Shopping Mall Director: Measures Shouldn't be Under Our Initiative

Photos: AA

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After being closed in late March due to the coronavirus pandemic, shopping malls in Turkey reopened yesterday (May 11).

Despite the social distancing and hygiene measures in and around malls, long queues and large crowds were observed in some places. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca also tweeted, "Today, there were long queues in front of shopping malls and crowds at their doors. The social distance rule was not observed most of the time. There were even the ones who did not wear masks."

Kemal Baştürk, the managing director of the İstanbul AVM, told the state-run Anadolu Agency that measures were sensitively followed in most places.

"Generally, we saw that there was sensitivity. There were also negative images in the press yesterday. The photos were not the same everywhere. In general, we saw sensitivity in following the basic measures," he said.

"Consumers mostly passed the test successfully. Moreover, negative images are not only in shopping malls. Sometimes we can see negative images in the streets as well."

Baştürk added that they also observed that people were happy to be able to return to their works and social lives.

"Our measures should be sustainable. The state pursues this matter. After the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior also sent a very detailed letter yesterday. There are clauses that directly hold shopping mall administrations responsible and that pleased us. We very much appreciated that. We already take precautions but this shouldn't be left to our initiative."

As the number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths has been on a steady decline for weeks, the government has eased some measures for the pandemic. Along with shopping malls, hair salons also opened yesterday and travel restrictions have been lifted for some provinces. (AS/VK)