• 2 days ago
Syrian bartenders prepare drinks at pubs in Old Damascus's Christian-majority Bab Sharqi neighbourhood, after Syrian authorities reverse a decision to shut bars and restaurants serving alcohol following public outcry. "What happened yesterday makes no sense, especially with the holiday season just around the corner," says one bartender.
Transcript
00:00The shop was very nice with a lot of food and drinks.
00:05It was very convenient for a small child, but it was still good.
00:17I was glad to have a great time with my friends.
00:30There are more than 40 restaurants in Qutb, and none of them are licensed, because the old state didn't have a license for alcohol.
00:39It was a door to corruption for the people. Corruption, to get money from the owner of the place,
00:45under the name of, look, we'll take from you so you don't close the place, and at the same time, there's no license for alcohol.
00:50And if these places are closed, it's a disaster.
00:53If you have 40 or 45 places closed, unemployment, failure, and tourism go without a license.
01:00No one is responsible for the damage that's been done.
01:03No one is responsible for the damage that's been done.
01:14It's not fair that after all these years of war, of repression, and all that,
01:18we suddenly lose our jobs, without any justification,
01:23that we lose because our work is not good, and the world is in trouble.
01:27It's not fair that we lose our jobs.

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