Georgian businessmen request authorities to help open cafes and restaurants

The Georgian authorities allowed the restaurants and cafes with outdoor venues to resume their operation starting from June 1. Owners of indoor restaurants and cafes requested the authorities to allocate them land plots for summer cafes.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 23, the Georgian authorities decided to lift the state of emergency imposed in the country in connection with the coronavirus epidemic. Meanwhile, a number of restrictions, including in the field of tourism, are still in force.

Today, at a briefing, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakhariya has announced that in connection with the improvement of the epidemiological situation, the government decided to lift a number of previously imposed restrictions earlier than expected. According to the Prime Minister, all restaurants and cafes with open areas will be allowed to resume their operation starting from June 1.

Owners of restaurants, cafes, and bars have created an initiative group and appealed to the authorities with a request to include them in the development on the draft conditions for receiving visitors indoors. The businessmen also requested the authorities to allocate free municipal areas in the city centre for summer cafes, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by David Lezhava, one of the authors of the businessmen's appeal to the authorities.

Furthermore, the initiative group has requested the authorities to introduce tax benefits. The businessmen insist on the reduction of interests on loans from commercial banks. David Lezhava has noted that the businessmen's appeal was sent to the Georgian government on May 26.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 27, 2020 at 03:01 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.