STA, 21 October 2020 - Galleries, museums, archives and libraries will be the only cultural venues that are allowed to provide in-person services to visitors in most of Slovenia from Thursday, as changes to the respective government decree come into force.
The decree limiting the offering and sale of goods and services to consumers due to the coronavirus epidemic was amended by the government in a correspondence session late on Tuesday in accordance with its previous announcements.
The changes apply to regions in which the rolling 14-day average of new coronavirus cases has exceeded 140 per 100,000 residents, which means all but the south-western region of Obalno-Kraška (currently at 100.9).
The ban is being extended from night clubs, which have not been allowed to reopen since the start of the epidemic in spring, to cinema theatres and cultural institutions, with the exception of galleries, museums, archives and libraries.
Skladno z novimi vladnimi ukrepi v Kinodvoru od danes ni projekcij. Zaprti sta tudi Kavarna in Knjigarnica.
— Kinodvor (@kinodvor) October 16, 2020
Kupljene vstopnice za odpovedane projekcije bo možno zamenjati za projekcije istega filma, ko bomo določili nov datum, oz. vračilo denarja, ko bo blagajna spet odprta. pic.twitter.com/FiIYNp401D
However, like other in-person businesses that remain open, they are required to follow the rule of one customer per 20 square metres.
The rule, which applies to stores and various offices and other public indoor spaces, is now being extended to hair and beauty salons, after the government initially limited them to one customer per salon.
However, if the premises are smaller than 20 square metres only one customer is allowed inside at a time.
Meanwhile, gyms remain closed in red-coded region, while the one customer per 20m2 applies to gyms in the sole orange-codded region.
The serving of food and drinks in hospitality establishments remains banned in red regions, except for takeaway and delivery services, while bars, cafes and restaurants in the Obalno-Kraška region can continue to serve customers at the tables between 6am and 9pm, provided a distance of at least 1.5 metres between customers that are not members of the same household.
Under the same conditions hospitality services are allowed in accommodation facilities in all regions, regardless of their coronavirus status. Hotels are allowed to remain open in as much they strictly follow coronavirus precaution standards.
Presenting measures at a press briefing on Wednesday, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said the government was "doing all in our power to allow a semblance of normal life to continue", but that further measures would depend on the epidemiological status.
Slovenia saw a new surge in daily infections as the total case count increased by 1,503 on Tuesday to 15,983, of which 8,861 remain positive, and the death toll rose by eight to 200.
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