Montenegrin restaurateurs have announced that they will protest in several cities today due to, as they said, discriminatory epidemiological measures that limit their right to work and grossly violate their basic rights.
The non-governmental organization (NGO) Restaurateurs of Montenegro say that they will protest due to the epidemiological measures adopted on July 30, which stipulate that all restaurateurs, if they want to work, must be vaccinated.
"Also, all guests staying inside catering facilities must have a vaccination certificate, a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours, proof that the person has recovered from Covid-19 and proof of a negative rapid antigen test, not older than 48 hours," the statement added.
It is stated that restaurateurs have repeatedly appealed to the Government to correct the current measures "because they are discriminatory and because restaurateurs are restricted in their right to work and grossly violate their other basic rights."
The restaurateurs remind that since the beginning of the epidemic events, they have suffered the most restrictions in terms of their work.
"And the discrimination of caterers is now experiencing a culmination because in the height of the season, when tourists are allowed to enter without any certificates, caterers are asked to respect measures that are not in force in other sectors," the announcement says.
From the NGO Ugostiteljiti, they note that around 25 to 30 people who are employed in the sector make a living from the catering industry, and that many more depend indirectly on that branch of the economy.
According to them, these people are on the brink of existence due to the crisis caused by the COVID 19 pandemic.
"And measures like this, which are ill-considered and ad hoc, further worsen their position." "All this will have additional negative consequences for the economic stability of Montenegro and the standard of living of our citizens," the restaurateurs warned.
The NGO Restaurateurs of Montenegro announced that the protest in Podgorica will be held at 15 p.m., in front of the building of the Ministry of Economic Development.
"Protests will be held in a peaceful atmosphere, with respect for epidemiological measures related to maintaining distance and wearing masks, and will be held every day until the institutions correct the current measures," the announcement states.
Bonus video:
