Page 31 - bne Magazine Apri20

bne April 2020 Cover story I 31
Kosovo
VIRUS UPDATE
• Number of cases as of March 25: 71
• Number of deaths as of March 25: 1
• Comment: most of the infected people came from Italy
and are concentrated in Malisheva and Gjilan. 766 tests have been made until March 25.
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES
• Lockdown: schools, bars, restaurants have been closed, all public gatherings are banned. Public transport and commercial flights have been suspended. Travelling to countries affected by the coronavirus epidemic have been temporarily suspended and controls at all border crossing
points have been tightened. The borders of Kosovo are closed to all foreign citizens. All private sector employees are obliged to work from home. Hospitals have a total of 142 respirators. The government will purchase another 50 which are expected in April and May.
ECONOMIC MEASURES
• Government allocated €10mn for the fight against coronavirus.
ECONOMIC FORECASTS (where available)
• There is no new projection for GDP growth for 2020.
North Macedonia VIRUS UPDATE
• Number of cases as of March 25: 177
• Number of deaths as of March 25: 3
• Comment: most of the cases are in Skopje and most of
the infected have come from Italy. The regional cities
of Kumanovo and Debar are also on lockdown. The government opened14 testing points across the country. North Macedonia cancelled April 12 snap general elections.
PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES
• Lockdown: schools, universities, café bars, restaurants, casinos and stores in malls, except for food and pharmacies, have been closed. The government imposed a curfew from 21 pm to 5 am and additionally banned
old people over 67 to move from 11 am to 6 am next
day. Young people under the age of 18 are banned to go outside from 9 pm to 12 noon. People can go shopping while keeping a distance of 1.5 m, making queues in front of pharmacies and most popular markets. Skopje and Ohrid airport are closed. All border crossings are also closed. All people who enter the country should stay in 14-day quarantine.
• People have been constantly advised to stay at home or wear facemasks and gloves.
• The health ministry started to use the combination of Sumamed antibiotics and drugs against malaria.
ECONOMIC MEASURES
• State-run Development Bank of North Macedonia will offer interest-free loans to companies to mitigate the effects on the economy
• Up to 50% of the average salary in tourism, catering and transport sector will be subsided by the government;
• the government plans toll use (bridge to bond facility)
from the IMF of €400mn and €100mn from World Bank; • The government froze the prices of medical supplies and
equipment, prices of basic foodstuffs and disinfectants,
and abolishes customs duties on 13 medicinal products. • A moratorium on bankruptcy during the crisis
• Vouchers for travel agencies for cancelled travel
arrangements due to coronavirus crisis.
ECONOMIC FORECASTS (where available)
• There is no prognosis by the central bank due to the uncertainly of the crisis.
• Finance ministry prognosis GDP contraction in the second quarter and recovering in some sectors in the third quarter with a rebound in 4Q20.
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