Ukrainian Restaurant Association Criticizes Government Shelter Timelines

Taras Kovalchuk, President of the National Restaurant Association of Ukraine, stated that the government's timeframe for equipping shelters to allow businesses to operate during a 'yellow' air raid alert is insufficient for the restaurant industry. Kovalchuk argued that local communities and local administrations should be responsible for planning the shelter network and organizing access to shelters, rather than placing the responsibility on businesses.

Kovalchuk noted that many establishments are tenants, not owners, and therefore cannot make construction changes to premises. He suggested a minimum timeframe of 12 to 24 months to address the shelter issue, indicating that current regulatory timelines may hinder the operational capacity of the restaurant sector.