The Investigative Committee has threatened with criminal cases the owners of bars and restaurants in St. Petersburg who work at night despite coronavirus restrictions. According to the authorities, the ban is violated by about 1-2% of catering establishments.
"Procedural checks are being carried out, according to the results of which, possibly, criminal cases will be initiated on the grounds of a crime under Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation" Provision of services that do not meet safety requirements ", - quotes the senior assistant to the head of the Main Investigation Department of the TFR in St. Petersburg Sergei Kapitonov TASS. He told about this following the results of the raid of law enforcement officers on the bars.
The first deputy head of the Committee for Industrial Policy, Innovation and Trade of the Northern Capital, Alexander Sitov, said that 1-2% of all catering establishments work at night. There are about eight thousand bars, restaurants and cafes in the city. "These 1-2% pose a significant threat anyway, we and the law enforcement agencies will strengthen checks.", - warned Sitov.
The TFR said that on the night of December 9, catering establishments were checked in the city for compliance with coronavirus restrictions. Documents, electronic media and other items of interest to the investigation were seized from a number of bars and cafes.
Earlier on December 9, the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said that the refusal of bars and restaurants in St. Petersburg to comply with the restrictions imposed by the authorities on the New Year holidays is disrespect for people. Peskov drew attention to the difficult situation with the incidence of COVID-19 in the Northern capital. The Kremlin spokesman stressed that the regional authorities are doing everything possible to cope with the "huge wave of the epidemic", since St. Petersburg is at the "red line".
Earlier, a number of bars and cafes in St. Petersburg opposed the coronavirus restrictions imposed by the city authorities on the work of catering establishments on New Year's holidays. They want to continue to receive visitors despite the bans. Institutions have declared themselves on the portal of the project "Map of Resistance". The founder of the movement said that about 200 catering establishments will appear on the map in the near future.
By order of the authorities, bars and restaurants in St. Petersburg are open until 23:00. From December 30 to January 3, catering will be completely suspended. From December 25 to December 29, as well as from January 4 to January 10, cafes and restaurants will not be able to receive visitors from 19:00 to 06:00.
