ATHENS — Greece will provide more financial aid to
businesses hit by coronavirus restrictions in April, the finance minister said
on Monday, as shops reopened despite surging case numbers that have put health
services under severe strain.
اضافة اعلان
Last week the government announced the easing of some
restrictions to relieve widespread lockdown fatigue, allowing small retail
shops selling non-essential goods to reopen, under so-called click-away and
click-in-shopping modes.
Under the rules, consumers will need to make appointments
and comply with a three-hour limit for shopping and retailers cannot allow more
than one customer per 25sq.m.
The measure excludes shopping malls and department stores in
the Athens area which will remain closed and in three regions with severe
infection levels, including the major northern city of Thessaloniki, shops will
remain closed.
Greece handled the first wave of the pandemic last year
better than many other countries in Europe but its health services, weakened by
a decade of financial crisis, have come under heavy pressure as case numbers
have surged this year.
Lockdown measures imposed in November have caused growing
discontent and left many businesses struggling to survive but Finance Minister
Christos Staikouras said Greece's ability to borrow on financial markets would
enable the government to help.
The 130 million euro package would help
around 100,000 businesses, including some 10,800 retailers, with financial
assistance ranging from 1,000- 4,000 euros, depending on the number of workers
employed, Staikouras said.
"We are making use of funds raised from markets in the
last months to support businesses and households," he said.
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