site.btaUPDATED Tourism Minister Reproves Restaurant Owners

Minister of Tourism Zaritza Dinkova issued a position on Sunday regarding a case that recently stirred social networks, with customers being charged BGN 500 for three steaks in a restaurant in Varna, and the subsequent storm of reactions, including a threat from the association of restaurant owners to sue the customer who dared to raise the issue of the controversial commercial practice.

"As Tourism Minister, I am very concerned about the signals that the association of restaurant owners in Bulgaria is sending to Bulgarian consumers. I remind you that the public, against which this association openly stands, was, and still is, tolerant of the restaurant sector, which lost money and customers in the first months of the pandemic. In order to support them, the state – by which I mean all of us - deprived itself of millions in revenue, which remained with the restaurant owners.

"I understand that professional societies are set up to protect group interests. I am convinced that businesses should operate peacefully and without unnecessary administrative burdens, but I do not accept that this should be at the expense of the rest of society. 

"I am sure that, in this case, most members of the association do not share the position of their leadership. The inept management of this crisis, and others like it, is doing irreparable damage to the image of Bulgarian tourism as a whole.

"I call on the association of restaurant owners to reconsider its overall behaviour towards its customers and to take a more responsible attitude towards the image of the Bulgarian tourism product.

"Otherwise, it will be very difficult for me to defend the tax benefits in next year's budget, as I will not be able to find arguments and support for this in Bulgarian society," the Tourism Minister's position reads. 

Two associations of restaurant owners demanded Dinkova's resignation in a position circulated to the media later on Sunday.