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With spirits exalted but controlled, slogans like “They are killing those who want to work”, accompanied either by the Portuguese anthem, or by “Grandola Vila Morena”, the organizers of the demonstration, where chef Ljubomir Stanisic, owner of the restaurant 100 Maneiras, in Lisbon, presented a series of measures to try to save the tourism sector, including catering, events, bars and clubs and hospitality.
“We are fed up with the false promises we have received”, Stanisic said on a makeshift stage just in front of the portico of the Teatro D. Maria II, for several hundred people.
The demonstration, allowed by law despite the curfew, was carried out with the support of the PSP and in a nonpartisan way – as chef Ljubomir Stanisic never tired – it came to demand various measures from the Costa executive through a manifesto that includes workers. hotels, art, culture, small and medium-sized companies, restaurants, private transport, buses.
“Eight months before the government decreed, many of us made the decision to close our establishments in the name of public health, following all the rules when, in May, many opened.” explained Pedro Silver, producer of the event. Which then outlined some of the measures required by the protesters to save professionals from the sectors represented:
Non-reimbursable support to compensate for the losses accumulated during 8 months in the sector of bars and discos, events, restaurants, shops and all direct and indirect suppliers; support for reducing the hours of restaurants and shops; replacement of opening hours of local restaurants, bars and shops; support for the payment of rent; payment of VAT approved automatically in six installments; immediate reinforcement of credit lines, eliminating limitations on access to new lines for those who have already used previous lines; TSU exemption until June 30, 2021; Reduction of the VAT rate until December 31, 2021.
From Figueira da Foz and with some elements of his team, António Sánchez, owners of three restaurants in Figueira, of which one had to close and fire five workers, was carrying a sign, told Diário de Notícias. He also said that the situation is unsustainable and that he is waiting for measures from the sector to save the other two restaurants.
From the north, Alberto Cabral, businessman with six bars and discos in Vila Real, Espinho, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Chaves and Santa Maria da Feira, accompanied by his dog and with a sign around his neck that says “blinded by love at night “. , told DN that every month it loses 9 thousand euros since it closed its bars and clubs due to the pandemic. “There are about 72 people without work,” he said. “I hope the government listens to us,” he said.
The organizers, especially through the voice of chef Ljubomir Stanisic, repeated the call for non-violence several times, emphasizing that it was a protest without policies and without politicians and asking for a distance of two meters between all those present out of respect for public health standards. .
André Ventura passed through Rossio almost unnoticed, denounced by the security circle and some people wearing masks with the Chega logo. But he learned that the organization of the event stressed that the manifesto is apolitical and did not approve of the use of the moment by some. Message addressed to the leader of Chega and some banners of the Movimento Cumprir Portugal, collected on time.
After the speech of several businessmen from the sectors represented in the manifesto, torches were lit and a minute of silence was held for the lost jobs and the companies that closed during the covid-19 pandemic.
The President of the Republic considered this Saturday, in Fatima, the “legitimate” demonstrations, but called for the protests to be carried out without violence, so as not to aggravate the existing situation caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
The head of state stressed that the pandemic “is in itself a violence”, the economic and social crisis is also “in itself a violence.”
“We cannot have political crises or situations of tension that lead to violence, because they dissolve the economic and social fabric, the relationship between people, and we need that solidarity,” he added.
At the same time that the protest was taking place in Rossio, the Minister of State, Economy and Digital Transition announced at a press conference that the support already made available or announced for the catering sector as a result of the crisis caused by the pandemic, they amount to 1,103 million euros, corresponding to about 60% of the breakdown of income recorded by the sector.
The global amount includes 286 million euros of aid that has already reached companies in this sector through the simplified ‘dismissal’ and aid for progressive recovery or the 200 million euros for the new support.pt program, which consists of the allocation of non-reimbursable support to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to compensate them for the breakdown of income.
