Remember the story that Hungary’s parliament granted their Prime Minister the power to rule the country by decree?

Two days after the ruling, a group of 13 EU member states said they are “deeply concerned” about the use of emergency measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden issued a statement emphasizing that

“Emergency measures… should be proportionate and temporary in nature, subject to regular scrutiny… They should not restrict the freedom of expression or the freedom of the press.”

https://twitter.com/ministerBlok/status/1245401454346674176

Early in Serbia, the government ruled that only its crisis staff, led by the Prime Minister, should make announcements about coronavirus. Independent reporting might lead to “legal consequences”.

Then a journalist who reported on hospital conditions in northern Serbia was arrested.

Eventually, the Prime Minister herself withdrew the ruling and apologized for it.

Slovenia’s Prime Minister also wanted to give police powers to track phones, use facial recognition and enter homes.

Luckily, he was warned that Slovenia could become a “police state” and hence gave up his plan.

 

Think:

In what extent will you accept the government expending its power over the people?

If you have to choose, which of the following will you be willing to  give up for the others? Freedom and privacy, or personal health and safety?

 

You can tell audience about this story and share your thought with them!