Update – 29/06/2020

As of the latest update by the Greek authorities yesterday, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 diagnosed cases in Greece is 3,376. The death toll from Covid-19 remains at 191, as one more fatality was recorded in the past 24 hours. The number of patients treated in intensive care units stands at 10, while 119 patients have left the intensive care unit.

Despite being widely commended for having successfully contained the spread of the pandemic, Greek authorities are still wary. There are several reports of people flouting social distancing rules, and local alerts, such as the one Sunday on an island close to the capital Athens, where a test on an arrival from abroad came up positive, but not before the person had already been at a well-attended local funeral.

CULTURE

• In a further easing of restrictions relating to the spread of the coronavirus, the government announced Saturday that concerts and conferences will return and casinos and summer camps will reopen today. The Development Ministry specified eight “economic activities” that will restart or reopen: summer camps, cinema and theatre canteens, conferences and trade fairs, concerts, cultural associations, movie theatres, casinos and cable cars. It also cautioned that social distancing rules and hygiene directives must be respected to avoid contagion.

TOURISM

• As Greece prepares to open to 27 airports and welcome tourists for a truncated summer season on July 1, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection launched an information campaign urging tourists to be mindful of health rules during their holiday. The “Enjoy your stay and stay safe” campaign aims to provide clear information and instructions on the measures put in place by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and protect both visitors and Greeks.

• The messages will be located at all entry points (airports and ports) and will be available in three languages – English, French and German. Flyers will also be distributed to travellers. The campaign is a joint effort of the National Organization for Public Health (EODY), airport operator Fraport, Athens International Airport and the Civil Aviation Authority.

• According to a recent survey conducted by Horwath HTL, Greece ranked as one of the top three Mediterranean destinations for travelers once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. The “Travel Sentiment Survey” questioned a sample of 1,000 people from twelve key markets, including countries such as Belgium, Israel, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Bulgaria, Sweden and the US. The study was conducted from June 8 to June 22, 2020. The purpose of the survey was to identify the major concerns of travelers in a post-coronavirus world and how they might make plans for their upcoming vacations.

GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT MEASURES The government is considering a corporate income tax deposit rate that will be “a la carte,” depending on the damage to each corporation’s revenues from the coronavirus in 2020, and on the course of the pandemic by end-July or end-August. That is the main scenario ahead of the submission to Parliament of the amendment concerning the tax deposit rate for this year’s processing of company tax statements. The final rates are yet to be decided, but the Finance Ministry is pondering a cut from the current level of 100% (whereby companies pay their entire tax for next year a year earlier based on projections from previous years) to below 50%.

• Share: