Parliament approves proposal for closure of restaurants

The parliament on Saturday eventually approved the government's proposal for "temporary restrictions on restaurant businesses" in order to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19, reported news agency Xinhua.

Although the parliament approved the proposal for restaurants closure, it can only be put into practice once the government adopts a supplementary decree.

According to Prime Minister Sanna Marin, the administrative procedures would be completed on Monday. Take-away and deliveries will be allowed.

"We need to justify very carefully, why we believe this is a matter for the whole country and not just for individual localities or provinces," Marin said on Saturday.

Last Tuesday, the Finnish government issued a bill to parliament to close restaurants, cafes and the like until the end of May to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Under the proposal, catering outlets would be closed to customers, but sales would still be allowed.

The parliamentary constitutional committee had eventually added a clause that the ban could be regionally restricted "when the situation allows." Parliament also insisted on legislation on "moderate reimbursement of the losses" to restaurant owners.

Mayor of Helsinki, Jan Vapaavuori, on Saturday deplored that many bars and restaurants still keep open. Vapaavuori said on national television that people were seen "sitting tight" in those places Friday night.

Marin had appealed earlier for voluntary closure of restaurants, but private small-business owners tend not to follow her appeal.

The parliament late Friday accepted the government plan to isolate the southern province of Uusimaa, which includes the capital area, to slow down the spread of the coronavirus infection in Finland. The blockade began at midnight and will last until April 19.

On Saturday, COVID-19 reached the whole country as two cases were reported in the northeastern province of Kainuu. So far, 1,163 cases have been confirmed in total throughout the country.