For epidemiological reasons, the government has banned the sale of not only alcohol on holidays, but also goods such as matches, rubber boots, and household gas. Even windshield washer fluid can’t not be sold in gas stations. Everything that is not food becomes a prohibited product in stores on Saturday, Sunday. Or sold under the counter.
"But this is the countryside!" a goods supplier of a small chain of rural shops tells Neatkarīgā, when asked how the work is planned for the holidays. "Of course, the outsiders won’t get anything, but the locals - they are all from here, they will not report anyone." However, at that time he did not yet understand that not only alcohol, but also all household goods, including matches, would have to be sold under the counter.
According to the latest version of the Cabinet of Ministers Order no. 655 "Regarding Declaration of the Emergency Situation", which takes effect at Friday/Saturday night, on weekends people will be able to buy food, medicine and tampons, fuel too. But that's all. Here is the specific point of the future version of the order:
“5.7. on weekends and public holidays, only pharmacies (including veterinary pharmacies) and shops are open in which the following groups of goods may be sold (other goods may not be sold):
5.7.1. foodstuff (except alcohol);
5.7.2. hygiene products;
5.7.3. fuel;"
"But will still be allowed to sell basic necessities, right?" the rural supplier asks Neatkarīgā.
"No, you won’t."
"Not even matches?"
"Matches are not a hygiene product."
" Well, it depends... At our place it’ll work like this - it depends, and we’ll make a judgement call." A rural survival model for overcoming holiday constraints has emerged.
In cities, of course, such laxity will not be possible, because sellers do not know their customers so well and there may be inspections. But penalties for violating restrictions are quite severe - especially for legal entities.
Section 21 of the On Emergency Situation and State of Exception:
"Violation of restrictions or prohibitions imposed during an emergency situation or a state of exception shall result in a fine of two to four hundred fine units for a natural person and a fine of twenty-eight to one thousand fine units for a legal person." One fine unit is 5 euros, so the seller can be fined 10 to 2,000 euros for selling matches on holidays, and the store owner's company can be fined 140 to 5,000 euros. It is not yet known how actively the new restrictions will be monitored, but there is a noticable political pressure on the Ministry of the Interior in this regard.
In addition to shops, the government's ban on holiday sales also has a significant impact on gas stations. It will also be allowed to refuel, to buy a pastry. But that's it. No firewood, no briquettes, and even windshield washer fluid should not be sold. This does not seem logical, because in modern, customer-friendly gas stations, such as Virši, washer fluid is sold unpackaged and the fluid nozzle is located right next to the fuel nozzles. But it’s still forbidden. Just like it is forbidden top up the engine oil if the warning light on the panel comes on. The oil must not be sold.
Neatkarīgā asked Ojārs Karčevskis, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Fuel Traders Association, for his opinion on the holiday restrictions introduced by the government. In his opinion, however, it is not necessary to focus on applying various exceptions directly to gas stations. Shops also sell windshield washer fluid, firewood, briquettes, in the countryside you can exchange gas cylinders at the shops. These are basic necessities that should also be available on holidays. After all, it is not possible to shake a 50 liter gas cylinder to make sure that there is still enough gas for two days. It usually ends unexpectedly. "Therefore, this list of permitted goods needs to be clarified and expanded," says the head of the association. So that a person, when entering the store for groceries, can at times buy a bottle of windshield washer liquid. This will not worsen the epidemiological situation, but it will improve road safety with better visibility.
It would make it more convenient and easier for the population to survive the covid restrictions.
But, of course, you can already demand that everyone behave like in a war situation, think ten moves ahead and buy basic necessities on Friday. However, a more plausible scenario is that a large number of people will not be so wise and far-sighted, and, as concluded by the rural shop supplier that talked with Neatkarīgā: "This will be one big step in promoting the shadow economy."
Shopkeepers will not enter a bottle of vodka, washer fluid or matches at the cash register on Saturday and Sunday, but that does not mean that they will not be sold under the counter. At least in the countryside.