April 2 (BTA) - The number of applications for State
funding under the 60/40 scheme has reached 59, announced Social
Policy Minister Denitsa Sacheva in a briefing in the Council of
Ministers on Thursday morning.

She said that the approval of the European Commission is
expected by the end of the week, so that payments can be made,
but that should not be stopping companies from filing their
applications. She expects a much higher number of applications,
and predicts that payments will start next week.

The scheme has been in place for two days. Among the eligible sectors are retail trade, transport, the hospitality industry, and the creative industry which employ some 300,000 people. Sacheva forecast that it will be difficult for these sectors to recover after the end of the emergency.

The Minister specified that more schemes will be unveiled in addition to the urgent 60/40 scheme.

She pointed out that last week the number of sick leaves
granted per day was 300 to 350, but since the start of this
week, their number has grown to 680 to 700 per day.

Since the state of emergency was declared until Wednesday 7,000
unemployed have started work, with 683 newly employed on
Wednesday alone, Sacheva said. According to her, people who have
been working without contract or insurance contributions could
register as unemployed and then apply for social assistance.

A total of 176,086 sick leaves have been granted; 5,282 of them
are to observe the quarantine, and 2,072 for coronavirus
positive people.

According to Sacheva, there is no worrying data about pressure on the social system, with 2,000 new applications for social assistance. In Bulgaria 23,000 people draw social benefits, 410,685 people receive family allowances, and child benefits are paid to 344,801 children under 18. This adds up to between 43 and 45 million leva a month, she said. RI/MT,PP


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