Prosecutor's Office favourable to maintaining six-person limit on gatherings

BarcelonaThe Catalan government hopes to maintain two of the restrictions which have been in place over the past six months: the six-person limit on gatherings and the 50% reduction in capacity at religious events. As the state of alarm expires on Saturday at midnight and the two measures affect fundamental rights and freedoms such as assembly and worship, they will need to be approved by Catalonia's High Court. The Catalan government presented its case to the High Court yesterday, which is expected to rule this Friday. For the moment, the Prosecutor's Office is favourable to the measures staying in place for the next 15 days.

The Prosecutor's Office is considering preventive restrictions "reducing mobility and contact between people have been effective in containing" the virus. It also considers "adequate" the report presented by the Public Health Agency of Catalonia to argue the measures, although it admits that the restrictions "may involve some limitations in the exercise of certain fundamental rights", which "in no case" may be suspended. But it assures that the Generalitat's proposal respects the proportion "necessary for the preservation of the citizens' health". That is why it concludes that it "does not oppose" the ratification of the measures.

If the High Court's final decision endorses the ban on meetings of more than six people and limiting capacity to 50% in religious events, the two restrictions will be maintained from Sunday, when the state of alarm will end. On the other hand, as announced by the Government two days ago, the curfew and travel restrictions to enter and leave Catalonia will be lifted. In addition, from Sunday bars and restaurants will reopen for dinner, because the establishments will be able to have customers again until 11 pm.