“As of this morning we have stepped onto the safety bridge that will gradually take us to normality,” government spokesperson Stelios Petsas said on Monday during a press briefing, ANA reports.
“The goal is to gradually and safely restart social and economic activity so that we can get our lives back. As of today, the restrictions on travel within prefectures are lifted but not for travel to [other regions] and the islands. Retail businesses, as well as service providers, are resuming their operations so that from today, we can say that next week we will all take a step forward.”
Petsas then pointed out that 1,100 people will be gradually be hired for the mobile units of the National Organisation for Public Health, including 500 nurses, 500 drivers, and 100 administrators throughout the country.
Regarding the support of households and businesses, he said that many steps in this direction have been taken with a legislative act issued on May 1, including:
– A three-month extension of the protection regime for primary residences, exactly as it was until April 30, while the government, in addition to the second extension, is launching a new framework for bankruptcy law.
– An extension of a reduced rate of excise duty on the sale of heating oil until May 15 so that citizens can take advantage of currently low prices.
– Extraordinary financial aid equal to half of the basic salary for the staff of the health system who did not receive the extraordinary Easter aid, including staff in the pharmacies of the NODH.
– Support measures for sailors who are unemployed or whose contracts have been suspended.
– Facilitating the hiring of third-country nationals in agricultural work.
– Allowing the electronic submission of applications for enrollment in primary education
Also, regarding the improvement of services to citizens and more efficient operation of the state, Petsas stressed that a number of new digital applications have been implemented. Among other things, these include:
– Unemployment cards will be renewed automatically.
– The social security AMKA number of each citizen will now be issued electronically and the citizens will not need to submit registration documents for the birth, marriage, or death of their relatives.
– A number of services of the largest insurance organization, e-EFKA, such as the issuance of social security information, will be provided electronically to 1.5 million self-employed, employees, and farmers.
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