The government has announced that restrictions on bars and restaurants will be further eased as the coronavirus situation in Finland remains calm.
The latest instructions mean lifting the ban on karaoke singing, a popular Finnish hobby, in bars and restaurants in areas that are considered to be either at the beginning or in the accelerating phase of a pandemic.
However, the new measures allow only one extra hour to drink in the area in areas considered to be in the spread of the pandemic in the Community, and in the areas of the acceleration phase, the closure time will remain the same.
This means that restaurants in Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme and Uusimaa will now have to stop offering alcohol at 8pm and close their doors at 9pm, while the area bars will close at 7pm and stop at 6pm or an hour later than under the square. previous provisions.
The opening and service time restrictions in the regions of Central Ostrobothnia, Kymenlaakso, Pirkanmaa and Southwest Finland will remain unchanged: at 11 pm, the service will close one hour after the stop.
Bars and restaurants elsewhere in the country or areas deemed to be in the starting position may be open until 2 p.m. and stop serving alcohol at 1 p.m.
The changes will take effect on Wednesday, June 9th.
Organizing events becomes easier in starting situations
One major change in the baseline situation is the end of the number of people allowed to sit outdoors, such as on terraces, which will improve the chances of organizing public events, as larger gatherings can be held in bars and restaurants.
The government’s ministerial group, which is tasked with reviewing the restrictions on a regular basis, also noted that a broader overall assessment of the restrictions will take place in the week beginning 21 June.
If the pandemic situation continues to ease, it could lead to the removal of new restrictions, the group said.
The lobby group will make a formal complaint
Despite Tuesday’s announcement of the lifting of restrictions, the restaurant lobby group MaRa made a formal complaint to the Chancellor of Justice about the government’s attitude towards bars and restaurants.
"Restrictions on the serving and opening hours of restaurants in the communicating provinces of the Community, Kanta- and Päijät-Häme and Uusimaa are still in breach of the Communicable Diseases Act," CEO of the Finnish Hospitality Association (MaRa) Timo Lappi said.
The lobby group argued that under the law and given the current pandemic situation, the government cannot require restaurants to close before 10pm and close before 11pm.
"By law, the government can only decide on this in very extreme circumstances. The provision does not leave the government political leeway," Lapland added.
Source: The Nordic Page