Greece announced on Wednesday that its citizens are now free to travel between municipalities within the same region beginning today, Holy Thursday, until the end of the week.
All Greek citizens, however, must still send an SMS in advance of any movement for the time being, according to a statement from Civil Protection and Crises Management Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias on Wednesday.
Per a joint ministerial decision, however, it has extended the emergency measures for mandatory teleworking in the country for all those who can work from home until May 31.
Greece travel advisory issued as telecommuting extended
The measure also calls for staggered work arrivals and departures over a two-hour period of time, for all employees in an attempt to limit the spread of Covid-19 as much as possible.
The Finance, Labour, Development and Health ministries of Greece issued the joint ministerial decision, which comes at a time when the country is easing restrictions in other areas as it prepares for the non-negotiable opening of the country to international tourists on May 15.
The rules currently in effect require that all businesses enforce telecommuting for at least 50 percent of their employees, when it is possible for their work to be done from home.
Another joint ministerial decision also extends the time limit regarding employers’ rights to decide whether or not work can be accomplished by an employee remotely via telecommuting.
The move comes as Greece is gradually relaxing travel restrictions towards the official opening of the tourist season on May 14.
“We will gradually lift the restrictions at the beginning of next week ahead of the opening on May 14,” a senior tourism ministry official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Who can travel to Greece now
Greece announced on April 15 that citizens from the European Union, the United States, Britain, Serbia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will be allowed to travel to Greece via the airports of Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Chania, Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini and Corfu, and two border crossings.
Passengers from those countries will not be quarantined, as long as they prove that they have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or show a negative PCR test carried out 72 hours prior to their arrival, the official said, adding the tourists would be subject to domestic lockdown restrictions.
Under current rules, all foreigners arriving in Greece should test negative and quarantine for seven days.
For passengers from Britain and the United Arab Emirates, a second mandatory test is also required upon their arrival.
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