No. Peloni: Vaccination of our young people is urgent

“It is time that sensitivity towards our parents, our friends, our work, and even the course of our country, is identified with protecting our health and is put into practice with the privilege of vaccination. ”It is time to join forces and efforts toward the same goal," stressed the government spokesperson., Aristotelia Peloni when briefing political editors.

Regarding the epidemiological situation in the country, he said that increased vigilance is required, as last week saw an exponential increase in new cases in 64 of the 74 regional units.

«The median age of new cases remained at 26 years, while 80% of the new cases involved fellow citizens under the age of 39. It is also noteworthy that one in two patients is under the age of 54, whereas at the end of March, seven out of ten were over the age of 55,» adding that «there has been a particular increase in cases in the regional units of Mykonos, Rethymno, and Heraklion, as well as in the municipalities of Ios, Thira, and Paros. For this reason, since last Saturday, unvaccinated workers in focus and the tourism businesses These areas are required to be inspected twice a week (once with self-test and one with rapidUnvaccinated members of passenger ship and cruise ship crews have a similar obligation.

In addition, he said that from last Saturday until next Monday, July 26, due to the alarming local outbreak of the epidemic, movement between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. was prohibited in Mykonos, as was music 24 hours a day.

Ms. Peloni also mentioned that the relevant Joint Ministerial Decision has been published and that new regulations for the operation of entertainment venues have been in force since last Saturday, which, as she noted, restore freedoms for those who have been vaccinated and establish protective measures for those who have not.

As far as vaccinations, He said that over 9,720,000 vaccinations have already been administered, over 5,430,000 of our fellow citizens have received at least one dose, and 4,590,000 have completed their vaccination.

«The new data, however, combined with the gradual prevalence of the much more contagious Delta variant, make it even more imperative to immediate vaccination of older children, but also our most vulnerable fellow citizens who are at risk of serious infection. However, it is also urgent to vaccinate our young people, who currently account for the majority of new cases and can accelerate our return to normality,» Ms. Peloni stressed.

Referring to new arrangements for tax and social security debts, pointed out that the government is providing significant relief to debtors affected by the health crisis. «It extends, broadens, and improves the existing framework for settling their debts, while also offering an opportunity to revive older arrangements,» he emphasized, specifically stating: «Current insurance and tax debts (VAT, income tax, ENFIA, etc.) incurred during the pandemic can be settled in up to 72 installments at an interest rate of 2.5%, or 36 interest-free installments, with the first installment due in January 2022. In addition, debtors who lost their installment payment arrangement (e.g., 120 installments) from March 2020 to date can revive the arrangement with all the benefits by paying the August installment and transferring the lost installments to the end of the arrangement.

Regarding the school upgrade bill, he said that the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs« bill »School Upgrade, Teacher Empowerment, and Other Provisions" had been submitted to parliament.

«The aim of the bill is to unleash the potential of teachers, within a framework of greater freedom, ongoing support, and increased accountability, with the goal of creating an even better school system that provides children with more and better resources,» said the government spokesperson, adding that the bill consists of three interrelated pillars.

«The first concerns strengthening the autonomy of school units.

Second, establishing a mechanism for evaluating teachers' work as a means of empowering them.

And the third is to strengthen educational structures for effective pedagogical support in schools,» he said.

In addition, he noted that «an organized system of ecclesiastical education is being introduced with the aim of upgrading the educational level of the clergy and continuing to streamline the country's academic map.».

He also said that «all electoral procedures at higher education institutions will be conducted exclusively through electronic voting, and that the collective bodies of the institutions will be able to meet via teleconference.».

About the prime minister's program and his tour

in Messinia and Arcadia, he said that Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that the government recognizes the primary sector as a key pillar of national development and negotiates effectively on behalf of farmers« interests. »It is noteworthy that he secured €19.4 billion in funding for the country through the new CAP for the period 2021-2027. This is equal to the resources for the current period, even though overall at EU level they have been reduced by 10%," he noted.

The Prime Minister will then travel to Paleochori, Arcadia, where he will be briefed on the start of construction of the Integrated Waste Management Project for the Peloponnese Region through a PPP.

Immediately afterwards, in Tripoli, he will speak at the Conference on the New Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) organised by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, as part of the public consultation process in the Peloponnese Region.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, at 8 p.m., he will speak at an event presenting the master plan for the complete modernization and utilization of the OAKA facilities.