Skopje, 20 August 2021 (MIA) – The hospitality sector's turnover has dramatically decreased since new the anti-COVID measures entered into force, going down 30% compared to the recent period, during which it was also under the usual level. Weddings and other events are big cancelled, representatives of the tourism and hospitality chamber told a press conference on Friday. They stressed the need for changes in the latest measures. “We’re waiting for changes that would be better suited and more logical. The current restrictions were enforced in a hurry due to the situation. I’m calling on everyone to be patient because we hope to see some changes soon,” said the chamber’s president Martin Angelovski. According to him, measures ban people without vaccination certificates or proof for having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 45 days from entering all hospitality facilities. “We think that people who have had COVID-19 in the past six months and those who can present negative PCR test results or antibody test results should be allowed to frequent bars and restaurants. That way, we protect health, but also make sure the unvaccinated are not isolated. In regard to the measure for arrivals, which entails mandatory presentation of vaccination certificate or proof that the passenger has recovered from COVID-19 in the past 45 days and enters into force September 1, we ask that the validity of the latter document be extended to six months, in line with examples from other countries and the recommendations of experts,” Angelovski stressed. He underlined the need for measures to be fully implemented, without exceptions. “Some hospitality facilities aren’t abiding by measures and recommendations and face no consequences. They are disloyal competition. We’ve already said that hospitality workers don’t have the right to ask customers for their personal identification documents. Moreover, there’s a danger that forged vaccination certificates and documents confirming someone has recovered from the virus will start appearing and hospitality workers can’t recognize them. In such cases, inspection authorities should hold the person who has presented the document, and not the business, accountable. Chamber representative Ana Marija Alkesova presented additional requests coming from the tourism sector. “According to new measures, aside from presenting a vaccination certificate or proof for having recovered from the virus, arrivals can choose to self-isolate for seven days. We ask that authorities allow the isolation to end after a person has tested negative for COVID-19. Moreover, citizens should be given the option of getting tested between borders. To lower their costs, negative results from self-antigen tests that can be purchased at a pharmacy should also be considered valid proof,” Aleksova stressed. She added that new measures and restrictions seriously limit the activities of the tourism and hospitality sector and require implementation of economic measures for their support. “The tourist season is ongoing and measures should ensure it ends properly and trips that were postponed last year are safely organized. The changes we are proposing and which we have delivered to the government will ensure better protection of public health and less harmful economic effects,” Aleksova said.