We meet at 19:XNUMX at the Kalenić restaurant. The pub is packed. Not only do all the tables seem to be taken, but there isn't even a free chair. Even though I am triple pelted, I feel a certain discomfort in a closed, unventilated space in which so many people reside, not particularly separated from each other. I watch them talk, and as if in a cartoon I see drippy streams of saliva coming out of many mouths and spreading across the stale, smoky air.
Hospitality establishments are open to everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, until 22 pm, although the number of new infections and deaths from covid has not decreased for some time and black records are being broken. Whichever country I look at, in Serbia the official number of infected and deceased on a daily basis is two to five times higher than the number of inhabitants. But that's why the anti-pandemic measures in Serbia are two to five times milder.
I feel a little more comfortable in the booth we reserved because it is somewhat separated from the main hall. While we gathered and ordered drinks, the waiter is already warning us that it is better to order food right away because the bar closes at ten. He says that they decided to shorten the working hours because they cannot explain to the guests that they are allowed to sit in the bar until ten, and that the virus threatens their health from ten, so that those without covid passes must leave the facility, and those who have been vaccinated can stay. It sounds too stupid, so it is better that they simply close the bar than to enter into discussions about discrimination, human rights and freedoms with people who would drink a few more drinks. They could also get beaten up.
The question is, of course, how many waiters and kitchen staff have been vaccinated or have a confirmation that they have had the virus, and whether, in accordance with the new regulation, there would be anyone working after ten. Perhaps this is the reason why all-day covid passes are not introduced, which would be the only logical thing, because many catering establishments would have to close due to the lack of vaccinated staff.
RATING IS ASKED
And except with a thick political background, no restaurant owner would dare to let his unvaccinated workers violate this new covid regulation, because the fines are serious: for a legal entity 300.000 dinars, for an entrepreneur 150.000 dinars, for a responsible person in the company 50.000, for a covid security guard 30.000. Guests caught by the competent authorities in exceeding the time frame in which they are allowed to expose others to the virus that they may carry in themselves and themselves to this virus that others spit out, would have to pay a relatively modest 5000 dinars. Which is still twice the price of a solid dinner with all drinks.
There are several journalists sitting at my table, so the conversation is naturally about the political background of the senseless pandemic half-measure that was introduced. Especially after we are forced to rush order food.
I think that the one who makes all the decisions in Serbia and constantly beats his chest that he is not afraid of anything, does not dare to introduce mandatory, twenty-four-hour covid passes not only for catering facilities, but also for, for example, sports events, to this wave is additionally cut off with some lockdown, which, according to epidemiologists, would only make sense. Not to mention mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers or the entire state administration. From great courage and bragging about taking responsibility for difficult and unpopular, but necessary decisions in the interests of citizens, it turns out that health measures are decided by public opinion polls and focus groups, not experts. God forbid that something lowers the rating of the ruling man.
An absolutely perfect knee wrapped in cabbage put an end to the cheerless conversation. The waiter gently cut this edible sculpture with a knife, which fell in half, began to smoke and smelled sweetly, he took out the bones and said: "Pleasant!" On the table there were already horseradish, fresh hot pepper and - for fans of banata addition with everything what goes with sauerkraut - I love it. I am pleased to note that my colleagues confirm what I announced - that I have never eaten a better knee in Belgrade than the one in Kalenić.
The conversation and thoughts at the table immediately took a far more pleasant turn and were violently interrupted at 21.55:XNUMX p.m. It's a shame, everyone at our table had vaccination certificates.
SAM SAMCIT
Last Saturday around 22.30:XNUMX p.m., Njegoševa Street in Belgrade seemed as empty as Vienna at Christmas. Most cafes close at ten. In the few that are working, one or two tables are occupied. It's festive in Lovac too.
There is desolation on Cvetni trg. Most of the bars displayed a sign saying that they are open until ten. Although it doesn't seem to be working, because there isn't a soul inside, the Tierra cafeteria is open. I go inside, sit at the table. A waiter approaches. I ask him what draft beer they have, he asks me if I have a covid pass. I show him the digital confirmation on my phone that I have been vaccinated three times with Sputnik Ve. His colleague comes and reads the barcode on my smartphone with her smartphone. We live in a new age, we move in a new world, which has been stopped by the pandemic, carrying with us half of our lives in the phone. And a night pass.
