Peace has returned to Germany's favorite party island. After several days and nights in a row there was a dense crowd, people sang and danced in the celebration hotspots of Mallorca, the island's authorities closed the bars in Schinkenstraße and Co. at Ballermann without further ado. In view of the pictures, the government thought the risk that the corona virus could spread quickly on the Balearic island was too high.
The party at the Ballermann is over for the time being - around 2000 kilometers further east, however, it apparently continues unhindered despite the pandemic: According to several media, tourists on the Bulgarian golden beach, the "Ballermann of the Black Sea", celebrate as if there were no Covid 19
Full discos on the Golden Sands in Bulgaria
As RTL reports, parties are still taking place in the discotheques on the Black Sea coast, people sing and dance closely together - very few wear masks, there is no distance between the revelers. And that's exactly what apparently attracts vacationers: "Compared to Ballermann, even more things are allowed here," says one of the Golden Sands tourists to Reporters.Travel
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The precautionary measures in the clubs are marginal: restaurateurs have to limit the maximum number of people and use signs to ask holidaymakers to keep their distance on - but a mask is not mandatory.
A representative of the Chamber of Tourism in Varna also sees the responsibility among the guests: "How are you supposed to control the emotions of so many people?" he asks. "When people hear songs, they just want to dance. The problem is that they're drunk and they don't care."
The ARD magazine "Contrasts" also shows similar pictures of a foam party on the gold beach, after all outdoors. At the entrance, the temperature of the revelers was measured, the party-goers were given face masks - but at the latest on the dance floor and after a few drinks, all precautionary measures seem to have been forgotten. The vacationers cavort close together. "I definitely have the right to party," admits a German-speaking bartender. "One should continue to socialize, one should continue to enjoy life."
It is apparently a problematic mixture of clueless and careless tourists, of corona denial among businessmen who live from tourism, and of alibi precautions that is brewing on the Bulgarian golden sands.
And the government of the Eastern European country? Apparently she is almost indifferent to the pandemic. With reference to the Bulgarian authorities, the Federal Foreign Office is providing information about the measures. "There is a ban on entering grocery stores and pharmacies for people under the age of 60 every day between 8.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. Otherwise there are no movement restrictions in the country," says the travel and safety instructions. And: “Among other things, it is compulsory to wear a mask when using local public transport, in pharmacies and other closed public spaces.” But according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism, this obligation does not apply to gastronomy: "Personal protective equipment is only mandatory for the staff."
Golden sands as a new coronavirus hotspot?
Will the golden beach become the new Ischgl? Virologists agree that only a superspreader event can again cause the corona virus to spread quickly in the home countries after the holidaymakers have returned. Among other things, the epidemiologist and SPD health politician Karl Lauterbach recently called for free corona tests for those returning from vacation in the Berlin “Tagesspiegel”, in order to reduce the risk of a new rapid spread of the virus, at least in this country.
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Quarantine is currently only planned for travelers from risk areas. Bulgaria is not (yet) on the corresponding list of the Robert Koch Institute. However, the number of coronavirus infections in the country has recently risen sharply. According to Johns University, 8,442 people have now tested positive for the corona virus (around 121 cases per 100,000 inhabitants; in comparison: Germany has about twice as many cases per 100,000 inhabitants). However, the number of cases in Bulgaria has more than doubled within a month. The country's infection curve is rising faster than any other EU country.
Tourism is the main source of income on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, places like Slatni pjazazi on the Golden Sands live almost exclusively from holidaymakers - according to media reports, only half of the tourists come there this year, with corresponding economic losses.
The clubs and discos on Gold Sands make little effort to prevent or hide the crowds. They advertise their events on social media with videos and photos of full dance floors. "Guys you were sensational! Cheers to our party vacationers!" or "Thank you for the great evening yesterday ... not long now and we'll start again!", Write two organizers.
Another Facebook post from a disco says: "We don't do anything either, without safety requirements!" – with a comma error, which apparently also contains a grain of truth.
