Members of the Macedonian Parliament approved a proposal to move with expedited debate on a new set of restrictions regarding the coronavirus crisis. The proposal was adopted with 60 votes in favor and 32 abstained.
The SDSM led Government demanded an urgent adoption of the law after initially trying to have the measures approved through an act of Government. The restrictions will impose a mask mandate even while walking by yourself in the open and will allow the police to break up gatherings at home with more than four visitors. The steps were seen as far too draconian by much of the public.
Never the less, the law will be discussed through Parliament committees before being put to a vote. It is unclear whether the ruling SDSM – DUI – BESA coalition will have the votes needed to adopt it, given its very thin majority in Parliament. VMRO-DPMNE proposes that the Parliament creates a new, broader committee on managing the pandemic, instead of the current Committee on infectious diseases, whose work was rife with partisanship. Despite lacking the votes, SDSM has been reluctant to accept this proposal from the opposition.
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