The national association of cafe and restaurant owners (NUU) is calling for support measures to be extended for those businesses whose work is restricted due to the pandemic, saying that it is unacceptable for measures to be extended at the last moment each month.
The association also asks that rapid antigen tests be introduced as a condition to allow wedding parties and concerts to be held.
"Thirteen months after the outbreak of the pandemic and twelve months since the agony of the Croatian economy, particularly the hospitality sector, started, employers are once again in an uncertain business situation. Measures are announced at the last possible moment from month to month, without clear criteria of eligibility. Promises have been made that they will continue in May but we still have not received any official notice of support for fixed costs for April, and that approach, in a situation that is already difficult, is becoming mentally unbearable," warned the NUU.
The association's president, Jelena Tabak, recalled that for more than a year now, the hospitality sector had been operating with huge losses and part of the sector had been closed for virtually nine months.
"We have survived two lockdowns. We are paying for our expenses and loans. We are borrowing money, selling our assets in order to be ready for the season. Our colleagues inland have nothing to hope for. Every day we have to think what will happen to our people if the measures cease. Without support, all our calculations cave in and we won't be able to survive. This state of uncertainty has become unbearable and we fear the consequences of this game of delay and the state not acting until the moment it becomes evident that there is no alternative," said Tabak.
The Safe Stay in Croatia designation is a worthwhile project and has proved to be successful for hotels that are doing business in closed premises.
By applying the designation horizontally and avoiding dual standards, hospitality venues without terraces would be saved, particularly catering businesses and those in the event industry that have recorded a drop in revenue of more than 90%, she added.
The NUU suggests introducing a similar designation, called Safe Wedding/Safe Event.
That designation would envisage COVID-19 testing for guests at such events or they would have to provide evidence of acquired immunity, which would require cheaper antigen tests, Tabak said.
Several thousand hospitality businesses have closed their doors
Tabak added that even though they have presented this proposal to the ministry and the Croatian Public Health Institute, they have not received any response and weddings and other events continue to be "reserved" exclusively for hotels while 42% of the hospitality sector is in a blockade.
"Several thousand hospitality facilities have closed their doors for good and 11,000 people have lost their jobs," said Tabak. EU figures point out just how grave the situation is, with turnover in tourism and hospitality decreasing by 50.2%, which has resulted in a loss of 1.87 million jobs compared to 2019, the NUU concluded.
(Hina)
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