tests performed over the past 24 hours in Bulgaria have returned positive. The biggest number – 38 – is in Sofia. These are the data from the national information system – Covid-19. This brings the number of registered coronavirus cases at this time up to 4,242. Of them, 1,770 are currently active. 390 are in hospital, 16 – in intensive care units. The number of deaths of patients with coronavirus is 209, one of whom died over the past 24 hours. 2,263 is the total number of recoveries, of them 46 in the past 24 hours. 

Percentage of people infected with Covid-19 does not increase

The more people are tested for Covid-19, the more positive results are obtained. However, the average number of infected persons fluctuates around 3%. We can not speak of an increase of coronavirus infections, but rather of an increase in the number of registered cases, Dr. Stoycho Katsarov, Chairman of the Center for Protection of Rights in Healthcare told the Bulgarian National Radio. Medics run highest risk of catching the virus, because they are at the frontline in the battle against Covid-19. That is why, the number of infected medics rose to 367 people. We had to make efforts to protect the Bulgarian medics from the very beginning, because this is a double loss- once you lose a medic and secondly, you add another patient infected with Covid-19 to the list of the people diagnosed with the virus, Dr. Stoycho Katsarov specified. 

Over 15% of Bulgarian workers in Tönnies slaughterhouse have Covid-19

103 Bulgarian workers at the Tönnies slaughterhouse in North Rhine-Westphalia have been infected with Covid-19. Two of them are in hospital. According to the Consul General of Bulgaria in Frankfurt, Antoaneta Baicheva, all 590 Bulgarians working for the largest German slaughterhouse have been tested. Bulgarians are less than 10% of workers there, as there are larger groups of Romanian and Polish workers. Only 11 Bulgarian workers at the Geestland slaughterhouse in Wildeshausen, Lower Saxony, where about 700 Bulgarians work, tested positive for coronavirus. However, new tests will be conducted among staff at Geestland, Baicheva added. The Covid-19 outbreaks in German meat processing factories where mainly workers from Eastern Europe are affected are a reason for discussions on the working conditions and labor migration in the Union, European Parliament’s Vice-President Katarina Barley told the Bulgarian National Radio. 

Parliament gives access to aid to foreign charter airlines

The Bulgarian National Assembly has changed the conditions under which tour operators could receive assistance for charter flights with foreign tourists. This happened with amendments to the Law on the Bulgarian Red Cross adopted at second reading. The subsidy of 35 euros per seat, introduced because of the pandemic will be available to tour operators who use air operators without Bulgarian license, without the need to prove the lack of interest from Bulgarian carriers.

EC approves redirection of EU funds to combat Covid-19 in Bulgaria

The European Commission has approved redirection of more than 20 million euros of cohesion policy funds to help Bulgaria's health-care system and support its response to Covid-19. The money will be used to buy 377 respirators, over 2 million masks and 177,000 coronavirus tests. In addition, 71 million euros have already been redirected to the Bulgarian health-care system from the Regions in Growth program. The financing will be used for buying 400 new ambulances and to improve emergency care in over 230 places.

Prices of cold medicines up by 60% during pandemic

The prices of cold and flu medicines sold at pharmacies without prescription have gone up by up to 60% over the period of coronavirus. But the biggest spike - by 140%  - is in the prices of sedatives such as valerian. 

Ekaterina Zaharieva: Covid-19 showed the need for multilateralism

The Covid-19 crisis is unprecedented and showed that we need close cooperation and multilateralism more than ever, Bulgaria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva said at the video conference meeting with her counterparts from the South-East Europe Cooperation Process. The European Union supported the Western Balkan countries with EUR 3.3 billion during the crisis, Minister Zaharieva underlined. Bulgaria sent medical equipment to its neighbors, to the countries from the Eastern Partnership and the Southern Neighborhood. In such moments you understand who is your friend and who you can really count on, Ekaterina Zaharieva said further. 

Kyustendil cancels this year's Cherry Festival

The cancelation of the long-awaited event is due to the worsening epidemic situation in Kyustendil Municipality, Mayor Petar Paunov announced. The festival had to begin on June 26, Friday and had to continue until Sunday, June 28. Its programme envisaged a series of cultural and entertainment events.

Kavarna Municipality cancels July Morning 2020

The traditional July Morning fest organized to meet the first sun rays on the first day of July near Kamen Bryag will not be held this year, Kavarna Municipality has announced. The local authorities called on all who are planning to meet the sun rise in the area to comply with all anti-epidemic measures and protect the environment. However, July Morning will be held in the neighboring municipality of Shabla, although the emergency epidemic situation in Bulgaria was extended until July 15. It will take place in Dobrudja camp site for the fifth consecutive year. 

BSP demands protection for MPs from “electronic terror”

“I insist that the presiding body of the National Assembly do everything within its power to stop the electronic terror against the MPs, their discrediting by television and other media outlets,” said Valery Zhablyanov, MP from “Bulgarian Socialist Party for Bulgaria” in parliament. His words came in response to media coverage from parliament, showing MPs without face masks in violation of the requirement for mandatory mask-wearing in enclosed public spaces. "It is normal for the media to be interested in how rules are followed in the National Assembly", GERB MP Toma Bikov replied.

Compiled by: Diana Tsankova and Radio Bulgaria’s News Team

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