Georgian restaurants back down protest calls
On 5 February, the Association of Georgia’s restaurateurs withdrew their action to open food establishments despite the still-imposed Covid-19 restrictions on 6 February.
The founder of the Association Shota Burjanadze said that this decision was made after the Georgian government announced that open space restaurants would be able to open from 15 February. “Yesterday's decision of the government is helping to thaw the ice. We had announced the opening on Saturday and were eager to receive guests. We have decided that this action will not be held on Saturday and we will continue to operate with the delivery service,” Burjanadze said.
It should also be noted that Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia warned that organisations which violate the Covid-19 restrictions would no longer be eligible to receive support from state programmes and would not receive state subsidies (Caucasus Watch reported). “Our response to a deliberate violation of the rules will be very strict. We have decided that organisations that do not obey the restrictions will not receive subsidies and assistance provided by the state through economic support measures against the pandemic. In addition, they will no longer be able to participate in state supported activities in the future,” Gakharia said.