Covid restrictions the focus of Ministers, Security Council meetings

The relaxation of coronavirus restrictions will be the focus of meetings between the involved Ministers on Monday morning and between the mayors on the Security Council and Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz on Monday evening. The Cabinet will announce a new package of coronavirus measures on Tuesday evening. Many relaxations are expected.

On Monday morning, the Cabinet members involved in the coronavirus approach will meet at the Ministry of General Affairs, Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Ministry, to discuss the coronavirus measures.

The Security Council, which consists of the 25 mayors who chair the country's security regions, will meet with Justice Minister Yeşilgöz in Utrecht on Monday evening. They'll likely pay special attention to what the new package of restrictions will mean for Carnival celebrations at the end of this month.

Carnival is mainly celebrated in the south and east of the country between February 26 and March 2. All parades have already been canceled, but if leaked relaxations are implemented, carnival celebrators can gather on the streets and in bars until around midnight.

The Security Council would prefer that the Cabinet set national rules for celebrating Carnival to prevent enthusiasts from flocking to the city or region with the fewest restrictions. The mayors want to at least want to draw one line in terms of enforcement if that is still necessary.