Emergency situation throughout Ukraine: what does it mean?

What is the regime of emergency situation?

The emergency situation, in the case at hand, is a special temporary legal regime that arises from the disruption of the normal conditions of life and activity of people through the spread of severe respiratory disease COVID-19. For the most part, regime of emergency situation introduces a special procedure of operation for authorities and civil protection systems, which will work intensely for the duration of an emergency situation.

In fact, the legal emergency regime is aimed at enhancing the coordination of central, local government and civil protection systems – all services and bodies involved against the spread of the coronavirus.

Among the measures to be taken during an emergency situation are the following:

• strengthening of public order;
• informing citizens;
• disinfection of objects and territories;
• sanitary-hygienic anti-epidemic measures.

In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers decided:

• to equip properly the check points in emergency zones with mandatory sanitary inspection of citizens and a pass only after medical examination of persons and disinfection of vehicles;
• to involve to work at these points the staff and technical means of the Ministry of Health, the National Police, the National Guard, the State Service of Emergency Situations, the State Consumer Protection Service;
• all buildings, roads and sidewalks must be accessible thorough extensively disinfection;
• to provide assistance to disadvantaged people with involvement of social services, community and volunteer organizations in providing assistance.

Are there any restrictions for business or people?

No. It should be emphasized that an emergency situation is not a state of emergency and, accordingly, does not imply government interference in business activities or restrictions on citizens’ rights and freedoms. At the same time, the law establishes general tasks and responsibilities for businesses, which were also provided before the emergency, including:

• ensuring implementation of measures of civil protection, such as timely performance of sanitary-epidemiological measures, e.g. disinfection of offices, transfer of personnel onto remote work regime, ensuring timely response to expression of disease’s symptoms by personnel;
• providing personnel with means of group and individual protection, such as masks and antiseptics;
• training of personnel on civil protection matters, including on quarantine rules and use of means of personal protection;
• observing rules of anti-epidemiological regime, including compliance with the rules and restrictions of quarantine, provision of necessary means of individual protection to personnel;
• creating and using material reserves for prevention and elimination of emergencies’ consequences.

According to the Code, organization of measures of civil protection shall be ensured by responsible persons appointed by executive officers of enterprises. The procedure of departments’ operation or empowered persons in civil protection matters is determined by the respective provision (as well as the job description), which must be approved by the head of the enterprise.

In addition, obligations for people are also prescribed, in particular:

• to adhere rules of behavior, safety and action in emergency situation;
• to take measures aimed on protection of people and property until arrival of emergency-rescuing forces;
• to adhere anti-epidemic regime etc.

Take care and be healthy!