TIRANA (Albania), May 8 (SeeNews) – Albania will lift by May 18 over 90% of the measures imposed to limit the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) after registering a very low number of confirmed cases of the infection in the last days, prime minister Edi Rama said.
Almost all businesses will resume operations by that date, Rama said in a statement on Thursday, following an online meeting with the country's committee of experts in charge of managing the Covid-19 outbreak.
However, intercity transport will remain suspended and bars and restaurants will reopen partially.
Albania has already allowed most companies to restart work. Beauty shops, barbershops, dental clinics and shops within shopping centres will resume work next Monday, according to a separate statement posted on the government’s website.
Earlier this week, the European Commission said it expects Albania's economy to shrink 4.8% in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and rebound to 4.2% growth next year.
Health authorities reported eight new coronavirus cases on Friday, raising the total number of confirmed cases in Albania to 850.