Restaurateurs, other businesses hold rally demanding coronavirus-related restrictions be lifted
The protestors call on the government to lift coronavirus-related retsriictions and 'reopen the country' from the lockdown. Photo: 1TV.ge
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Representatives of various businesses are holding a protest rally in front of the administrative building of the government of Georgia demanding the coronavirus-related restrictions be lifted.
Claiming that restaurants, hotels and winter resorts will fail to recover unless they reopen as soon as possible. The protesters say that therefore their businesses wil die out eventually.
Head of Georgian Restaurateurs Association Shota Burjanadze noted that this protest is a warning signal to the Georgian officials that the suspension of business ies activitaffects the entire country.
The country has been stopped by now. Our demand is the simpliest - just let us work”, Burjanadze said adding that over 250,000 people employed in this sphere have remained jobless amid the restrictions.
Up to 200 restaurants have stopped working for 24 hours today as a form of protest.
Photo: 1TV.ge
Businesses first gathered in front of the administrative building of the government of Georgia on January 24.
Under the hashtag სოცაფეთქება which in Georgian means “social explosion” the organisers then said the restrictions affect the social situation in the country and violate human rights.
However, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has recently stated that if the community transmission rate drops under 4% in the coming weeks, 'we will be able to talk about the resumption of municipal transport in the capital city and reopening of those economic sectors that will be permitted by the epidemic situation'.
Meanwhile, restaurants will be allowed to receive guests in open spaces in the Adjara region starting February 1, while in other regions, restaurants and food facilities, including hotels, will continue working on delivery service.
Couriers of delivery company Glovo have held a rally at the company office in Tbilisi complaining about working conditions and demanding an increase in salaries.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Georgia's Credo Bank (Credo) signed a $4 million loan to support agricultural micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, low-income farm households, small businesses run by women, and agri-tourism in Georgia.
Shopping malls will open their doors starting February 1 with dressing rooms working and already sold products allowed to be exchanged as well, said Infrastructure Minister Maia Tskitishvili earlier today after a meeting with representatives of malls and shopping malls at the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said at today's inter-agency coordination council meeting that if the community transmission rate continues to remain at over 4% any talk about normal economic performance is 'nothing more than gossip'.
A total of 479 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Georgia after 12,700 tests have been conducted over the last 24 hours. The number of active coronavirus cases now stands at 5,879. Georgia has confirmed a total of 258,111 cases of Covid-19 since last February.
Several Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted in Georgia today since there are signs of an easing of the epidemiological situation in some regions of Georgia, the government announced earlier today. Municipal transport will resume operations in five Georgian cities of Batumi, Zugdidi, Gori, Poti and Telavi, but will not operate on weekends in order to manage increased mobility.Shops and shopping centres are opened in the same five cities during the working days and will be closed on weekends.
About 200 restaurants in Georgia plan to resume operations on Saturday, February 6 despite the Covid-19 restrictions, announces the chairman of the Restaurant Association, Shota Burjanadze. He said that the decision was made today and additional details will be announced tomorrow.
The Georgian government has announced the lifting of several coronavirus-related restrictions due to the decrease in daily infections. Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated earlier today that all public transport around the country will resume operations starting February 8, as well as open markets. Starting February 15 all food facilities, including restaurants will be able to provide their service only in open areas.
As the number of coronavirus-infected individuals in Georgia has decreased over the past few weeks, the Georgian government has lifted several Covid-19 restrictions across the country today.