RIGA, Feb 25 (LETA) - The Cabinet of Ministers on Thursday deferred the final decision on reopening small shops. 

Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) and Health Minister Daniels Pavluts (For Development/For) proposed the postponement, saying that the time is not right for easing Covid-19 restrictions and that the government should rather consider new measures aimed at curbing in the virus. 

Economics Minister Janis Vitenbergs (For a Humane Latvia; KPV LV) called on the Operative Management Group to work out criteria based on which the government could decide later on reopening the small shops. 

Interior Minister Sandis Girgens (For a Humane Latvia; KPV LV) claimed that the government is sending misleading signals to the media and society as he does not see any loosening of restrictions in the Economics Ministry's proposal to allow the small retailers to resume operations. In Girgens' opinion, the ministry only offered to fix the retail trade system and prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

Girgens argued that if the small shops are allowed to reopen, the number of people visiting large shopping malls will drop, thus reducing crowding. 

The interior minister also spoke in support of resuming supervised and controlled commercial flights to prevent travel with private transport, which is much more difficult to control. 

After the debate, ministers approved the prime minister's proposal to postpone the decision on the small shops' reopening.

The Economics Ministry on Thursday called on the government to allow the small shops to reopen as of March 9 instead of March 1 as it was tentatively decided on Tuesday, February 23.

According to the Economics Ministry's original plan, shops with a separate entrance and a floor space of up to 300 square meters would have been allowed to sell the full range of goods as of next Monday, March 1.