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In some cities, the decisions of the Shmygal Cabinet of Ministers are not implemented (photo: Vitaliy Nosach / RBC-Ukraine)
Three regional centers have already found themselves in the “red zone”. But Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil decided not to tighten the quarantine according to Cabinet rules and filed a lawsuit against him. What will lead to the “revolt of mayors” on the eve of the elections – in the material of RBC-Ukraine.
The coronavirus epidemic in Ukraine is breaking records. Every day, doctors register two to two thousand five hundred new cases. By the end of September, according to the forecast of Prime Minister Denis Shmygal, this figure will be 3,000 per day. In this scenario, in another month, hospitals will have serious bed problems for new patients.
To prevent the COVID-19 outbreak and the collapse of the medical system, the government extended the quarantine until October 31. There is no talk of a complete “lockdown” as it was in the spring.
As part of the adaptive quarantine since August, the country has been divided into zones based on the level of danger. The most severe restrictions apply in “red”: prohibition of public transport, shopping and entertainment centers, cafes and restaurants (except for delivery), visits to kindergartens, schools, etc.
Cities and individual districts are zoned by the State Commission for Emergency Situations of the Cabinet of Ministers. She sets the levels of epidemic danger in the country each week, but can ease the quarantine only after 14 days. So, since September 7, three regional centers have already entered the “red zone”: Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Chernivtsi.
The authorities of the first two interpreted this decision in their own way, made adjustments to the list of restrictions and even filed a lawsuit against the Cabinet. The police in these cities are still issuing management protocols for individual episodes. But RBC-Ukraine interlocutors in the government quarter say the systemic sabotage of the quarantine may turn into criminal cases for local officials.
Contagious example
Cherkasy was the first to come into conflict with the central government due to the quarantine. On April 30, the local city council eased restrictions on businessmen, contrary to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers. Cherkassy Mayor Anatoly Bondarenko said at the time that the executive committee “restored social justice.”
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov threatened him with a “tough reaction”. At the height of the scandal, a criminal case was opened, but on August 29 it was closed. The local RBC-Ukraine police explained that the incidence in the city since the beginning of the investigation and still does not exceed the norm, and the region is in the “green zone”.
After the Cabinet of Ministers in August divided the country into zones according to the level of epidemic danger, there were more “rioters.” Then Lutsk and Ternopil entered the “red zone”, but they refused to comply with the new restrictions. The city authorities later claimed they were in control of the situation, and the government’s decision was labeled “political.” The conflict did not come, because on August 8 the State Commission relaxed the quarantine in these cities.
The start of the school year raised serious concerns in the context of the “second wave” of coronavirus. The Cabinet of Ministers has developed special rules for the operation of kindergartens and schools in order to avoid massive infections and the transition to distance education. The logic is clear: in addition to the massive complaints about the quality of such education, studying at home forces parents to stay with their children instead of going to work.
But even despite the “antivirus protocols”, not just individual classes, but entire schools are going to be isolated after a week. At the same time, in the “red zone” you must study remotely. This is stated in the government’s decision, but the local authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil decided otherwise. In both cities, since Monday, September 7, the State Commission introduced the highest level of epidemic danger.
Ivano-Frankivsk Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv said that in a week the city’s schools will open in any case, even if the city remains in the “red zone”. Now the children have been sent on a two-week vacation. In Ternopil, educational institutions were not closed at all. On the second day of the strict quarantine, the local police drew up protocols for the principals of 31 schools and 12 kindergartens.
“Dear policemen! Defenders of the Ternopil community! You have come to your schools where you studied, where your children go now. You elaborate protocols for the teachers who once taught you to write, to count, to be human. You elaborate a protocol for your first teacher. ” “, – wrote the mayor of the city Sergey Nadal on Facebook.
The operational headquarters of the city for the fight against the coronavirus decided last week that, against the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, in addition to schools, shopping and entertainment centers, cafes, gyms and markets must also operate, subject to the “Compliance with anti-epidemic measures. Public transportation works as scheduled, but with the “Special Flight” signs, you can use it if you have a certificate that a person is going to work.
