Filenews 28 June 2021 - by Marilena Panagi
Two weeks after the last meeting between them and after the epidemiological indicators took the upper ride again, the members of the Scientific Advisory Committee go to the Presidential in the afternoon to participate in a meeting, under the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiades. The Government Representative, Kyriakos Kousios, told "F" yesterday that there is strong concern from the increased cases in recent days, with steady three-digit numbers and upward trends. The President wants to hear the experts' views on how to stop the situation.
Scientists expect to inform the President of the new epidemiological data, but there does not currently appear to be any intention, at least on their part, for suggestions of backtracking on measures or imposing new restrictions. The Government has also not expressed any intentions to do so, although in terms of information over the last 24 hours there has been talk of tightening some restrictions, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Today will probably be the first time that the members of the EES have gone to the Presidential without a debate between them. This is due to two basic data. Firstly, the good epidemiological data of the previous weeks have provided an opportunity for a little respite. Secondly and most importantly, in the last week and while the EES had been asked by the Ministry of Health to take a position on specific issues, six of its 13 members refused to discuss anything, citing, inter alia, the non-satisfaction or non-promotion of their request for 'legal immunity', which would exempt scientists from civil actions registered in the courts by citizens and related to the decrees applied In the last year and a half.
This issue, after all, is not excluded from being discussed today at the Presidential, although on Saturday the Government Representative implicitly rejected in his statements the request of this group of scientists.
Finally, and as 'F' information indicates, other issues may be raised for discussion concerning the way the EES works in relation to the new requirements of the pandemic.
