Stelios Petsas

It is official: primary schools, preschools and day care facilities will re-open on Monday, June 1st.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas announced Sunday that the Commission on Public Health Cases from Virulent Factors has unanimously recommended that the above facilities re-open.

The school year is extended to late June.

The government is moving towards the opening of primary schools if current epidemiological data continues on a downward trend, according its spokesman Stelios Petsas on Friday, who said the most probable date will be June 1. Kindergartens and nurseries may also open, he added.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Thursday rebuffed criticism from the main leftist opposition SYRIZA of the administration's rescue package for the Greek economy, with an emphasis on the tourism sector, as groundless and irresponsible.

With the Greek government working on a plan to salvage the tourism season later this summer, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said the country is "starting from scratch."

"Whatever we gain will be a success. And we will do everything we can to get a bigger piece of a much smaller tourist pie," he said at a regular press briefing on Monday.

GREECE is opening their beaches again this weekend as the country lowers the lockdown restrictions put in place during the pandemic.

However, visitors will face strict measures and guidelines - which include no booze, music or sports games.

The new rules have been implemented by the Infectious Diseases Committee at the Health Ministry.

The decision to allow organized beaches to reopen this weekend, when temperatures are forecast to soar, will be an "important test" which Greece "must pass successfully" in its efforts to restart tourism, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said in a briefing on Thursday.

With the summer season around the corner, Greece was generally satisfied on Wednesday with the roadmap outlined by the European Commission regarding the resumption of tourism in the European Union.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Friday evening rejected again a report by German magazine Der Spiegel which claimed that a Pakistani national had been shot dead, possibly by Greek soldiers, while attempting to cross from Turkey into Greece two months ago.

The report was originally published in March but on Friday the magazine published it in English.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni will present additional measures to support the artists and employees working in the culture sector, as part of a government plan to help the economy recover from the consequences of the coronavirus.

As the gradual lifting of the lockdown began on Monday, Government Spokesman Stelios Petsas outlined measures to support households and businesses so that Greeks can "gradually take their lives back,"