I call a friend to tell him about a brilliant idea that came to my mind. That we, the vaccinated, start meeting after 22 p.m. and drinking and socializing in peace and quiet, virologically completely safe in devastated catering establishments.
The young waiter tells me that the place was full a little before 22 p.m., then it was empty. The younger audience mostly comes there. The cross-section of catering facilities in Njegoševa and Cvetni trg corresponds to the percentage of the vaccinated population young enough to go out into the city in the evening, at least on weekends.
THE PRIME MINISTER'S WISDOM
The pointlessness of introducing this I'm making fun of common sense covid in your radii also confirms that several cafes lined up in Resavska Street are full during the day, mainly with high school students who sit tight on the benches, where every place to sit is occupied, where new and new groups of three, four, five children each enter, between the tables, someone sits on someone else's lap, excitedly tossing something left and right, and so on again and again until those who are sitting stand up, and those who are waiting they scurry, they don't sit down. With the naked eye, you can see the breeding ground of infection.
And now for real: why isn't there an obligation that without a covid pass you simply can't stay in catering establishments, regardless of the time of day or night? Thus: a) such breeding grounds of infection would immediately dry up, and b) the younger population would be highly stimulated to get vaccinated so that they would not be condemned to bleat in apartments. And why aren't other measures being introduced and the existing ones being controlled, as in most European Union countries, when almost 2000 people a month officially die of covid in Serbia? And my family counts the first covid victim.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabić says: "If we close everything and the investors leave, people will die from something else and not just from corona." We also have to worry about whether we will have money to buy medicines, vaccines, protective equipment and to increase the salaries of health workers. This is also the role of the Crisis Staff, but also to observe the mental health of the nation. Because we have a huge increase in violence and anxiety and depression, and so we have to find the best balance to preserve both the health care system and the mental health of the nation and the economy.'' and grandparents, during the day to some cafe near any school in Belgrade to see how their grandchildren are doing.
DARKNESS AND FEVER
"Once again, the entire burden falls on the restaurateurs," says Ivan Markov, the owner of the Square cafe in Vračar. And he thinks, which I guess everyone thinks, that this half-measure has no epidemiological effect, that if it has to, covid passes would have to be valid all day and not only in catering establishments. Most of his waiters were not vaccinated, so he too was forced to close the cafe at ten. Even if there are guests, there is no one to work, and he cannot force the employees to get vaccinated. And even if they wanted to be vaccinated tomorrow, it would be three weeks before the revaccination.
While it's dark in the Square, in a nearby bar everything is blaring with folk music, as if there is no pandemic, covid passes and pepper fines for those who are caught violating the measures. Maybe it's one of the meeting places of young, responsible people who got vaccinated on time and are now carefree enjoying their time.
SOME OLDER CUSTOMERS
The second evening of researching the sense and senselessness of the police covid hour that comes into effect every day at 22 p.m. Restaurant Guli on the corner of Skadarska and Zetska. At nine o'clock in the evening, next to our table, only one other table in the smoking area was occupied. When they left, we were left alone. So empty, all those spaces where food and drink are consumed are a little depressing.
Food has always been good in Guli. Whether it's pumpkin soup, spinach and feta salad, tuna tartare, pizza or aged, mature, bloody steak with grilled vegetables, I don't know what could be faulted with any of these dishes. And then chocolate terrine and creamy pistachio cake! Food improves mood, especially sweet food, especially in pandemic times.
With us in the company is the tour manager of world-famous rock bands and musicians, a Briton, who has just returned from a tour in the United States of America. He is familiar with Serbian covid figures. It is surprising how casual and relaxed everything is in our country, even protective masks are not worn by everyone indoors or on public transport, and this is not sanctioned. He says that members of his team who are in constant contact with people wear two masks each, that in a few weeks in America they used up thousands of masks, the real ones, KN-95. Of course they are all vaccinated.
One of the co-owners of Guli, Nikola Petrović, says that they also had problems with unvaccinated staff, but that in the meantime everyone got vaccinated "out of solidarity". He also complains that their traffic dropped drastically in the first few days after the introduction of covid passes, but that now the situation has improved a little.
"Our clientele is older and therefore more responsible," says Petrović. The vast majority are vaccinated. When the hour strikes and the waiters ask for their covid passes, there are few who have to leave. The situation, however, is not great. Many elderly people are afraid of infection and since the gardens are closed they do not go to the restaurant.
