Press Releases

Statements by the Government Spokesman

The President of the Republic has today presided over a meeting of the Council of Ministers at the Presidential Palace.

Speaking after the meeting, the Government Spokesman Mr. Kyriacos Kousios stated that at today’s meeting “the Council of Ministers, having taken into consideration the recommendations of the scientific advisory committee, has decided upon and affirmed the putting into effect of the planned second phase of relaxations with minor modifications.

Any relaxations are always subject to maintaining the protective measures, health measures and safeguarding the protocols issued by the Ministry of Health.

More specifically, the following have already been announced as regards Education:

• Primary schools and the first three grades of high school will be open as from 21/05/2020.
• The 1^st and 2^nd grades of Lyceum, nurseries, kinder-gardens and playschools will remain closed.

As from 21/05/2020:

• Total abolition of SMS and of the ban on free movement between 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.
• Indoor meetings of up to 10 persons are allowed.
• Free movement in parks (except playgrounds), squares, marinas etc., provided that those getting together do not exceed 10 in any group.
• Reopening of hairdressers salons, barber shops, beauty and massaging parlours, tattooing studios.
• Reopening of outdoor catering services.

Gatherings are allowed in open air catering areas. It is clarified that an open-air area is one where smoking is allowed under the Health Protection (Smoking Control) Law. The persons gathered shall not exceed 10 in any group.

As from 23 May 2020:

• Attending church services and other forms of religious worship in churches, mosques and other religious premises, provided that the protocols of hygienic behaviour are upheld, as the Health Ministry may determine. The same measures shall apply for weddings, christenings and funerals.
• Reopening of beaches, including organised ones, in compliance with hygienic protocols to be issued by the Ministry of Health.
• Reopening of betting shops, on the basis of specific protocols to be issued by the Ministry of Health.

As from 1^st June 2020:

• Reopening of libraries, museums, archaeological and historical sites, ports (with the exception of passenger disembarkation of cruise-liners).

The Ministry of Justice and Public Order will promote a bill through the House of Representatives, which will provide for an increase in the penalties and spot fines for proprietors or administrators of businesses or financial and other activities infringing the decrees and protocols of the Ministry of Health; the said fines will be further increased in case the violation is repeated.

The President of the Republic and the Government strongly appeal to all of our citizens to strictly maintain the protective measures, the measures of hygiene, as well as the Decrees and Protocols of the Ministry of Health, so that we might be able to safeguard everybody’s health and continue to apply smoothly the application of the relaxations as they have been planned.

The responsible stance of our citizens so far should continue.  The pandemic is not over and we have a duty to protect all the things that we have jointly achieved in our country with great sacrifices and efforts”.

 (DC/II)