Restaurant and hotel owners protest against latest Covid-19 measures

Representatives of sector organisations of the restaurants staged a protest under the title "Freedom for Business" outside Bulgaria’s Parliament in Sofia on September 8. They were joined by taxi drivers and suppliers.

The reasons for the dissatisfaction are the latest restrictions against the spread of the coronavirus.

The people who gathered in front of the Parliament expressed their indignation that night clubs and discos have to close down, while restaurants and casinos are allowed to operate from 7 am to 23 pm.

If their demands are not heard, they plan to block all key roads in the country on September 28.

The protesters also demanded the resignation of caretaker Health Minister Stoycho Katsarov.

MPs from “There is Such a People” party and the coalition “Rise up BG! We are Coming”, including Maya Manolova and Toshko Yordanov, tried to talk with the protesters, but were booed and asked to leave.

The protesters do not want any politicians at the protest, because according to them, they want to do pre-election PR on their backs. They called on lawmakers to return to the building and do their job, not "ride their protest."

The industry has only one desire - to work. Some of them said they would not comply with the ban on nightclubs or working time restrictions.

The protesters later walked to the building of the Ministry of Health.

images by Karina Karanyotova