Hospitality facilities frequented by the younger crowd are certainly under attack.
photo: lenka pavlovićPASSING WITH A KOVID PASS: Red bar in Skadarska
SOME YOUNGER CUSTOMERS
Right at the foot of Guli in Skadarska street is the Red bar, a meeting place for twenty-somethings and students. Until a few months ago, the bar practically worked as long as there were guests, now, as prescribed by the anti-covid rules, it is open until one after midnight. The biggest crowd here was late at night. When covid passes were introduced only two tables were occupied. The manager employed at the Red bar is also a covid warden. The shortcoming of this whole system is that he does not have the right to ask the guests for an ID card, unless he suspects that they are minors.
"Our turnover dropped by 80 percent." It's a disastrous week behind us," says the owner Dušan Škuletić and adds that it is only now that we can see how many people have not been vaccinated. While the Covid passes directly affect caterers, he says it would make far more sense if they were compulsory throughout the day, as it would speed up mass vaccinations.
Škuletić, like all other restaurateurs, cannot understand why the most drastic measures apply only to them. When the pandemic situation is the way it is, why aren't mandatory covid certificates introduced in the healthcare or education system as well?
After ten o'clock in the evening, Skadarlija also sinks into pandemic deadness.
NIGHT CLUBS DISASTER
If other catering establishments have existential problems, nightclubs are experiencing the malaise of their mainly young visitors, a population that, as we are told, has barely been vaccinated. "Clubs live after midnight, with covid passes valid after 22pm we can barely cover the costs," says Pero Di Reda, co-owner of Mladost/Ludost/Radost clubs in Savamala.
According to him, it just doesn't work like this. He can't even understand why they have to turn off the music at one past midnight. "If this continues, that segment of entertainment will simply disappear." The vast majority of clubs are on the brink of existence," explains Di Reda. In his clubs, all valid measures are strictly taken into account. The only positive thing in all this is that now only some "decent, urbane, vaccinated young people" are coming.
Your reporter did not have the strength to see for himself what the situation is in Belgrade night clubs. I imagine the atmosphere as at some failed party where hardly anyone came. It is said that life in Savamala is almost extinct. Taxi drivers tell about some clubs on the water that "have some scheme" so they sing until dawn.
REBEL DOCTOR KON
It was so crazy that even Dr. Predrag Kon, loyal to the Crisis Staff, rebelled. In the show "Persona non grata", he said that the Prime Minister of Serbia "knows exactly that the measures proposed by the medical part of the Crisis Staff would lower the curve", but that she is not taking any action in this regard.
Kon also said that Brnabić said something like that if they tighten the measures now, they will constantly have to tighten and relax them and close something and so on, and that "the main thing is immunization". What one of the waiters from Belgrade said: "Then immunize, sister. Introduce mandatory vaccination in health, education, state administration, unpaid sick leave for unvaccinated people who get sick with covid, all-day covid passes, so you can see how they will be immunized. See how it's done in Europe."
However, Kon said that he "as an epidemiologist strongly insists on measures, because that is the way out of the crisis", but that the power of epidemiologists "is obviously not enough".
TO ENTER EVERYTHING IN THE RECORD
And then he atypically clearly stated that he told Prime Minister Ana Brnabić that it was a "big mistake" not to implement the measures they requested - ten days of closure, shift of working hours, and to add to that the covid pass "because there is no other way". and that "I know exactly what we do, the fact that others don't, that's just the way it is". He also mentioned public events where measures are not respected.
In the end, Dr. Kohn distanced himself from everything that we see happening, or not happening, in our towns and villages and hospitals, because "the prime minister listens and knows very well that she has taken responsibility", and she does what she wants. Or his, Vučić's, not Konova's. That's why Predrag Kon decided to morally and legally insure himself for future times by insisting that, as he says, "everything remains on the record, literally word for word what was said." According to the decision published in the 'Official Gazette', it is clear who decides in this country, it is the Government of Serbia". So, if someone ever answers that nothing was done when covid was raging and people were dying, the Prime Minister will answer, not the President.
We will perhaps remember the covid passes that were valid from ten in the evening, when, according to the logic of those who decided that way, the virus was going to work. Or they have simply relaxed so much in their untouchability that they assume that any nonsense will pass them by.
