The government of Finland has withdrawn draft legislation aimed at restricting movements in parts of the country to curb virus spread after concerns about its legality were raised.
The European country is now considering its options, according to the prime minister.
‘We are going to evaluate whether it is possible to draft this kind of a legislative proposal, and how long it will take,’ Prime Minister Sanna Marin said late Wednesday after a cabinet meeting.
A constitutional committee made up of lawmakers had earlier warned that the bill violated Finland’s constitution, saying the temporary restrictions on freedom of movement were not proportional.
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The group equally seized the opportunity to recommend more targeted measures.
Under the government’s proposal, presented on March 24, residents of the capital Helsinki and the southwestern town of Turku would only be allowed to leave their homes for essential needs, such as traveling to and from school or work or to buy groceries or go to the bank.
The Nordic country with a population of about 5.5 million has one of Europe’s lowest incidence rates of Covid-19, believed to in part be down to Finland’s low population density and Finns’ adherence to official anti-virus and distancing guidelines, which so far have been recommendations rather than law.
But its incidence rate has been rising in recent weeks, prompting the government to introduce tougher restrictions, followed by the partial lockdown bill.
The country has registered just over 4,000 cases and 17 deaths in recent days according to the WHO.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
