Branch organizations of restaurants and food venues in Bulgaria expressed dissatisfaction with the announced relaxation of the anti-epidemic measures for large non-food stores. They insisted that the authorities immediately open their facilities as well.

Earlier, Bulgaria’s Ministry of Economy announced that non-food stores in shopping malls are allowed to open if they are accessible from the street or the parking lot. It also became clear that facilities with an area of more than 300 square meters can reopen if they use less space (up to 300 meters) for their customers.

According to the restaurant owners, there are no medical arguments behind the partial relaxation of the anti-epidemic measures. In their words, the authorities protect the corporate interests of large foreign retailers at the expense of small and medium-sized family businesses, BGNES reported.