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Coronavirus pandemic

Watchdog chief asks prime minister to support ban on mass events in Russia

According to Anna Popova, Rospotrebnadzor has already drafted a resolution containing mandatory requirements for the observance of all rules

MOSCOW, June 29. /TASS/. The chief of Russia's consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, has asked Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to support a draft resolution banning mass events, including political ones, in those regions of Russia, where the epidemic situation is unfavorable.

"I would like to ask you to support our proposal. Over the past week we have been able to see mass events held in a number of regions in defiance of strictly formulated criteria and recommendations," Popova said at a meeting of the coordinating council for struggle against the coronavirus infection on Tuesday.

Popova said that mass events were being held even in those regions, where the epidemiological situation was extremely unfavorable. Also, political events were being arranged indoors, and facemasks and social distancing requirements were ignored.

"It is very wrong to risk the people's health. It is impermissible today, as always, when the epidemiological situation does not permit," she stressed.

Popova said Rospotrebnadzor had already drafted a resolution by the chief sanitary doctor containing not recommendations, but mandatory requirements for the observance of all rules. "I am asking for your instructions to make this document really effective," Popova said.

In response, Mishustin asked the watchdog to issue relevant instructions to the chief sanitary doctors in regions to take a more active position. "This concerns the strict demand for enforcing all sanitary control measures and all existing norms that have already been formulated," he concluded.

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