Nadal himself went into self-isolation on September 1 after falling ill with COVID-19. He calls the decision to divide the country into zones “unconstitutional” and predicts that the city’s economy could “die” due to the severe quarantine. Local authorities in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and several other cities are trying to challenge the “zoning” of the Cabinet of Ministers at the Kiev District Administrative Court.
Electoral shadow
In a conversation with RBC-Ukraine, the inhabitants of Pechersk Hills point out that the increase in the activity of mayors on the issue of quarantine is due to the upcoming local elections. Then, the adviser to the head of the Office of the President, Mikhail Podolyak, said that the central government does not demand from the regions something “excessive or impossible” to combat the epidemic.
“In the spring, some mayors, who are now behaving particularly irresponsibly, promoted the threat and called for strict quarantine restrictions. according to the recommendations of infectious disease specialists ”, he explained.
Recently, the Sociological Group “Rating” published the results of a “quarantine” survey conducted at the end of July. So 58% of respondents noted that the coronavirus epidemic does not pose a threat to them personally. At the same time, 56% approve of the actions of local authorities in the fight against the epidemic. But the work of the Cabinet of Ministers in this direction is not supported by 51% of those surveyed.
Prime Minister Denis Shmygal, in his comments to RBC-Ukraine, recalled that the election campaign had already started in Ukraine. According to him, the actions of individual representatives of local authorities calling for non-compliance with quarantine restrictions often have a political objective. The head of government believes that it is not the Cabinet of Ministers who should respond to them, but rather law enforcement officials.
“I would also like to remind you that any director of a company or educational institution or other institution who decides to work against quarantine restrictions has personal criminal responsibility for this. Therefore, I ask local leaders not to pressure subordinates to that they commit crimes and do not expose their compatriots to the danger of an epidemic. “, – summed up the prime minister.
Violation of health rules and regulations for the prevention of infectious diseases is punishable under article 325 of the Penal Code. If such actions led to the spread of the disease, the perpetrators face a fine of 17 thousand hryvnia and up to three years in prison. And in case of death of people, from five to eight years in prison. But often quarantine offenders receive fines for “administrative”, for officials they amount to 34-170 thousand hryvnia.
The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Anton Gerashchenko, explained to the publication that these fines can be imposed not only by the police and medical doctors, but also by local authorities. At the same time, he believes that in the case of the “rebellious mayors” must come political responsibility.
“If the mayor personally violates the quarantine rules, we will personally fine the mayor. But we have no responsibility for political statements. Everyone has elections, they want to show off in front of the voters in these elections. Of the coronavirus, they will not be elected,” he added.
At the same time, an informed interlocutor from RBC-Ukraine clarified that the central government is also considering tougher options to respond to the “riot in the red zone.” Including “individual conversations”.
“Perhaps even a special group will be created for such talks, from the Ministry of the Interior and the Security Service of Ukraine. Specific criminal articles will be applied for those who are especially jealous. It all depends on the increase in the incidence rate,” said the source.
The number of COVID-19 cases across the country has doubled in the last month. As of September 8, 74 thousand active cases were registered in Ukraine. The RBC-Ukraine Health Ministry noted that such an increase is already causing overcrowding of “hospitals” where “covid” patients are treated. The Ministry of Health blames the failure to comply with quarantine measures for this situation.
“In case the epidemic situation worsens, the government may be forced to introduce a ‘red zone’ regime for the whole country in order to curb the growth of morbidity. Because the health of the nation is the the government’s top priority, “the department added.
The government says the spring shutdown allowed the medical system to prepare for the epidemic. Now the Cabinet intends to continue advancing along the path of adaptive quarantine, so as not to restrict the work of companies and not to harm the economy. At Bankova, they believe that local authorities have sufficient powers and finances to protect the population from covidity and support entrepreneurs.
“The new lockdown is not yet realistic. We will try to cope with adaptive scenarios. Because it is important not to freeze the economy completely. In our country, individual industries are sinking into” adaptive “, – explained Podolyak.
On the eve of local elections, the central government was in a difficult situation. The “quarantine card” can really become a trump card for politicians in certain regions. Punishing opponents of the severe restrictions will only potentially increase their voting points. But the lack of a timely response threatens a chain reaction across the country.
