Cabinet allows more enterprises to work, hints at early May quarantine

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers issued a resolution on
Apr. 8 widening the types of enterprises that can renew operations. They
include those that produce utilities, energy, maintenance, food, chemicals,
transportation, information technology, communications, defense, and banking
and financial services. On a wider level, it applies to all enterprises with
strategic significance for the state’s economic and security, as well as those
involved in hazardous technologies and production of hazardous materials.

At the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Denys
Shmyhal hinted that the current quarantine, which concludes on Apr. 24, will be
extended until May. “If a dynamic of declining infections is recorded, then
only in May will we begin to have a discussion on a possible relaxation of
quarantine measures. We haven’t backed down in April from the quarantine regime
that was extended until Apr. 24 and possibly, more likely than not, will be
extended until early May.”

The European Commission proposed on Apr. 9 to extend
its temporary restrictions on non-essential travel to the E.U., including the
Schengen zone, until May 15, its website announced. “The experience of E.U.
member-states and other countries has shown that measures that were used in the
fight against the spread of the coronavirus require more than 30 days to be
effective,” the statement said.

As of noon, Apr. 9, 57 people have died of the
COVID-19 disease in Ukraine. An estimated 1,892 poeple have been infected, an
increase of 13%, or 224 cases, from the prior day, according to the Center for
Public Health at the Health Ministry. An estimated 45 patients are confirmed to
have recovered.

Zenon Zawada: Yesterday’s
cabinet meeting produced a somewhat conflicting message to the public. Despite
Shmyhal’s insistence no relaxation of the quarantine will occur until May
(which was widely expected), he enabled a wide list of enterprises – that can
be generally characterized as “strategically important” – to operate. So we
view this as Shmyhal taking a subtle approach, with the resolution, in giving
key state officials and entrepreneurs the green light to renew their important
work, while at the same time indicating to the rest of the public that these
relaxations don’t apply to them.

Indeed, many of these strategic enterprises never
stopped operating during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly utility, energy
and maintenance enterprises. But the measure does help those enterprises, most
of them private, that did halt their operations.

The cabinet has allowed for renewed operations
because the infection rate appears to be approaching its peak, while economic
concerns are mounting. An E.U. decision to reopen its border on May 15 is
almost certain to prompt the Ukrainian government to relax the quarantine,
particularly in allowing citizens to return to their affairs in Europe. A
severe quarantine beyond May 15, including restricted travel to Europe, will
present enormous problems for the government.