WHO

During Thursday’s press conference on COVID-19 in the European region, a top WHO official has expressed gratitude to the country leaders who decided to postpone the Victory Day celebrations.

The EU will provide Belarus with financial aid for combatting COVID-19 on condition that the country complies with WHO recommendations, Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told RFE/RL journalist Rikard Jozwiak on April, 30.

Belarus is not going to sweep the WHO recommendations under the carpet, but circumstances should be taken into account, President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said at Thursday’s government conference on economy issues and the epidemiological situation.

Belarus needs to introduce community-wide steps to increase physical distancing, the WHO experts conclude at the end of its assessment of the country’s response to the pandemic.

More than 150,000 people have signed a petition demanding the Belarusian authorities introduce quarantine measures in the country.