The sports sector has joined the protest: bankruptcies will not be avoided if they open later

The sports and health sector has not been able to operate for more than half a year in the last 12 months, so representatives assured the state to demand targeted subsidies for the sector, open sports clubs and restore public health after the quarantine.

“We have written many letters to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the Ministry of Health; finally we are convinced that the Government does not care about health and avoids dialogue ”Said representatives of this sector.

Vitalijus Vasiljevas, director of the City Boxing sports boxing and fitness club, who participated in the protest, and one of the owners, assured that the sector must be compensated for 6 months. unearned income, and this application is on behalf of the association as a whole.

“This time we are no longer asking for a faster opening, we are asking for help in the dying healthcare sector. For 6 months, when we were not in business, we have not received any help from the government. It is the activity in this sector that is seasonal, so even if it opens soon, summer is waiting, then financial help is needed to save this sector, and so far we have received absolutely nothing.

That general aid provided during the first package is completely unsuitable for our sector, the second aid package is still promised. It was supposed to be in February, now we are in the middle of March, but it has not arrived yet. There is only one planned month of repayment 3. but wait, we haven’t worked for more than 6 months. Now we ask for 6 months. We will not be compensated for our income and we want to be heard because the health sector will not stay.

Everyone is trying to keep the activities they love out of their savings, ”he said, saying that if we want a healthier society, the sector must survive.

These days, sports club owners, he says, are turning their heads around how to run their businesses.

“The situation is such that debt is accumulating, the owners are sending rental bills, it is necessary to pay loans to banks and financial institutions for equipment. Downtime does not save because there are not many employees and the coaches work under individual contracts because they work in one sports club or another. We are waiting, but let’s understand, even when it opens, how will that debt be paid off? V. Vasilyev asked, and assured that he had serious doubts that it was possible to do so, which could lead to a wave of bankruptcies.

According to him, the letters with the requests and the description of the situation were written to both the Government and the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, but the responses were nonexistent or stenciled.

“It has been said that you are applying for a GPM subsidy, which is completely inappropriate for us as most, especially smaller club operators, have self-service, full access control, no staff but high rental costs, purchased equipment installment, so this (support for GPM -red payment) is completely unsuitable for us.

We also ask the Ministry of Health, Education, Science and Sports, or I will not even mention them, because they do not care about sport at all, without highly trained athletes, “said the businessman.

Once the pandemic is over, it will no longer make sense to open up

Vidmantas Šiugždinis Eltai, President of the Lithuanian Association of Health Clubs, also stated that the health sector lacks a more fluid dialogue with the Ministry of Economy and Innovation on maintaining the viability of the sector and appropriate support measures.

According to V. Šiugždinis, the picket organized in the Government on Tuesday aims to draw attention to the need for more specific support measures for the health sector, as well as a request to allow the opening of sports and health centers as soon as possible.

“There are two main demands: that the health sector, as one of the most affected during the pandemic, receive targeted subsidies and that we can open up as soon as possible. Especially since the Government has no arguments for a greater closure. We have also presented studies on infections in health clubs in Europe that show a minimal number of infections. However, this is answered with very elegant arguments, “he told Eltai.

V. Šiugždinis stated that due to prolonged activity restrictions, it would no longer make sense to open some sports and health centers after the end of the pandemic.

“We are reluctant to make decisions that do not enter into specific data. We want to point out that health workers are” on the brink “, there is more and more debate if the opening does not occur now, if it will make any sense with all the debts accumulated during the period of closure, restrictions and the absence of state grants,

“We believe that about half of the several hundred sports clubs that are not functioning are at the critical threshold, because even when they open, the question arises whether they will be able to raise some revenue to cover their costs,” added V. Šiugždinis. .

Read more about Tuesday’s protest here.