Is this virus aristocratic, only circulating in restaurants and museums? Barseghyan on the minister's decision

According to a new project developed by the Ministry of Health, starting January 1, access to public catering venues and cultural events will only be permitted with a negative PCR test result or proof of vaccination. This decision has raised dissatisfaction among business operators, as it appears there was no discussion with them when this decision was made. As reported by 168.am, businesses are concerned about whether they can find the resources to implement such a function and how they will carry out control.

They argue that the public catering sector, still recovering from the impact of the coronavirus, does not need this new decision. On November 30, Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan stated in a press conference with journalists at the National Assembly, “This is not an extraordinary measure; many countries apply proof of vaccination for using transportation and dining venues.” According to the minister, there are technical mechanisms in place for cafes or restaurants to control entry, as supervisory bodies and the police have long been performing monitoring functions.

Ashot Barseghyan, president of the Restaurants Association NGO, believes that this decision will definitely harm public catering establishments. “This is not the first and the last pandemic; there are more frightening diseases that can disrupt economies. I would suggest what the Ministry of Health can do: the injured cannot register for disabilities. By the way, the Minister of Economy should address this instead of the Ministry of Health. People are preoccupied with politics and bureaucracy, not with the stability of the economy and public health. There was no consultation with representatives of the sector. Representatives of the Ministry of Health are only busy following instructions from the World Health Organization, without considering the sovereign interests of the Republic of Armenia. They are so concerned about public health, yet we have an urgent issue today. We have injuries, and this is a bigger problem,” Barseghyan said in an interview with 168.am.

The head of the Restaurants Association emphasized, “Worldwide, when sectors are closed, decisions are made with them to prevent social upheaval. Here, they have taken the flag and said, ‘This is how other countries do it.’ Other countries ruined their economies; should we also ruin ours? This decision will undoubtedly harm public catering establishments. There is no risk of infection in public catering places. Why is no one talking about public transport? Why are they silent? Is this virus aristocratic, only circulating in restaurants, theaters, and museums?” Barseghyan raised the question.

The president of the Restaurants Association is also interested in how they will check visitors. “Let’s assume we are presented with an incorrect, forged, or copied certificate. I want to understand which technical means will be used to verify QR codes. For two years, police were stopping people for smoking; now it’s all about codes. I don’t understand, are restaurants just a front for everyone? It’s as if the state is trying to figure out how to prevent 80,000 people from working,” he concluded.