People are seen on a bus amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Tirana, Albania, July 6, 2020. Residents living in Albania's capital Tirana started using public transport Monday after four months of interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Public transport resumed from 5 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) under strict health protocols for both staff members of public transport operators and passengers. (Photo by Arben Celi/Xinhua)
TIRANA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Residents living in Albania's capital Tirana started using public transport Monday after four months of interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public transport resumed from 5 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) under strict health protocols for both staff members of public transport operators and passengers.
According to health authorities, mask-wearing is mandatory, the one-meter physical distance must be respected, and public transport vehicles should operate at a maximum of 70 percent capacity.
Citizens who do not wear masks on the bus will face a fine, according to local media.
Public Transport Operators working in Tirana have organized several protests before reaching an agreement with the Municipality of Tirana regarding the preventive measures.
The Municipality of Tirana agreed to pay to all staff members of public transport operators 40,000 Albanian lek (around 363 U.S. dollars) each for the idle period due to the virus outbreak.
Meanwhile, public transport operators declared that the ticket price has not changed.
On Monday, health authorities reported 71 new coronavirus cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Albania to 2,964, with 1,702 recoveries and 79 fatalities.
