Gastronomers seek state assistance: Otherwise, we go bankrupt

Gastronomia is one of the sectors that has marked the biggest loss during this time when the country is facing the COVID-19 pandemic. This sector has marked a 100% drop in revenues, which does not rule out the possibility that many businesses of this nature will go bankrupt.

Although bars, restaurants, have been assisted by the government with 170 euros for workers and assistance in rent payments, this is not seen as sufficient.

Spat Hashan, owner of the victory “Babel Caffe”, says that prior to closing in March of this year there were 10 employees. The losses he has suffered are claimed to make it inevitable to reduce the number of employees.

Before we closed down we had 10 workers and after closing and with the capacities that will allow us, with measures to be taken by the government through the distance, then the number of workers should also be cut unfortunately. Otherwise the damage is too large and we are probably among the most affected or damaged sectors of this pandemic”, he said.

He points out that the aid he received from the government has been welcome, but that he says is insufficient.

After easing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, locals will be able to provide <x0->taque services away”, while on June 1st their overall opening has been envisioned. However, Hashan says that even after the opening, they do not expect that there will be many human circulations that question their functioning.

The help is welcome, but it's not enough knowing the expenses we've fixed and the rest. I believe the government will come with yet more help... during this period of foreign affairs that will be close to 10 or 12 days circulation I believe will not be that big, there are many factors. Otherwise, when they open on June 1st, I believe that there will be the regulation that needs to be a distance between tables and chairs, yet it is not satisfactory, but these are procedures that we have to respect and I believe there will be enough circulation to survive”, he said.

The gastronomial sector needs additional support, says Fatos Mejuani, deputy chairman of the Gastronomous Association.

He points out that gastronomy sector businesses have suffered a 100% drop in revenues.

The “taking into account that 100 per cent circulation has been halted this indicates that it is a huge damage to this sector, as well as to workers. Today, research has been published by the Institute for Economics and Free Trade and we have seen that 75.6 percent of businesses have claimed that if we don't have state aid these businesses go bankrupt. Also, 56 per cent have claimed to have fired several workers from the job”, he said.

According to him, the state must continue to help the gastronomial sector not go bankrupt.

The state assistance needs to continue, maybe by the end of the year, as until we find the vaccine we don't see any improvements. The salary we think needs to be raised from 170 euros, because it has a positive effect even on our domestic consumption, minimum to be made at 300 euros, 50 per cent of rents to be subsidised by the state because it is impossible even to continue. The ease in taxes and taxes and also be looked at for soft loans where we think the state through the guarantee fund will cover interest, but be very soft loans and help recovery”, he said.

Meanwhile, Kosovo Economic Ode Chairman Berat Rukiqi says the gastronomy sector is one of the sectors with the biggest loss during this period when the country is facing the COVID-19 virus.

We have a 100 per cent drop, in many companies we have a 100 per cent drop in revenues, a part has tried to work with édelivery, so online. Now a piece starts with rétake away on the 18th, but the main part of the gastronomy business has already been damaged, a fraction of it over 70 percent on the basis of all estimates consider it difficult to return or survive even if they open”, he said.

As preventative measures to spread COVID-19, the gastronomy sector has closed first, while after easing the measures has been envisioned since May 18th for “taque away”, the overall opening is envisioned on June 1st.