TIRANA (Albania), April 14 (SeeNews) – Albania’s prime minister Edi Rama said the government has prepared a $70.4 million (64.4 million euro) emergency relief package to support the coronavirus-affected sectors of the economy.
The emergency fund complements a $370 million relief package unveiled by the government last month, Rama said in a press release late on Monday.
The new package will focus on businesses that were excluded from the first emergency package including firms in the tourism sector, large businesses, as well as small businesses that remained open but have suffered losses as a result of restriction measures imposed by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus, Rama said.
Under the package, $4 million will be used to support around 10,000 employees in tourism sector, $26.4 million will go for 66,000 employees of large businesses who have lost their jobs, while $40 million will be used to support 100,000 employees of small businesses.
The government has also decided to set up a guarantee fund of $150 million for loans to businesses in the tourism sector and manufacturing hit by the government's measures.
Albania confirmed eight new cases of the coronavirus disease on Tuesday, bringing the total number to 475, the health ministry said. The country confirmed its 24th death related to the coronavirus.
Albania’s government has declared a state of emergency and imposed a nationwide curfew from 5.30 pm to 5.00 am in an effort to limit the spread of the disease.
($ = 0.91534 euro)