RORETAIL, an organization representing retailers in Romania, has asked the owners of commercial centers to waive the rent for the period during which non-food stores were closed because of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The organization has also asked the landlords to renegotiate rents as a percentage of the sales, once the stores reopen.

If shopping mall owners don't agree to the requests, the non-food retailers will boycott the malls after they are legally allowed to open and operate.

"Given that non-food retailers in shopping centers have suspended their activity, and will likely continue to be suspended, it is illegal to demand rent for a space that they have neither used for commercial purposes nor have the necessary resources to do so," RORETAIL argued.

This would result in the bankruptcy of retailers, the association warned. 

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