Confinement or curfew during Ramadan? The Moroccan government finally ruled on this issue by announcing a night curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. during the holy month, except for exceptional situations with the maintenance of restrictions previously decreed and currently in force.
A decision that will undermine several sectors during this holy month, especially that of catering. The question that arises now is whether there will be state aid for the benefit of this category of professionals or their employees? It’s possible.
Indeed, Hespress learned that a meeting was held yesterday, Tuesday April 6, at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Trade under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy, with the owners of cafes and restaurants, concerning the claims of this category of professionals. At the head of these demands is the relaxation of measures taken by the government during the month of Ramadan and the decision to close at night.
As a first step, the department of Moulay Hafid Elalamy assured the representatives of the owners of cafes and restaurants * that the government is based on the conclusions provided by the scientific committee to fight against the spread of Covid-19, to adopt the closure of cafes and restaurants.
According to sources of Hespress, the Ministry of Industry and Trade had promised representatives of the National Association of Patrons of Cafes and Restaurants of Morocco to provide support to professionals, to mitigate the consequences of the decision to close the night during the month of Ramadan in order to reduce expected losses.
The meeting was also overshadowed by the debate on the strike called for by the association, on Friday April 9. Moreover, the ministry tried to convince professionals to retract and understand the current situation that the country is going through.
But the professionals of the sector refused to give up this protest action, affirms our source, and this, until they receive reassuring promises which answer their requests, through the organization of a joint meeting which brings together the various ministries concerned, including that of the Interior.
For professionals in the cafes and restaurants sector, the strike would not have taken place if the government had reacted to their grievances, at their head the relaxation of precautionary measures and their exemption from taxes.
On the other hand, a meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 7, between professionals in the sector and the Director General of Taxes, while waiting for a joint meeting to be held subsequently with the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Employment. , the Directorate General of Taxes, as well as the governor of local communities, in order to reach common solutions that save the sector.
It should be noted that many professional organizations have confirmed their intention to escalate against the government, starting with the strike by owners of cafes and restaurants scheduled for next Friday.
On the other hand, some owners of cafes and restaurants in the city of Marrakech expressed their refusal to engage in this escalation, in particular the Friday strike, stressing their support for dialogue and respect for the law on the state of emergency, and thus avoid non-compliance with the administrative provisions that set the closing times.
With the government’s imposition of a curfew at 8 p.m. during the holy month of Ramadan, the only option left before the owners of cafes and restaurants is to serve only the dish of ” Iftar “ after the youngster broke up around 7:30 p.m.
