Fitness Centre Owners Plan to Block Entry into Bratislava on Monday

Fitness Centre Owners Plan to Block Entry into Bratislava on Monday

Bratislava, May 22 (TASR) – Owners of fitness centres have decided to go on strike, Pavel Kisel of the Slovak Fitness Centres Union told TASR on Friday, adding that the owners intend to block entry into the Slovak capital at 6.30 a.m. on Monday (May 25).

“The reason for this is ignorance of the current situation faced by 2,300 fitness outlets in Slovakia, which provide almost 20,000 jobs,” said Kisel.

The union called for the immediate reopening of fitness centres. Its members intend to block the Zelenec-Triblavina section of the D1 motorway into Bratislava in protest at the rulings of hygienists. According to Kisel, at least 380 cars are available to them.

Meanwhile, they want to submit an ‘Open Fitness Centres’ petition to the Government Office signed by 11,000 people, and Kisel mentioned a potential lawsuit against the state. “We’re ready to halt our initiative immediately when constitutional officials invite us for talks that would provide us with immediate solutions,” he stated.

“Many of us have found ourselves on the edge of bankruptcy. We have huge debts that have negatively influenced the lives of thousands of families. Despite out efforts to submit proposals for effective measures, we haven’t yet managed to sit at a negotiating table…,” he added.

Education, Science, Research and Sport State Secretary Ivan Husar admitted that his office has been pushing for fitness centres to be opened as well. “We strove to enable fitness centres to reopen at the time when external sports facilities were opened, as we believe that it’s easy to check adherence to hygiene and safety conditions at these facilities,” said Husar.
Health Minister Marek Krajci (OLaNO) views fitness centres as problematic in terms of the spread of coronavirus, however. He argues that people who exercise there hyperventilate and that the centres are high-risk places where the air is full of droplets.