The changes come following the creation of a new law in May which amended security measures for catering and beverage establishments with dance areas.


The new law extends to video surveillance facilities, which now focus on the interior and the public entrance, with video cameras covering all areas of access to bars and nightclubs, including staff entrances, and private car parks.


Police will also be able to close or reduce the hours of bars and clubs in case of disturbances and have real-time access to video surveillance images.


The diploma states that the technical requirements for the viewing of these images by the police are defined by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs.


The new law also establishes the obligation to have a security officer whenever the establishment has more than 400 seats, in addition to a security plan.


The security officer will be responsible for reporting to security forces the behaviour of private security guards that violate their duties and obligations, and to ensure that private security guards comply with their duties and obligations under the private security law, and to inform the police of illegal acts that take place inside bars and nightclubs.


The new law also requires establishments with more than 200 seats to have a security guard at each public access control point.


The security guard may, in controlling access to establishments, carry out personal safety and security searches with the aim of “preventing the entry of weapons, objects, devices or substances of legal use or possession that endanger the safety of persons and property” and for this purpose may use metal detection devices.