Eateries across Estonia will temporarily pause their activities on Thursday to protest rising taxes.
The protest “Jätku leiba!” will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. and will see dozens of restaurants, cafes and accommodation facilities stop their work during this time. Customers will not be served during this time.
The action has been launched by the Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association who say Estonia’s VAT prices are already among the highest in Europe, and are only set to rise.
The association claims that eating in a restaurant or cafe is becoming a luxury in Estonia. It also says rising prices are harming the hospitality and tourism industries.
“The protest action “Jätku leiba!” focuses on the well-being of our people and emphasizes the need to maintain a dignified standard of living. Our primary goal with “Jätku leiba!” is to ensure that our people have enough. We should always have bread on the table without having to worry about it. Everyday activities, such as dining out or spending time with loved ones, including vacations within our own country, should not become unattainable luxuries,” it says.
From 2025, Estonia’s VAT rate will be 22 percent and is applied to almost all transactions.
Data from the Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association shows only Norway and Denmark have higher VAT rates at 25 percent.
Participating companies can be viewed here and the Facebook event can be seen here.
The literal translation of “Jätku leiba” is approximately “Let the bread continue,” it is a more old fashioned way of saying “enjoy your meal”, similar to “head isu.”
Eateries in Latvia and Lithuania will also hold protests on Thursday, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported.
—
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!