By: Sara Kovač / Nova24tv
Minister Zdravko Počivalšek claims that the inn where he attended his official visit in Ivanjkovci is indeed closed to consumers due to the measures, but this ban does not apply to the implementation of B2B business activities. The hosts of the meeting chose the Taverna inn because they talked about their potential for tourism development and recovery measures. The location was chosen because it best shows the exceptional potential of the destination Jerusalem Slovenia. “There was definitely no feast nor frog legs at the meeting, which was rumoured by some media. We had a drink on the table and I drank water. And that is all.”
Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek responded to allegations in some media, where there are erroneous allegations about Friday’s event at the Taverna inn in Ivanjkovci. According to the minister, the statements that an inn and a kitchen were opened especially for him are not true. “I understand that such news makes people angry in these nervous times. So I would like to explain what actually happened.”
The following is the full explanation of Minister Počivalšek.
The meeting at Taverna was legal and justified
***
Since there are misconceptions in some media, I would like to give you some explanations about Friday’s event at Taverna. I am sorry that the media coverage upset a part of the Slovenian public, but the statements that they opened an inn and a kitchen especially for me are not true. I understand that such news makes people angry in these nervous times. So I would like to explain what had actually happened.
On Friday I paid an official visit to the municipalities of Podlehnik, Ormož, and Ljutomer. Visiting these places is part of our concern for the balanced development of all regions, to which we will pay great attention in all measures for economic recovery. Among other things, I had a meeting with representatives of the local Chamber of Crafts at the Taverna inn in Ivanjkovci. The inn is indeed closed to consumers due to the measures, but this ban does not apply to the implementation of B2B business activities.
A decree prohibiting or restricting the pursuit of economic activities applies to services intended directly for consumers. This also applies to catering and tourist capacities. However, this prohibition does not apply for business purposes. Just as hotels may be open to guests for business reasons, the same is true for renting business meeting facilities. And this is true throughout the epidemic. Therefore, the decision that the meeting organiser rented a space in the Taverna inn is perfectly legal. The meeting itself is also legal, as the second decree, which prohibits the gathering of people, includes the implementation of economic activity and the performance of state tasks as exceptions.
So the meeting was justified (craftsmen and entrepreneurs from a demographically disadvantaged region presented their problems, which is important for the preparation of measures for economic recovery, and especially for the balanced development of all regions) and allowed (business meetings are not prohibited because it is one of the exceptions in the decree, which prohibits the gathering of people), and at the same time the choice of space was allowed (because only the provision of services to consumers is prohibited). Moreover, at the meeting, we respected all the preventive measures to contain the epidemic. The hosts of the meeting chose Taverna because we talked about their potential for tourism development and recovery measures. The location was chosen because it best shows the exceptional potential of the destination Jerusalem Slovenia.
There was definitely no feast nor frog legs at the meeting, which was rumoured by some media. We had a drink on the table and I drank water. And that is all.
The allegations that they supposedly had to open a kitchen especially for me and call a chef to work, who is otherwise on hold, are therefore not true at all and are only part of political events. I am very sorry that due to the political context, the organisers of the event were also involved in the affair. The organiser did everything right and legally. I apologise to them for the inconvenience.
At the same time, I thank them for a very constructive meeting where they presented their problems to me and presented the local development potential. Such meetings are very important to me because the economic recovery is now at the center of our attention. The experience of demographically endangered regions is especially important to me, because in SMC we put a balanced development of all regions in the first place.