Will decision to fully reopen hospitality establishments be made?

Belgrade is completely ready to hold the Beer Fest, Belef, Bemus, Bitef, Jazz Festival and New Year celebrations, in line with all epidemiological measures and protocols

Belgrade expects the Crisis HQ to make a decision to fully reopen hospitality establishments, since the number of infected people in the Serbian capital is falling, and the success of vaccination is convincingly the highest in Serbia because we are approaching collective immunity, Deputy Mayor Goran Vesic has told TV Pink.

Recommended

"We expect a decision to reopen hospitality establishments to be made at least concerning Belgrade, as well as other cities that have good results in vaccination, because it is very important that the economy works since about 40,000 people are employed in this sector. Of course, the final decision is up to the medical part of the Crisis HQ, and I believe that now the conditions have finally been met to accept the request of the City of Belgrade to open hospitality establishments," Vesic pointed out.

According to him, it is time to reopen cinemas because they work along the same principles as theaters that are already open.

Vesic announced that at the session of the City Assembly on April 29, a decision will be made that all hospitality providers in the territory of the city of Belgrade who are in the city premises will be exempt from paying rent for May, as well as fees for their outdoor spaces for June and July. In that way, as he said, the City is helping the hospitality industry keep their employees and recover as soon as possible.

"We also expect the Crisis HQ, i.e. the Government of Serbia, to adopt the protocols proposed by the City of Belgrade together with the 'event industry', which have been prepared by the Institute of Public Health. These protocols include how weddings, congresses, seminars, festivals, concerts can be organized. We expect our government to come up with a plan when something will be reopened, because these are events that must be planned several months in advance," the deputy mayor pointed out.

He stressed that Belgrade is completely ready to hold the Beer Fest, Belef, Bemus, Bitef, Jazz Festival and New Year, in line with all epidemiological measures and protocols because we need to return to normal life.

"Belgrade as the best region when it comes to vaccination, as well as Novi Sad and some larger cities, should not share the fate of those parts of Serbia where vaccination isn't working. If there is the fear that relaxing measures will negatively affect the course of the pandemic, I think that those local governments where vaccination is good, and that is certainly Belgrade and Novi Sad, should be treated differently," Vesic stressed.

He added that he expects the Crisis HQ to start respecting the good results of vaccination that Belgrade, Novi Sad, Sremska Mitrovica, Nis and Kragujevac have.

"The results of vaccination in Belgrade are fantastic, and together with those who have had this disease we are approaching collective immunity. It is time to reopen in Belgrade, for people to be able to make a living," said Vesic.

(Telegraf Biznis)