“It may be human and understandable to want to go out after two months, but we mustn’t forget that we’re still in the midst of Covid-19 and so people fuelling nightlife are betraying the sacrifices made by millions of Italians,” Regional Affairs Minister Francesco Boccia said in an interview with Italian daily La Stampa, published on Monday.
Italy plans to lift restrictions on both interregional and international travel within the Schengen Area from June 3, the government announced last week.
Boccia said the cabinet would assess the latest coronavirus figures over the weekend before deciding whether the restrictions could be lifted, and only “low-risk” regions would be allowed to reopen their borders.
His comments come after streets and squares around Italy were pictured lined with people socialising after more than two months of total lockdown.
Last weekend was the first since Italy lifted its ban on seeing friends and reopened bars, prompting many to gather and celebrate.
Regional authorities have threatened to shut bars again if people continue to ignore guidelines to remain at least a metre apart and wear a face mask at all times in public.
“We’ll close bars, restaurants, beaches and we’ll lock ourselves back up again,” president of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, warned on Sunday.
Italy’s total death toll since the outbreak came to light on February 21 now stands at 32,877, the civil protection agency said, the third-highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.
