He addressed the pressing issue of the economy, in light of the course of the coronavirus pandemic, Government spokesperson Stelios Petsas during a briefing for political editors. Mr. Petsas referred to “the worst economic crisis in 70 years,” with tourism being the first collateral victim of the virus worldwide.
Referring to the crisis affecting our country, the government spokesperson emphasized that, according to ELSTAT data for the second quarter of 2020, the recession in Greece during that period was in line with the average for Eurozone countries.
At the same time, he spoke about the difficult months ahead and the measures the government will use to support businesses and households “that are suffering the economic consequences of the pandemic.” These measures are set forth in a bill submitted to Parliament and provide, among other things, for:
- Extension of the mandatory rent reduction in certain sectors for one month.
- Extension of the option to suspend employment contracts through October, as well as the implementation of the «SYN-ERGASIA» program through the end of the year.
- Special provision for seasonal workers.
- A plan for a third round of refundable advance payments totaling over 1 billion euros, which will even cover businesses without a cash register.
The plan for the support measures will be announced by the Prime Minister himself, in Thessaloniki on Saturday, September 12, 2020, and is part of a broader framework that provides for a 6 billion euro increase in the regular budget.
