The government proposes that the existing law be amended so as to enable the national civil protection authority to make decisions and issue instructions that will be implemented by local and regional self-government, Minister of the Interior Davor Bozinovic said.
The bill is aimed at ensuring uniform action by all civil protection authorities in adopting and implementing decisions that regulate citizens' and legal persons' everyday activities in the context of an epidemic, the minister added.
The bill was sent to the parliament to be discussed under fast-track procedure in order to ensure the timely implementation of measures designed to remove the danger of immediate threat to people's lives and health and the danger of damage to the economy during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic said that he had sent four recommendations to the judicial authorities over the novel coronavirus epidemic in an effort to ensure their uniform functioning and reduce risks as much as possible.
Judicial bodies have been recommended to continue with work, notably on urgent cases (concerning children's rights, labour rights, criminal cases) and to defer all the other cases.
Another recommendation is for work in judicial bodies to be organised in such a way to enable remote work where it is possible, and the minister has also recommended using electronic communication.
The Economy Ministry and the Commodity Stockpiles Directorate have been instructed to carry out, using budget funds, emergency procurement of goods which are in short supply and which are necessary to implement measures to protect public health and increase supervision over the spreading of COVID-19.
Goods will be delivered from commodity stockpiles exclusively at the request of the Ministry of the Interior and the Public Procurement Act will not apply to their procurement for the sake of protecting vital national security interests that cannot be safeguarded by other measures, Economy Minister Darko Horvat said. The list of goods and services is confidential.
The government today also forwarded to the parliament amendments to the Commerce Act to enable county civil protection authorities to regulate working hours for shops in their areas of responsibility in extraordinary situations, such as the current coronavirus epidemic.