STA, 22 March 2021 - Bars and restaurants in the Primorsko-Notranjska region could start serving customers outdoors from Monday, having been promoted to tier yellow to join Posavje and South-East Slovenia, but only a few opened due to fear of new closures.. Stores in Obalno-Kraška are meanwhile allowed to reopen provided staff get tested weekly as the coastal region has moved to tier orange.
The government adopted the decisions on regions last week when the epidemiological situations in the Primorsko-Notranjska and Obalno-Kraška regions showed signs of improvement.
Outdoor serving in the three yellow-coded regions is permitted between 6am and 7pm. Prevention measures must be observed, including mask-wearing and weekly testing among staff and maintaining distance between tables. The exemptions from the mandatory testing are those who have recovered from Covid-19 or those who have been vaccinated.
A maximum number of patrons sitting at the same table is four. A customer may enter the establishment only to go to the restroom.
But despite the easing of restrictions, not many bars and restaurants in Primorsko-Notranjska actually opened today, fearing they would be forced to close again soon, a possibility mentioned by the head of the government Covid-19 advisory group, Mateja Logar.
Some also said it was rather cold to sit outside, so they offer takeaway instead.
The hospitality and tourism sectors are, however, very upset by Logar's labelling of the sectors as "less important". "We have been closed for more than six months, the economic damage is enormous. Data show that the hospitality and tourism sectors, and the related sectors generate 20% of the gross domestic product, which means they are extremely important economic sectors," said Blaž Cvar, the head of the Hospitality and Tourism Section at the Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business (OZS).
He added that Logar's statement was also a severe insult to about 40,000 people working in the hospitality sector.
According to Cvar, the OZS's Hospitality and Tourism Section has so far not received a reply to its question whether serving food and drinks outdoor indeed posed a threat to public health.
He said they expected the group led by Logar to present its methodology for determining which economic branches are more and which are less important.
gov.si
The entire country is meanwhile firmly planted in the orange tier. The coastal region has been upgraded to this level of measures, meaning inter-regional travel restrictions have been lifted.
From today, stores and repair shops under 400 square metres, real estate agencies, hair salons, beauticians, pet salons and expert training activities of up to ten persons in the region are allowed to conduct business as long as staff produce a negative test.
Pharmacies, gas stations, post offices, delivery services, automobile and bike repair shops and construction services may remain open regardless of staff testing.
Moreover, rallies of up to ten people are allowed across the country. The same goes for religious services.
The decree is effective until 26 March. The government will discuss the potential extension on Wednesday when it is expected to conduct its weekly review of the epidemiological situation and restrictions.
