Should business pay for unexpected expenses?

The pandemic has significantly affected small and medium business in Russia – quarantine, debts, and now recommendations for the prevention of coronavirus from Rospotrebnadzor, which in fact turned out to be obligations for non-compliance with which significant fines are provided. Moreover, many industries, such as tourism and passenger road transport, are not included in the list of industries that received state support.

Alexander Arbouzov, Duvernoix Legal’s partner, believes that it is wrong to shift unexpected expenses to business or citizens in an unconventional situation. He noted that, in general, the legal field has been full of conflicts since the beginning of the pandemic. For example, any recommendations, including those issued by Rospotrebnadzor, are legally a matter of voluntary implementation. At the same time, regions are given the authority to suspend the work of enterprises that do not comply with the requirements for the prevention of coronavirus. On the one hand, the organization may not violate the mandatory norm, on the other hand, it may well be held liable under the Administrative Offences Code.