Borissov ordered ministers: Don’t shut down, be flexible

“I demand flexibility from you,” quarantined prime minister Boyko Borissov ordered on Friday during another online issuance of orders to his ministers.

“The easiest thing is (to issue) prohibition orders. The difficult thing is flexibility. I authorize each of you, to keep in touch with Minister Angelov, (to issue) flexible orders, to take care of each business and of each person. I demand flexibility from you, “Borisov announced.

He added: “It’s easier to draw the line and say, ‘I’m closing (people in their houses).’

He then personally explained to Health Minister Kostadin Angelov: “I want you to get rid of the idea that if I bring all the people home in two weeks, it will surely end the pandemic. Then there will be another explosion.”

“The world is already ruled in a different way, so I say don’t start with universities and schools. Leave people with flexible working hours,” Borissov explained. From this week until November 12, universities and high schools received online training by order of the Minister of Health.

In addition, Borissov said that the government would pay for vaccines for the new coronavirus if the National Assembly decided to do so.

I also want immunity

Earlier Thursday night, Borissov had another inclusion from home, urging an EU-level decision granting immunity from a prosecutor’s investigation into the purchase of coronavirus vaccines. He made a Facebook address to Bulgarians before the European Council meeting.

Borissov says he has a “very bad experience” with former Health Minister Petar Moskov. During his time, vaccines were imported from Turkey, but then Moscow was indicted by the prosecutor’s office and is still on trial.

They still take us to court

“They still take us to court. That is why I will insist to my colleagues that we may have such a decision that will protect us from state prosecutors.“said the Prime Minister.

According to him, Bulgaria has to pay about 300 million euros for vaccines. However, there were many ambiguities when buying them. Borissov points out that there are talk of a total of 11 types of vaccines. Its storage required a serious resource: the state had to buy refrigerators and a large quantity of dry ice. At the same time, the contracts were made without the possibility of resale to third parties. According to the prime minister, at one point it may turn out that the state has paid 300 million euros for vaccines, and only 300 thousand remain willing to be vaccinated. He states that we are currently buying “cats in sacks”.

The other problem was that the manufacturers would not be responsible for any problems with the vaccines. Thus, the responsibility would be directed to the respective state.

“It must be defined very clearly how many of our vaccines will be, how many people will want to be vaccinated, because these high-value drugs will be sought after and accountable to those who buy them. That is why I will urge the Minister of Health to speak with the prosecutor and evaluate very carefully what our possibilities are.“says Borissov.

He added that there were concerns about rapid antigen tests:

“Duplicating them with the urinals. What if one gives a negative and the other a positive? This could also cause problems with civil society about why someone was quarantined or not.“.

April at the earliest

The vaccine could be available next spring at the earliest, Borissov said. According to this, it means that measures must be followed until then, because the coronavirus crisis will continue.

“Whatever they say, for two weeks, three weeks, a month or two, I am convinced that in the winter months this will continue. The collapse of the European economy, of European finances and, as you see, the United States has exceeded -15% of GDP. Bulgaria is still doing well“, he reported.