The Saeima imposes a fine of up to 50 euros for not using a face mask in a public place / Article / LSM.lv

On Thursday, October 29, the Saeima supported the imposition of penalties for not wearing face masks in public places where their use is required by regulations. It is also stipulated that persons who cannot afford to buy masks will be able to receive them free of charge.

The Saeima supported the urgent amendments to the Covid-19 Infection Management Law, which provide for penalties for non-use of masks from the warning up to 50 euros. The State Police and municipal police will be able to impose a penalty for not using a mouth and nose mask.

The annotation of the draft law states that the amount of the fine is determined taking into account the danger of an individual violation and the need to determine a proportionate penalty in comparison with the liability for violation of isolation, quarantine and self-isolation restrictions.

The Saeima also determined that local governments will have to ensure that mouth and nose covers are available to needy and low-income persons from 20 November.

Opposition MPs, meanwhile, have criticized the provision, including saying that free masks should be available to needy people as soon as possible, as soon as penalties for not wearing masks come into force. “Does such help, though heard, make any sense?” asked Evita Papule, a non-attached Member.

The Ministry of Welfare previously informed the responsible commission that a total of 170 pallets with face masks have been delivered to both municipal and public and private nursing homes. They are expected to be enough by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the needy, the poor, as well as those living in crisis centers and shelters, need 217,000 face masks to be able to share two.

At the hearing, MEPs tried to justify how the use of masks could protect against infection, but those who denied it referred to countries where the use of masks was mandatory throughout the summer, but the disease rates were still rising.

“Is the mask more harmful than Covid? I would say no,” said former Health Minister Anda Čakša (“New Unity”).

MEP Richard Kohl (National Union), meanwhile, said in the debate that the aim was not to punish, but to impose liability on those who treat restrictions lightly.

He emphasized that the use of masks reduces the risk of infection for oneself and others, the requirements to use masks allow to limit infection and not to introduce new stricter restrictions, such as quarantine.

The changes in the law, supported by the Saeima, stipulate that in order to achieve the goals of epidemiological safety, the cases of prisoners are primarily reviewed in the form of videoconferencing in courts, except for cases containing a state secret object.

The Covid-19 Law has also been supplemented with a norm that a regulatory enactment that recognizes an administrative violation specified in this Law as unpunished, mitigates a punishment or is otherwise favorable to a person has no retroactive effect.

At the same time, the majority of the Saeima rejected the proposal of the New Conservative Party to ban the operation of gambling halls during the spread of Covid-19.

CONTEXT:

The government accepted changes to the Covid-19 Infection Control Act. They stipulate that a warning or a fine of 10 to 50 euros may be imposed on a natural person for not using a mouth and nose mask in public places.

Mouth and nose pads should be worn by passengers in a public transport vehicle (except for children under 13 years of age), the use of masks is also mandatory in public places.

The Ministry of Health explained that in these cases it would be most appropriate to use medical and non-medical (fabric) face masks. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), the face shield should be:

⦁ a tight-fitting face;
⦁ easily replaceable if it has become damp or dirty;
⦁ made of a material that can be washed at a temperature of 60 degrees to eliminate possible contamination with microorganisms;
⦁ Adequate respiratory droplet retention while ensuring free breathing.