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The organizers of the protest campaign “Last Business Dinner” assure that many members of the sector will not open this spring without emergency assistance.
Evalda Šiškauskienė, president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants, does not understand why the government has quietly introduced a possible grant limit: 100 thousand. euros. “They are just fun,” said E. Šiškauskienė.
– We treat this as a complete mockery.
We had agreed that if the turnover was reduced by 80%, 80% business and your taxes paid. We agreed that the companies that paid more had and received more, and the government, unbeknownst to anyone, invested $ 100,000. euro ceiling.
1.2 thousand a company with employees could receive one million euros in subsidies and receive 100 thousand. euros. That model is suitable for small businesses. “
Accommodation and catering companies say the roof needs to be raised.
The protesters would like restaurants to receive rent compensation, as was the case in the first wave, at 30 percent. taxes are borne by the government, the rest of the owners. According to E.Šiškauskienė, it was a very effective tool that would help a lot even now.
The hotels, according to the protesters, would benefit from compensation for the costs of public services.
Hotel representatives would also expect support for employees to return to work. According to E.Šiškauskienė, “putting people back to work after a year is something to do.”
E.Šiškauskienė warns that without support, bankruptcies will be inevitable.
“Massive bankruptcies will begin, which will push the entire business, deferred taxes of 740 to 1.5 thousand are already forecast.” bankruptcies.
Already 9 thousand employees in our sector are unemployed. It is a pity, because it is a sector that is in the most socially sensitive stratum: women over 60, young people, students. This is a job that does not require special education. “We do not understand what all these people will do and why small businesses are going bankrupt,” said the president of the association.
He wonders why the government has begun to support not companies whose turnover fell by 80%, but those that registered a 30% decrease. decrease. “And then he said there was no more money,” said E. Šiškauskienė. –
We do not understand the logic and we are not willing to help. I am jealous to look at our immediate neighbors, not to mention Europe, who have invested money in this sector. “
According to the BNS news agency, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation announces that a fifth of all support goes to the accommodation and catering sector; This year alone, nearly 8 million LTLs have been distributed to companies in this sector. euros.
At that time, E.Šiškauskienė urged to look in detail for whom the money was used: the tour organizers repatriated the passengers, who had to pay customers for the missed trips.
“We are very anxious to ‘overwhelm’ the downtime. But it is a help for people, not for business. We must not turn everything into one,” he said.
March 16 marks exactly one year since the introduction of the first quarantine and the closure of the catering and accommodation facilities. According to the organizers of the campaign, during this time this 5 percent. generating the country’s gross domestic product and 42 thousand. the job-creating business sector received virtually no government support.
In Kaunas, there were tables and a bed with mourning symbols in the Town Hall Square.
“We have been in the caravan exactly one year, we do not receive any support from the government, and all resources are exhausted after the winter,” said Vytautas Gustas, vice president of the association, owner of the Daugirdas and Perkūno namai. Hotels.
According to him, loans had to be taken out last year, but they were spent on heating and hotels may not survive until May.
Recently, the hotel remotely hosted just tasting dinners and hosted up to 5,000. Income of 15 thousand euros, while fixed expenses of 15 thousand euros. euros.
“Our revenue has dropped more than 70 percent,” Gustas said. “Perkūno namai” has not been in operation for a year, “Daugirdas” ran from July to December last year.
According to the manager, working for the entire hotel when only two clients arrive a day is not profitable.
The hotel staff has been cut in half. They themselves have requested dismissal because it is more beneficial for people to receive benefits from the Employment Service.
V. Gustas expected hotels to open in April, but employment should not exceed 45 percent.
The 2019 level can only be reached in 2023, as travel is currently subject to very severe restrictions and business customers are making all reservations in the fall.
Artūras Vainora, vice president of the association, which has an 80-bed hotel in Latvia and employs 50 people, said the government is using completely different relief measures in the neighboring country. When 70 percent. the salary compensation, which was subject to a ceiling of one thousand euros, was paid directly by the public authorities to the employee.
The companies were able to receive a soft loan to maintain liquidity and, through four non-refundable donation packages, A.Vainora Hotel received 190 thousand. euros.
The protest is also in Trakai
The Round Table Club complex in Trakai also joined the “The Last Corporate Dinner” protest campaign.
Dressed in black, his staff covered the empty tables with tablecloths of the same color. In the back of Trakai Castle, where the crowds often bustle, the black carved beds of the Round Table Club Hotel were built.
The posters read: “No guests, no support, no life”, “The rooms are empty, the wallet too.” The entrance to the restaurant, which hosted various family events and celebrations, was blocked with a stop bar and the word “Wedding” was crossed out with a black line.
