Atameken interviews entrepreneurs about problems caused by protective measures against coronavirus
The Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs has opened an Operational Headquarters for assistance, any Kazakhstani entrepreneur can contact call-center 1432 to complain about business problems caused by protective measures against coronavirus. Chairman of the National Chamber Ablay Myrzakhmetov said this during a media briefing.
"We have created an operational headquarters. The most important task is to establish feedback and be in constant contact with our entrepreneurs in order to know what difficulties they face, what offers they have, what assistance they need, what barriers they face and what challenges they face. During the day, we received more than a thousand proposals and appeals from our businessmen," said Ablay Myrzakhmetov.
According to the survey of the National Chamber, conducted through the call-center 1432, as well as online surveys by reference, 56% of respondents out of more than 1,000 respondents indicate the risk of reducing the flow of customers and revenues due to the spread of coronavirus, 33% of respondents say about difficulties with access to raw materials and components.
"The majority of businessmen who have addressed, are concerned that quarantine measures will affect their business. Obviously, the revenue, consumer demand will fall in Kazakhstan. The lion's share of entrepreneurs raises issues related both to the coronavirus and the dollar rate and the fall in prices of our main export position - oil," said the Chairman of the Board.
Atameken is working on studying the world practice of business support in the situation with coronavirus. We are studying the decisions made in the USA, Italy, and China in detail. However, Atameken has immediately identified the major areas that it plans to propose to the Government.
Firstly, recognition of a situation as force majeure, it is impossible to comply with contractual obligations. Secondly, the issue of easing the tax burden for business. In addition, there are credit obligations, which worry about business due to the fall in revenues.
According to the survey of the business conducted by the National Chamber, if the economic situation worsens, 30% of respondents among entrepreneurs will reduce their staff, and 16% of entrepreneurs who participated in the survey will send their employees on open-ended leave. In this regard, the fourth area that the Atameken NCE RK plans to recommend to the Government will be the support of labour resources employed in the private sector.
Companies involved in foreign economic activities, including exporters, were the first to encounter difficulties in breaking down supply chains. According to the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan, companies working at the borderlines incur losses. In addition, many companies servicing government orders and tenders have problems too.
National Chamber received many applications from businesses working in the tourism industry. Kazakhstanis return tour packages, while tour operators do not always express their willingness to return the money. Demand for inbound and outbound tourism has dropped, hotel occupancy rates have dropped dramatically, and the work of restaurants and shopping and entertainment centres are under threat.
In this activity, the forecasts are disappointing, even more, capacious and sustainable markets predict the loss of 30% of small and medium-sized tourist companies by the end of the 2020 summer season.
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