COVID19: Restaurant, bar owners protest at the Palace

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Owners of restaurants, cafés, bars and clubs staged a protest in front of the Presidential Palace on Friday, saying the government decision to keep their businesses closed for two more weeks in order to control the coronavirus spread was unfair.

They said their establishments have been shut since early December.

Members of the association of restaurant and entertainment establishment owners PASIKA, took to the streets and ended up in front of the palace protesting the government’s decision to exclude them from lockdown relaxations set to come into effect on Monday.

They drove in a convoy honking their horns, to comply with a ban on mass gatherings and avoid the ugly scenes a fortnight ago when police with riot gear and armed with a water cannon tried to clamp down on a peaceful anti-corruption protest.

After a public uproar over the excessive use of force, the police kept to a discreet and small presence during a similar protest held last week.

Announcing the relaxation of measures on Thursday, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou, said that the hospitality and entertainment sector would not be allowed to resume operation until after March 16.

The demonstrators held banners saying “Shame and disgrace,” and “If you cut our revenue, you should pay our loans and rents in full.”

According to data released by the statistical service Cystat, the hospitality sector reported an annual decline of 56%. Last year, tourist arrivals were 85% down on 2019.

Restaurants and cafes have been operating under restrictions ever since the first lockdown was imposed last March.

Under the current decrees, restaurants can only offer take away and delivery services.

Other businesses such as clubs and live music venues have not reopened in a year.

The health minister said that reopening hospitality is slotted in for the next set of relaxations set to take place on March 16, depending on the epidemiological data at the time.