Churches can only let in 50-percent of their capacity of seated church-goers. (source: TASR)
They should be able to open now, but reality is slightly more complicated. Cinemas, theatres, fitness centres, swimming pools and churches learned on Friday night about the conditions they need to meet to open for people on Monday morning.
PM Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) originally wanted the facilities to organise antigen testing for their clients.
On Friday, he surprised people when he dismissed that plan, saying that if his coalition partner Richard Sulík of SaS criticises it, testing is out of the question and schools and restaurants will remain closed.
The Pandemic Commission, an advisory body of the government, gave the green light to opening cinemas or theatres if they use half their capacity.
They have not been able to prepare so quickly. Cinemas will be able to screen films, but they have no films to screen. Theatres did not plan their programme and tickets sales.
"To make the programme attractive, we would need to screen new, interesting titles, but we do not have those for now. Distributors have postponed their premieres due to the pandemic," says Lukáš Berberich, director of the Košice-based independent cinema Kino Úsmev.
