TIRANA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- About 50 percent of bars and restaurants in Albania face the risk of closing at the end of this year due to the difficulties they are facing amid the coronavirus crisis, Enri Jahaj, a member of the directing board of the Association of Bars and Restaurants in Albania said on Friday.
The Albanian government has announced that bars and restaurants will be allowed to start operating from May 18 only in their outdoor areas under strict protocols.
On Thursday, health authorities approved the hygienic-sanitary protocol that bars and restaurants must follow to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during their economic activities.
In an interview with Euronews Albania, Jahaj said that the majority of bars and restaurants will find it challenging to cope with the requirements imposed such as card payments and strict hygiene measures.
"Thirty to 40 percent of bars and restaurants may not be opened at all because they operate in closed environments, while we do not yet have a date for the opening of indoor environments," Jahaj said.
Some of the new regulations set by health authorities include temperature checks for customers, hand sanitizers placed at the entrance of the coffee bars and restaurants, recommendations for using card payments and distances between tables and chairs.
According to Jahaj, the last two months have been extremely difficult for bars and restaurants as in addition to staff members; they had to pay taxes, rents, or suppliers while their businesses were closed.
Jahaj declared that the association has called for the support of the central and local governments.
Some of their requests for the local governments include the postponement of taxes until the end of the year and the removal of the tax for occupying public spaces, while for the central government they have asked for a cut of the value-added tax to six percent, the postponement of taxes such as the profit tax until the end of December, as well as the opportunity for grants to cover investments, rents and suppliers.
In addition to the economic demands, the association has also asked authorities to expand the current schedule allowed for businesses across the country to operate from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time since this schedule does not favor their activities.
Eight new coronavirus cases were registered over the last 24 hours in Albania, raising the total number of cases to 850, with 620 recoveries and 31 fatalities, health authorities reported on Friday. Enditem
