(Bloomberg) -- Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic proposed “asking people” whether to temporarily impose severe measures to stop the coronavirus and help the European Union member's crippled economy revive faster.
Slovakia was among the first countries in the bloc to close schools and shops and has among the fewest confirmed cases of Covid-19. The government predicts the outbreak will culminate in mid-July with a manageable load for the health system. The country of 5.4 million so far reported 363 infected and no deaths.
There's a possibility “we'd turn Slovakia completely off for three weeks and we'll eliminate the bug,” Matovic told journalists on Tuesday. “But this would have to be based on a consensus within the society. We have to decide together what path to take.”
Matovic, who won elections a month ago with an anti-corruption agenda, is a fan of Premier Viktor Orban's self-styled “mail surveys” in neighboring Hungary. The Slovak leader said his government may use a public-opinion poll to determine support for a possible, what he called a possible blackout. The central bank estimates the economy will shrink between 4.5% and 9.4% if the lockdown lasts two months.
The World Health Organization called on governments to stand by efforts to limit physical contact, saying Europe's curbs on movement are showing signs of slowing the spread. Spain, one of the epicenters of the pandemic in Europe, reported its deadliest day on Tuesday.
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