On Friday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that from Saturday, October 31 to Monday, November 2, cemeteries in Poland will be closed so that people do not gather in All Saints and do not spread the coronavirus. However, after the prime minister’s conference, people went to the cemeteries on Friday. In front of some necropolises lines of cars have appeared.
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The prime minister announced at Friday’s press conferencethat on Saturday 31 October, Sunday 1 November and Monday 2 November the cemeteries will be closed. – We do not want to lead to such a risk that many people would die as a result of visits to cemeteries – said the head of government.
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Morawiecki on closing cemeteries on All Saints’ DayTVN24
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Morawiecki explained at the conference that the government waited to make a decision, “believing that the number of cases might decline”. He added that such a decision was for him “great sadness and depression”, because he also wanted to visit the grave of his father and sister. – It is deeply rooted in Polish tradition, but because it carries a huge risk, I decided that tradition is less important than life – he said.
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“All the people went to the cemeteries”
However, all over Poland, people started walking to the cemeteries on Friday afternoon, which resulted in long lines of cars in front of part of the necropolis.
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A queue of cars in front of the cemetery in GłogówTVN24
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The announcement of the closure of the cemeteries just two days before November 1 is very dissatisfied with flower sellers and candles. – As a producer of chrysanthemums, I was faced with a fait accompli. What am I supposed to do now? – one of the saleswomen in Białystok asks. When asked what she could do with the flowers, she replied that “she will probably take them to the Sejm”. She explained that they would not last a few days and could only be thrown away. “My losses will be great,” she added.
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The saleswoman said that she was not convinced by the prime minister’s arguments because after the ban was announced, “all people went to the cemeteries”. – I stood for a few days, I sold, people came, it was spread over time. They would still come, and those who are afraid not to go – she assessed.
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“I think I’ll take these flowers to the Sejm”TVN24
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– We should be warned at least a few days in advance, because we are preparing for this holiday for a month, one and a half, we collect money for goods. We just stay with it all. With completed orders, compositions, the phone breaks off, people simply refuse to order. Massacre – said one of the saleswomen in Krakow. She added that she did not expect such a ban.
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– It is unbelivable. This decision could have been made three days earlier. People wouldn’t have bought goods here if they knew it, but the Prime Minister, with all his government, was pragmatically, systematically working towards making bad decisions and misleading. We have invested heavy money, we are waiting for the client, and today, with half an hour late, the prime minister finally made the decision that we should throw it on the compost – said another seller from Krakow.
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“The prime minister finally made a decision that we should throw it out on the compost”TVN24
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“Several hundred thousand zlotys loss”
– The decision to close the cemeteries is a loss of several hundred thousand zlotys and half a year of work in vain – said Marek Kozłowski, a chrysanthemum grower near Warsaw. As he added, traditionally on October 31, and on November 1 and 2, it is 90 percent. annual sales of chrysanthemums. – With my production of around 40,000 chrysanthemums, the loss is around 300,000 – assessed Kozłowski.
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As he added, he does not even put the chrysanthemums on sale and – as he predicts – “around Tuesday-Wednesday you will have to start recycling them, because the space is needed for the next production”.
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Kozłowski was skeptical about the government’s announcement of aid and compensation. As he said, he does not know a flower producer from the vicinity of Warsaw, who would have applied for government aid so far, because with the specificity of this production, it is very difficult to document a drop in turnover.
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Saleswoman from Szczecin about the decision to close the cemeteriesTVN24
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The family business of chrysanthemum grower and wholesaler Piotr Dudziński will also suffer serious losses. Already on Friday he was left with a lot of unsold goods. As he added, his customers call and cancel orders for Saturday. “I’ll have to throw away another good,” he said.
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He added that he was not expecting any customers on Saturday in the market in Bronisze. – Everyone calls me and cancel orders, and those who have already bought must throw away their goods – he stressed.
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According to Piotr Dudziński, losses will be suffered by everyone – producers, wholesalers, but those who have invested their savings in flowers, candles, etc. for the occasion of sale at All Saints will suffer the most.
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The Prime Minister provides support
Shortly after the press conference – in the late afternoon – the prime minister announced via Twitter that in connection with the closure of the cemeteries “support will be prepared for traders who show losses because of this. “Details will be presented next week,” he wrote.
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