Athens police conducted an operation to find businesses in violation of Greece’s coronavirus guidelines, and handed out a total of €100,000 worth of fines.
Hellenic Police (ELAS) and the Athens municipal police conducted the checks in central Athens on Wednesday night, after the government announced measures to stop the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.
At least 20 companies were found in violation of the measures and fined €5,000 each, for a total €100,000, within just two hours. Each company will also be suspended from operating for three days, according to Proto Thema.
Sixteen municipal police alongside motorcycle police, two pedestrian security teams, and others took part in the operation.
Greece, like many other European countries, has seen a fresh wave of coronavirus cases in recent weeks and saw a record for daily new patients of the diseased on Friday, with 882 new confirmed cases, according to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics. Saturday saw a slight fall, with 841 new cases.
On Thursday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the government would be imposing a curfew in several areas of the country, including Athens. The curfew will last from 12:30 am to 5 am in the areas that had been classified as vulnerable to the spread of the virus.
“The objective is to restrict movement and night-time gatherings which are conducive to the spread of the virus. Perhaps it’s less fun for a while, but it would mean more health in the longer term,” Mitsotakis said.
Addressing younger Greeks, the prime minister added: “Now is not the time for secret parties, when this virus is having a party at the expense of our lives.”
Greece has also seen coronavirus breakouts in migrant camps, including the one on the island of Chios, which was put in lockdown earlier this month. This week it was announced that the lockdown would be extended until early November.