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Entrepreneurs of the Porto restoration began tonight, in front of the Porto Chamber, an indefinite vigil until the Government discussed support for the sector, revealed Branca Pereira, from the Women’s Movement for Restoration.
Four days after a group of businessmen started a hunger strike in front of the Parliament, in Lisbon, “a spontaneous movement of businessmen gave rise to an indefinite vigil, on Avenida dos Aliados, until the government looks at the sector,” he explained . Pereira Blanca.
The “camp” will be next to the Almeida Garret monument, on whose steps dozens of lighted lamps were placed: “they mean a cry of alert, it means that we want a light for this moment that we live, because there are thousands of women living in restoration and that many of them have already lost their jobs and others are going to lose it, “he said.
As for the vigil, explained Branca Pereira, they will work “with six businessmen permanently, in place, for 24 hours, after which they will take turns,” highlighting that they will remain in the Porto Chamber “day and night. as necessary. “
Although in solidarity with colleagues on hunger strike in Lisbon, the Porto version of the protest does not foresee food inhibitions, said the head of the women’s movement, only assuring that every day “six businessmen will be there 24 hours a day, sleeping in tents “. .
“This has gone from being a health problem to a large-scale social problem. Every day in our restaurants, we have thousands of people asking for food. I am part of a group that has been helping the homeless for 25 years and In this At this moment, we don’t even need to go to the actions, we already have someone who comes from the restaurants to ask us for soup, showing us that he has not yet received the dismissal or that the Government has not yet paid the bosses, “he added .
Asked about the symbolism of the lamps, Branca Pereira was adamant: “if we put a candle here for every woman who needs help in the restoration, this great avenue would not be enough.”
Also on duty and with a backpack, ready for the first 24-hour shift, Daniel Serra, president of the National Restaurant Association, explained to Lusa his presence at the protest.
“We will be here as long as necessary. Until there is a solution that makes the restaurants viable, because what happens is that we have the restaurants closed, but with the door open. They are not billing. There are no customers. This situation is a cry of silent rebellion, “he said.
Nuno Fontes, also a businessman, was the most critical voice in the sector for the measures of the State of Emergency, accusing the Government of “not helping.”
“It is a way of deceiving public opinion. The Government has lent money to businessmen at interest,” continued the restaurant’s businessman, for whom “what is happening does not make sense.”
“The Government has always received the taxes that we pay and here we are, we are not receiving any help,” he criticized.
Last week, the Government announced measures to contain the covid-19 pandemic for the new period of state of emergency: on the eve of the holidays, commerce closes at 3:00 p.m. in 127 counties of the continent classified as at risk. “extremely high” and “very high” and the closing hours of shops are maintained at 10 pm and restaurants and cultural facilities at 10:30 pm in these regions and in 86 others considered “high risk” “.
On the 14th of this month, the Minister of Economy said that the exceptional support to the restaurants of the municipalities covered by the state of emergency to compensate for the loss of income in these two weekends will amount to 25 million euros and will be paid in December.
The data provided by the minister indicate that of the 750 million euros contemplated in the Apoiar.pt program – non-reimbursable support to micro and small companies in the sectors most affected by the crisis with income losses of more than 25% -, 200 million euros will be absorbed by the restaurant sector.
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