Caterers received seven times more money than they contribute to the economy
Hospitality and tourism contribute with 1,54 percent of GDP in the domestic economy (data for 2019), and during the last 12 months these sectors received over 37,5 million euros, of the total amount paid from the state budget which is 350,5 million. This means that 10,7 percent of the funds were paid to this sector, or that is seven times more than their contribution. Since the beginning of the crisis, catering and tourism are constantly under government protection, in each of the packages there are measures that refer directly to them, and even the government has announced new measures for this sector in the future. Hence, it is unclear why the caterers are putting pressure on the government through protests.
In the first four packages there were dozens of concrete measures in order to help the hospitality to overcome the economic crisis. There was an interest-free credit line of the Development Bank in the amount of seven million euros, salary support in the amount of 14.500 per employee (April, May, June), in the amount of 10 million euros, subsidies for employee contributions, amounting to one million euros, tourist vouchers for low-income citizens, amount of 6,3 million euros, staggered salary support (October, November and December), amount of nine million euros, subsidies for tour guides, amount of 82,5 thousand euros, grants for tourist agencies, amount of 1,2 million euros, grants for restaurants for weddings, amount of 886 thousand euros, grants for playgrounds, amount of 216 thousand euros, grants for nightclubs and pop artists, amount of 637 thousand euros. All these measures are in order not to allow this branch to fall into a deep economic crisis, and many caterers have used them.
In a situation where the government is constantly caring, especially for caterers and tourism workers, but also when analyzing the figures, then it is better for this sector to have meetings with government economic representatives to talk about the possibility of even greater measures for help, rather than going out to protest.
