Activists call for tougher anti-COVID measures in Abkhazia

In their appeal to the government of Abkhazia, activists claim that the authorities should increase fines for crowded wedding parties and memorial meetings, prohibit mass events, and impose mandatory PCR tests or require vaccination certificates for tourists.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on July 17, Eduard Butba, the Abkhazian Minister for Public Health, associated the increase in the incidence of coronavirus in Abkhazia with the citizens’ ignorance.

Public activists of Abkhazia demanded from the government to impose adequate quarantine measures and supported Eduard Butba, Minister for Public Health, who proposed to tighten anti-COVID measures, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent was informed by Asida Lomiya, the chair of the Children’s Foundation of Abkhazia, one of the activists, who signed the appeal.

“We support the proposal of the Minister for Public Health of the Republic of Abkhazia to impose adequate quarantine measures in the name of the safety and health of residents and guests of Abkhazia. Today, it is already obvious that Abkhazia has been covered by a powerful wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, which requires an urgent response from the authorities and society,” the civil society activists claim in their appeal to the government of Abkhazia, signed by 22 names and released on July 14 by the state-run news agency “Apsnypress”.

According to Asida Lomiya, the authorities should impose fines for non-compliance with the anti-COVID measures. “If you arranged a wedding party, you must pay a big fine. Minor fines will not change the situation. I’m not saying to cancel wedding parties, let people get married, but you don’t need to gather people, you don’t need to expose yourself and your guests to danger,” Asida Lomiya explained.

The activist believes that the already introduced anti-COVID measures are not enough, judging by the increase in the daily number of infection cases and deaths.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 20, 2021 at 04:28 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.