COVID-19 has put the world in an emergency situation, which is unprecedented in scale and character in our recent history.
It is a stress test for all governments and poses challenges to states and their leaders that cannot be addressed by the familiar procedures, stereotypes and the ways of acting. The crisis has also clearly shown the need for leadership, which, in addition to being political, must govern with high expertise, but above all - with an awareness of all moral aspects and responsibility for the people.
On another level - I believe that the crisis is a catalyst for a fundamental transformation process in the socio-political and cultural systems that govern the world, as also - on an individual level in each of us.
After this crisis, we will live in a new world, and what it will depend on the decisions and choices we make today. That is why it is important today we ask and find the answers to the big issues raised by the crisis and the emergency measures. One of them is:
Which is more valuable - human health and life or freedom?
Such a dilemma does not exist or at least should not exist in the 21st century in a world with established liberal democratic values and regulations for the protection of human rights.
The emergency situation requires special measures. Apart from being a management task, it is a challenge for all people to accept and live with the restrictions on freedoms that we have taken for granted.
This new situation struck us for days, but the consequences will surely mark the years to come. Therefore, the steps on the road should not be driven by panic and must take into account the consequences. The new rules should be absolutely justified and preserve human rights and dignity.
That is why we put the facts on the scales and look for the important answer to the question of the meaning, significance, logic of the emergency pandemic situation, which put people in 213 countries and territories in isolation and gave grounds to the authorities there to introduce emergency laws.
On the one side of the scales, we have 1,878,489 cases of coronavirus infection and 119,044 deaths from the disease*. On the other side – the closed borders, suspended business, home isolation, a ban on gatherings, digital tracking….
In particular, as of April 13, according to the International Center for Non-For-Profit Law 68 countries have declared a state of emergency; 9 have introduced measures restricting free expression; 11 use digital tracking; 72 have introduced restrictions on general meetings.
How do the balance of our civil rights with security measures in the context of a pandemic that sacrifices human lives and human freedoms?
We cannot deny the need for unusual measures, but we also cannot underestimate the danger that some of these rules, already turned in laws, instead of temporary ones, may become a convenient and sustainable tool for the authorities. The situation in Hungary is an example - where Prime Minister Orbán is already ruling with decrees for an unlimited time, and the prison for spreading false information and obstructing actions to limit the virus is 5 years.
Nor can we ignore the risk of institutionalizing broad monitoring mechanisms to be used for political or commercial purposes.
Therefore, the role of civil society, of independent organizations, is crucial to guarantee the existence and implementation of laws that protect personal information.
The paradox of today's situation, however, is that it simultaneously sets and eliminates boundaries. If, on the one hand, we must have the senses to preserve the freedoms of a democratic Europe, on the other now is the time to invest people's talent, creativity, and empathy in realizing the new opportunities that COVID-19 has opened up in a painful way before us.
The digitally connected world ruined the boundaries - it left the territory of the ‘experts only’ and involved many ‘non-professionals’ in digital knowledge and practices. The crisis has mobilized for weeks a large number of people to use, create, and implement digital-based solutions for education, remote work, and distance trade. Specialized digital-based systems have been developed for monitoring the needs for medical care, food, and assistance to those in need. An example is the Hack the Crisis initiative, which in Bulgaria alone stimulated the development of 110 contributing projects based on new technology that is addressing the challenges caused by the crisis. Such initiatives are taking place all over the world at the moment.
Another very important effect of the crisis is that the extraordinary circumstances have cracked the status quo and made us feel freer and more willing to seek change. The insignificant has disappeared and we collectively start focusing on the truly valuable things - for our personal development and for the benefit of our families and the community. More than ever we are united and contributing. This is a new dimension of our collective freedom, and I believe that it will have a lasting projection beyond the crisis.
We do not know what the world will be like tomorrow, but we realize that we are building it today. And our freedom to create is key to our success tomorrow.
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*data - from the World Health Organization as of April 13
**Source of data - International Center for Non-For –Profit Law.
