SANS starts inspections of bars and restaurants. However, suspicious goods or wanted persons are not wanted, but whether the establishments have anti-terrorist plans. It turns out that the owners had to prepare such 4 years ago.
The establishments are equated to stations, airports and national stadiums due to the requirement to have anti-terrorist plans. The ordinance is from 2017, but the first checks for the presence of such have only recently begun. According to the owners, however, this is another additional administrative burden that they do not accept.
“We are not a business built to draw up anti-terrorist plans. Our task is to get tastier food and to leave with a smile “, said Plamen Petrov, Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Restaurants
According to an ordinance adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2017, however, every establishment with a capacity of over 200 seats must have an anti-terrorism plan. The motives – the threats in recent years and the need to develop prevention mechanisms for places with a high concentration of people.
A restaurant in a Bulgarian village will be evaluated by Michelin
The establishments must submit their anti-terrorist plan to the local administration. Other public institutions should have one as well.
“It is not about 500 square meters, but about 5,000 square meters of unfolded area and it is not about 200 seats in catering establishments, but about sites that can be visited by more than 200 people,” he said. Todor Ivanov, Deputy Mayor for Security and Protection of Public Order.
Kindergartens, schools, gyms – they are all under the control of the municipality and the local police. Inspections are made regularly, the municipality of Varna assures.
“The preparation of such a plan should be the job of the Ministry of Interior. This thing is not for us. We will make trouble, “said Petrov.
Has the money to support restaurateurs in the crisis been stopped?
They have requested a meeting with SANS and the Ministry of Interior from the Bulgarian Association of Restaurants. They hope for dialogue and understanding to drop the requirement to write their own anti-terrorist plans.
Early elections and the change of power slow down the dialogue between restaurant owners and responsible institutions. Whether there will be protests remains to be seen.
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