The National Coordination Body for Communicable Diseases decided today, at the suggestion of the Public Health Institute of Montenegro, to abolish all specific measures against the spread of coronavirus in municipalities in the Northern region, to harmonize the working hours of catering facilities throughout the country and to allow live music in catering facilities.
Temporary measures against the spread of coronavirus, introduced consecutively in the municipalities of the Northern region on 25 June, gave results primarily in the stagnation of the rate of new cases, which created the conditions for the abolition of certain measures to normalize life and economic interests.
From today’s entry into force of the new measures, all catering facilities in Montenegro can work from 6:00 a.m. to 12 a.m. The decision refers to restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, hotel restaurants and similar catering facilities, as well as the provision of catering services at beaches and bathing areas.
In catering facilities, except in coastal municipalities (Herceg Novi, Kotor, Tivat, Budva, Bar and Ulcinj), catering facilities work according to the following rules:
– A maximum of two guests may sit at the table inside the catering facility or four guests on the terrace/garden of this facility;
– Self – service, staying and standing in front of the bar is prohibited;
– Distance of at least two meters among tables must be provided, in accordance with the recommendations of the Public Health Institute of Montenegro;
– Regular maintenance of hygiene and disinfection of common areas, furniture, equipment, etc. must be provided, in accordance with the recommendations of the Public Health Institute of Montenegro.
Live music in restaurants allowed, while obeying strict rules
The ban on entertainment and music programmes in catering facilities, which was introduced on 7 July, is lifted.
Companies, legal entities and entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, who are organising the entertainment and music programmes are obliged to organise their work as follows:
– Singers and musicians – members of the band/orchestra respect each other’s physical distance of at least 2m;
– To ensure wearing of protective masks during entertainment and music programme, except for singers and musicians who play wind instruments;
– to provide a physical distance between guests on one side and singers and musicians-members of the band/orchestra on the other of at least 4m, and if this is not possible, guests and singers/musicians must be separated by transparent plexiglass panels at least 2m high; and
– To prohibit guests from dancing.
Control of wearing protective masks
Considering that non-compliance with measures has been noticed in certain retail facilities, companies and entrepreneurs engaged in retail trade (markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, shopping centres, etc.), including green markets, as well as state bodies, state administration bodies, administrative bodies, local self-government bodies, public institutions and other entities exercising public authority, banks, post offices and other legal entities, which directly provide services to citizens at counters, are obliged to appoint persons who will control whether citizens or service users respect the obligation to wear a protective mask and maintain physical distance when entering these facilities.
New measures for fitness centres and gyms
The temporary measure for fitness centres and gyms, which was introduced on 16 July on the territory of Podgorica, is being applied throughout the country.
Companies and entrepreneurs who provide services in fitness centres and gyms are obliged to organise work in such a way that only one person per ten square meters may stay in the facility at the time, but not more than 20 people, while respecting physical distance from at least two meters between users and ensuring compliance with other measures, in accordance with the instructions of the Public Health Institute.
Duration and control
All measures adopted today are applied without a time limit, i.e. as long as there is a danger of spreading the infectious disease of the novel coronavirus or until the abolition or change of the measure.
The National Coordination Body expresses its gratitude to citizens, business people and entrepreneurs in the municipalities of the Northern region for consistent compliance with the measures and at the same time warns that it will strengthen control over compliance with measures, especially in catering facilities, with the aim that today’s easing of restrictions does not lead to virus spread.
