Armenia

On 6 July, the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that his government will extend the state of emergency at least one more time in order to handle the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. 

Pashinyan said that the authorities will try to reform the legislation so that in the event of an emergency, the government has the tools to conduct an efficient anti-epidemic policy. “We understand that we cannot endlessly extend the state of emergency - this is a problem for all of us. But on the other hand, we cannot but take into account the epidemiological situation, so we will try to come to the most balanced decisions,” he said 

He also noted that more than 3 thousand fine notices are issued daily by police for not wearing masks. “Our goal is not to fine citizens. On the contrary, speaking of fines, we want to encourage citizens to wear masks, especially since their effectiveness is a fact already proven at the international level,” he added. He also stressed that when the government sees that the healthcare system is no longer able, even under extreme stress, to serve the citizens, it will have no choice but to return to the tight restrictions to defeat the situation, even at the expense of the Armenian economy.

A day earlier, Armenia’s Health Minister Arsen Torosyan spoke optimistically on the statistics in the country. He said that the daily number of new cases, which has averaged between 500 and 700 in recent weeks, have been “relatively stable.” “Usually epidemics spread explosively, but we are not in such a situation,” he said, adding that Armenians have slowed the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing and wearing face masks in large numbers. He also noted at the same time that there are now very few vacant beds at the intensive care units of Armenian hospitals treating Covid-19 patients.

The current tally of infected persons in Armenia stands at 29 285 with 503 reported deaths.

Azerbaijan 

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev urged again the citizens to comply with social distancing rules amid the country’s special coronavirus quarantine regime. He also spoke on the government’s decision to increase the fines for not wearing masks in public. “The main reason for the spread of the disease is the irresponsibility of some people. They do not follow simple rules. That is the reason why we were forced to increase the fines. In some cases, we are forced to take strict measures against those who violate the quarantine regime. But they must also understand their responsibility. All rules are designed to protect the health of people, including those who violate the quarantine regime. But we see that people are demonstratively violating this regime,” he said.

He also commented on the detention of lockdown violators in Baku’s Fairmont Hotel on 5 July. “That shameful incident that took place in a famous hotel was unacceptable. Therefore, the intervention by the Azerbaijani police was right. I have given strict instructions to the police to respond suitably to all violations. No one is above the law - whether it is a local or a foreign company, a local citizen or a foreign citizen, we must protect our people and the health of our people. If people who break those rules are more responsible and disciplined, I think we will be able to control the pandemic,” he added.  

The current tally of infected persons in Azerbaijan stands at 19 801 with 241 reported deaths.

Georgia 

On 7 July, a bill was proposed to the Georgian parliament which, if passed, will give the government the right to introduce certain restrictions, even if a state of emergency is not declared in the country. In addition, the bill wouldn’t even require the consent of parliament and would last until 1 January 2021.

The opposition and non-governmental organizations considered the bill unconstitutional, and believe that if it is adopted, the government would seek complete control over the country in the run up to the elections, scheduled for October this year.

Government officials, on the other hand argued that this bill would allow the government to effectively manage the situation in the event of a small outbreak or aggravation of the epidemiological situation. In the context of the upcoming elections, the speaker of the Georgian parliament Irakli Kobakhidze said that international observers would be able to monitor the election process despite the restrictions. “Observers will face minimal problems, like testing for COVID-19. Of course, they will not be sent to quarantine,” he said.  

Meanwhile, some restrictions were also lifted in the country. Gyms and swimming pools would reopen after examination by the Labour Inspection Department. The advisers to Georgia’s Prime Minister Adviser Irakli Chikovani stated that ‘domestic flights will resume any day now.’ Additionally, Interagency Coordination Council on the Coronavirus pandemic has decided on the flight schedule to be ensured by Wizz Air and MyWay Airlines to safeguard the methodical return of Georgian citizens from overseas. 

The current tally of infected persons in Georgia stands at 838 with 15 reported deaths.