Gallery: Cafes, restaurants across Estonia protest tax rises

Eateries across Estonia temporarily paused their activities on Thursday to protest rising taxes.
As of Thursday morning, more than 360 restaurants and hotels across Estonia had officially joined the "Jätku leiba!" protest, the Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association said.
The protest took place from 12:30 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. and saw dozens of restaurants, cafes and accommodation facilities stop serving customers during this time.
The association said 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.

"We cannot silently accept that Estonian citizens pay higher taxes than other Europeans, making leisure activities too costly for most people. We cannot stand by and watch as, instead of boosting exports and promoting business, the state simply raises taxes without investing in economic recovery," said protest coordinator Killu Maidla.
The campaign also drew attention to the fact that Estonian tourism has not been able to recover due to several crises, such as the pandemic.
The country is losing income generated by tourism through the deterioration of the tax environment, the association said.
"In times of crisis, the food service and accommodation sectors need a sustainable economic environment, and the phrase "jätku leiba!" conveys the idea that we must recognize this essential sector in our daily lives and give it the opportunity to grow and offer services at competitive prices. This support benefits not only the sector itself but also strengthens Estonia's overall competitiveness," Maidla said.

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.
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 also held protests on Thursday.
This article was updated to add the gallery on October 31 and again on November 1 to add comments from Killu Maidla.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Helen Wright