Beaches, Land Borders Open in Albania on 1 June

Albania's Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu, during a communication with the public, has announced all activities that will be allowed on June 1st by strictly implementing security measures and protocols.

Following recommendations by the Technical Committee of Experts, Manastirliu has declared that by June 1st, the free movement of citizens and vehicles across the territory will be allowed and garden nests, a series of activities and land borders opened, removing compulsory two-week quarantine and placing it only for specific cases.

“Nated by epidemiological assessment so far, according to the Technical Committee's decision is set to follow the plan adopted in the reopening strategy and from June 1st: The movement of citizens and vehicles throughout the territory is allowed without restraint. The nests and gardens will be opened, implementing the approved security protocols. Land borders will be opened, removing two - week quarantine as a measure that is being followed by European countries and countries in the region. The measure of imposing two-week quarantine will remain in force, for separate cases at the order of health authorities according to criteria set by ECDC”, Manastriliu said.

Noting that the beaches will also open on June 1st, Manastirliu stressed who does not implement the published procedures would be penalised.

From June 1st, the beaches will be open, under security measures, according to a plan which includes the entire coastline as a safe zone. The beaches under the approved zones will be determined with special authorization from a provisional authority that has been set up for this period and that will manage permits for each beach station via an online application and a special protocol to ensure distance maintenance and sanitation conditions on beaches. So we invite interested ones to implement procedures that will be made public by MTM, informing anyone who violates the rules for profit reasons on the beach will be penalised”, Manastirliu said.

Sports championships, without public presence, will be allowed by June 1st. Parking facilities, educational, cultural, internet centres, as well as gyms according to security protocols will be opened.

Minister Manastirliu underlined that time restrictions for citizens and businesses will be lifted at the weekend, but even this weekend no residential movement from red areas to green areas until Monday when these restrictions will be lifted.

Saying the epidemic situation has not yet ended the Manastirliu has called on all actors to protect the health of citizens from breaking rules for public gatherings.

The minister has appealed that as of June 1st, citizens and businesses increase vigilance by implementing physical distance, personal hygiene measures and protocol guidelines in daily activities.

A call for more accountability for all actors, political parties, organisations, to jointly protect citizens' health and not risk it, breaking rules at a time when the virus has not disappeared and public gatherings favour its spread. The plague situation is not over. So this phase of great opening and so much desired freedom for all must be accompanied by high self-awareness, to implement what each of us has in our hands: Physical dissemination; Personal Hygiene Measures; Applying protocols to daily activity. Only then can we enjoy freedom in the new normality”, Manastirliu said.

Public transportation remains closed, for which a special protocol is being drafted with the Transport Ministry to become public soon. While until 23 June, cultural events, cinemas, theatres, nightclubs, swimming pools, mass gatherings, weddings, conferences and public hearings will remain closed.