Government orders all commercial businesses close except grocery stores, pharmacies, drugstores banks and gas stations because of coronavirus

After Parliament voted to enact a state of emergency in Bulgaria, the Health Ministry issued the first set of measures the same afternoon.

All commercial businesses except for pharmacies, drugstores, grocery stores, gas stations and banks will close down until March 29. This includes restaurants, all shops apart from grocery stores, fitness clubs, sports clubs, theaters, etc.

Along with commercial businesses, all schools, universities, kindergartens and most public buildings will also close.

All employers must provide home office working conditions. If this is not possible due to the nature of the work, drastic antiviral measures need to be implemented.

Violating these measures or mandatory quarantine due to the virus will face up to 5 years in jail and up to 50’000 leva fine. MPs adopted the penal measures after the state of emergency was voted in.

The scope and timeframe of the measures may be changed in response to changed circumstances.