Ljubljana - In response to the government introducing tighter restrictive measures, the Slovenian Business Club (SBC) has urged steps to make it easier for businesses to continue to operate. It argues the government must not tighten the lockdown any further.

In a statement on Thursday, the SBC takes issue with statements that a large share of coronavirus infections is probably transmitted at work. This was most recently said by occupational medicine expert Metoda Dodič Fikfak at a government press conference.

The organisation said that, given how dispersed infections in Slovenia are, such a statement was an "example of unfair and unprofessional interpretation."

The statement was made despite the expert "admitting that the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) does not possess data on the source of infections".

The SBC said that companies took good care of protecting employees from the virus, and that employees and companies thus deserve "transparent and concrete information."

It also criticises the "excessive bureaucratic measures" in shops, where certain goods cannot be purchased while being on shelves, and the restrictions for hairdressers and beauty parlours, which it believes encourages undeclared work.

The club believes that the regime on the borders is "nonsensical" as a relatively low number of infections has been imported from the non-EU countries.

"It is hard not to feel like measures are being adopted without relevant information taken into account...and that measures are frequently not adopted with a specific objective," said the SBC.

It called against the economy being closed down further, as this would have a negative effect of huge proportions.

"If we close companies which are part of internationally or nationally important chains...they would lose deals, also in the long run. They would have to lay off a lot of workers."

SBC advises the authorities to introduce stricter supervision of violations in all sectors, adopt and publish professional protocols for the use of rapid tests, and consider mass testing.