Traders wait for restrictions to be released: the situation is no longer such that it can be tolerated

The “Monetary Affairs” program discussed with representatives of business associations who could resume the activities and how to carry them out. Rūta Vainienė, the director of the Lithuanian Business Enterprise Association (LPĮA), said that they had submitted a plan to the government so that they could first open their doors with a separate entrance from the outside, as well as restricting the business area. .

Business situation: on the edge

Although a large number of merchants have adapted and are selling their products online, they have established collection points, according to R. Vainienė, this does not really cover past physical sales.

“It is important to understand that not all residents have adapted to such a purchase. Lithuania is not only Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipeda, there are regions where people do not always have the means to buy online. That trade, which is through points collection, electronic rigs, it certainly doesn’t make up for physical stores in any way – the falls are huge.

Since this is not the first quarantine, but the second quarantine and all those resources, the reserves were severely depleted during the first quarantine. I must say the situation is getting dramatic. It is no longer such that we can still bear. We have to start increasing the intensity of the support, which is also an option if we are going to continue the quarantine for a long time, or think about a gradual opening, ”said R. Vainienė.

Regarding the proposals presented to the Government, on how the merchants could resume their activities, R. Vainienė named the trade with a separate entrance from the field, limiting the commercial area to 2000 square meters. meters. This would mean that not all major supermarket stores could open yet, and some large merchants, which have separate entrances, would have to reduce their retail space.

“We suggest that it would make sense to open stores in the first phase, without too much delay and without waiting for there to be a hundred such cases a day, which operate with separate entry from time to time. This means that then the flows do not mix, there are no common spaces. We also suggest that even the commercial area available for customers could be limited to 2,000 square meters. meters and the buyer would have less time in that store: when the area is smaller, the shorter the walk and the fulfillment of the distances is easier to control. (….) If that store can restrict, enclose or somehow close those other areas, then it should operate no matter where it is located and what the overall business size itself is. But if he manages to ensure that the visitor can move only 2 thousand. kv. meters of area we think this would be a level playing field. And the little ones would all fall unconditionally, maybe not all the big ones. (…) The second step would already be to open all the trade.

That first step seems very weighted, after all, it is now possible to provide services that take up to 15 minutes, in reality it is about certain goods, of course not all, they can already be purchased in a much shorter period of time. Now it makes no sense to keep that business closed. Especially since you don’t really hear in the chimneys that commerce is mentioned, ”said R. Vainienė.

“I just want to say that anyway, food stores in Lithuania make up the majority of stores, if we talk about how many legal entities of those stores would open, it is already about a fifth of legal entities. Obviously, they have more outlets. In other words, if someone thinks that the epidemiological situation here may worsen, it is not entirely true, “added the interlocutor.

He stressed that the current business situation – on the brink.

“If epidemiologists say to fight (resume activities – Delphi), then we say to give a greater intensity of support. It is no longer balanced. (…) Now the government is opting to open educational institutions where there have been significantly more chimneys. It should be gradual. , some education, some business. Because if only the priorities are selected, education, health and the business is carried completely to the end, there will be nothing to pay those salaries and maintain the systems that are now being opened ” said the representative of the merchant.

Even before news broke that the business could receive the first releases in the second half or late February, R. Vainienė emphasized on the show that the business needs clarity at this time.

“The business environment is very bad, no doubt. If we talk about which clothing sellers, they have frozen stocks, loaded warehouses, frozen money and in no way can they convert them into euros to be able to buy a new collection, and the budgets must be worked out in some way. Another observation from companies was that during the first quarantine, there was mutual support in the international business community, some better, some worse, but others supported each other and applied discounts. Not now. Now everyone is on the verge of survival and neither the landlord apply discounts on the rent nor the supplier apply any type of postponement, which allows greater flexibility in ordering the requested merchandise. This fight for survival becomes more fierce with each passing day, because we are alone in that quarantine, other European countries do the same.

I don’t want this to sound intimidating, not like bullying or an ultimatum. I want this to sound like a statement of factual information. What is the business based on and then what are the solutions? Redundancies. There are no good solutions, ”said R. Vainienė.

The launch for traders is possible in the second half of February.

Delfi recalls that the government announced on Monday that one of the first exemptions being considered for the business is to allow stores whose main activity is not the sale of food, but only on the condition that the store has a separate entrance from the outside . In addition, 20 m2 must be provided per visitor. meter. zone. Such launches could take place in the second half or late February.

We hope to be able to present a summary of proposals that will affect both social services and commerce, restaurants, services and cultural activities and events, all of which we plan to present in stages, which would be planned every two weeks based on the number of positive tests and cases. That would be the main guideline that we could hope for, ”said Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys.

He explained that the measures are currently being implemented between February 1 and May 15 and the document will be submitted for discussion.

“Of course, we will follow the recommendations of our board of experts, as I have already said, and with respect to certain relaxations in the commerce or services sector, there should be fewer than 150 cases per 100,000 in the service sector. Population, possibly having success at the beginning of March if it is successful with those figures. (…) In our opinion, one could talk about the permission to operate stores with independent entrance from the outside, when there will be less than 200 cases ”, said A. Dulkys.

The Minister of Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė pointed out that there are three areas that could resume activities in the first place, and the effective dates would be linked to the number of cases.

“First of all, let the outdoor ski resorts work. There are six such resorts in Lithuania. The main requirements would be: services are provided by reservation only, number of clients is limited, ski equipment is not rented. skiing, to ensure regular disinfection of the lifts; safe distances between skiers.

Second, allow beauty services (haircuts and manicures) to work when there is 1 customer and 1 supplier. Ensuring not less than 10 square meters M. m area of ​​the premises of the location of the service.

Third, allowing stores (including kiosks and pavilions) with a direct entrance from the outside or a separate entrance used only by the customers of that store, where no more than 1 customer is served at a time and the management of the flow of customers at the entrance of the store. The minister wrote on Facebook on Facebook, adding that this could be implemented in February, but discussions are still needed with the Ministry of Health and government experts.