Brussels bars and cafés are “paying the price for the failed fight against the novel Coronavirus in Brussels Region” and “the behaviour of some Brussels residents who are not complying with the rules,” according to the UNIZO Brussels organisation of self-employed persons.
The government has not succeeded in raising the population’s awareness, UNIZO Brussels head Anton Van Assche noted in a press release issued at the onset of a one-month closure of cafés aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
The regional government “should have been more selective and focus on clients who do not comply with the rules or businesses that do not comply with the measures,” Van Assche argued.
He feels the Government of Brussels has been lacking in the areas of oversight, sanctions and contact tracing. “It is to be feared that the virus will spread even faster during gatherings where there is no oversight,” he added.
According to UNIZO, support measures such as temporary unemployment or the right to bridge loans will not compensate for turnover losses.
The Brussels Times
