The introductory position of the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the meeting of the Council of Ministers was dedicated to the second wave of the pandemic and the measures taken to deal with it..
A new one-month action plan will be announced
The Prime Minister announced that tomorrow he will announce measures to deal with the second wave. "It must be the same as in the first phase where we took measures early, to take tougher measures again and earlier than other European countries to prevent the worst, to save human lives and reduce the pressure on the health system. "Tomorrow I will announce a new one-month action plan," he said. "I will say again that our goal remains to avoid a universal lockdown for this and we will proceed with a further strengthening of the targeted restrictions.. A policy that must be implemented in an absolute way, "he added.
Lockdown in Thessaloniki, Rodopi and Larissa
He announced that the areas of Thessaloniki, of Larissa and Rodopi pass to "level 4" and the measures will apply to the areas that are "in the red". "As of today, some extraordinary decisions must be made. Thessaloniki, Rodopi and Larissa enter the red, this means that most functions are suspended except, tone, of retail and school ", stressed the Prime Minister.
It is unacceptable for Sotiris Tsiodras to be attacked
He denounced the attacks that Professor Sotiris Tsiodras has been receiving in recent days. "I find it unacceptable that some people have chosen to target scientists. And I consider that specifically the targeting of the teacher, of Mr. Tsiodra, which is very systematic in recent days is unacceptable. If our political opponents want to criticize us, here we are to criticize the Government, to me personally, to the responsible Ministers, but to target scientists who all they do is submit their scientific knowledge to the State for judgment so that we can make the decisions, is something I think is completely wrong, especially at a time when we must once again gain the trust of society for the correctness of the measures we take. ", stressed Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis teleconference new measures for coronavirus
The introductory position of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
We have a rich agenda at today's meeting of the Council of Ministers. All issues are de facto affected, they may be secondary, from the news of the second wave of Covid.
I do not need to give you the relevant information. You see what is happening all over the world, primarily in Europe. We are facing a second wave, which is more aggressive than the one we faced in March and April.
We will have the opportunity to discuss these issues today at an extraordinary European Council, to see to what extent we can agree on a trans-European system of action. However, until this is done, The measures taken by each country are the national responsibility of each government. We in Greece have comparatives, I emphasize it, better results than the rest of Europe. I would say we are possibly 2 with 3 weeks behind what other European countries are experiencing today.
But I have to tell you that the pressure on the Health System is greater than ever and, as in the first phase where we took action early, to take stricter measures again and in time more than other European countries, to prevent the worst, to save human lives and reduce the pressure exerted on the Health System.
Tomorrow I will announce a new one-month action plan. I will not go into details today, I will only say that we now know from the tracking processes which economic activities cause the problem of rapid spread of the virus and which do not cause such a large spread of the virus, so we will adjust our plan for next month to the actual data we have at our disposal.
From today, however, some extraordinary decisions must be made. Thessaloniki, Rodopi and Larissa enter the red, this means that most functions are suspended except, I emphasize it, of retail and schools.
I will say again that our goal remains to avoid a universal lockdown, That is why we will proceed with a further strengthening of the targeted restrictions. A policy which, however, must be implemented in an absolute way.
The next 15 days is literally crucial and on this front each Ministry has its own position. For example, the telework we have implemented must be observed and monitored by all of you. Transportation has already begun to find immediate solutions to improve conditions in daily transportation. It is an ongoing struggle that takes place.
And of course the Ministries of Finance are already working on measures to alleviate workers and companies that will be de facto affected more than the measures we will announce..
It is also clear that we will strengthen, we have already done it, the controls in cooperation with the Local Government, the Greek Police, the National Transparency Authority.
I think that what Professor Sotiris Tsiodras said on Tuesday about our individual responsibility and the rules as an education for the exercise of our personal freedom are catalytic. In this field and in this direction we will insist on informing, convincing, checking.
It is important to understand once again that small setbacks for a short time can bring big results for a long time..
I would also like to make a reference to the fact that I am very concerned, rather to use a stricter expression, I find it unacceptable that some have chosen to target scientists. And I consider that specifically the targeting of the teacher, of Mr. Tsiodra, which is very systematic in recent days is unacceptable.
If our political opponents want to criticize us, here we are to criticize the government, to me personally, to the responsible Ministers, but to target scientists who all they do is submit their scientific knowledge to the State for judgment so that we can make the decisions, is something I think is completely wrong, especially at a time, where we must again win the trust of society for the correctness of the measures we take.
I close by saying, that yesterday's anniversary highlighted the two fronts that our country today faces great challenges: The health front and the national front, and at the same time highlighted security as an element that runs horizontally through these two major challenges.
But I think it was also an opportunity to bring to the fore the ingredient that will lead us and now I believe in the victorious outcome of the games we give: The readiness of the state, the section, the mobilization of citizens. On the one hand the state care, on the other hand conscious individual responsibility.
And I am sure that this thought was made by all Greek women yesterday, all the Greeks, even without the occasion of parades or traditional events. It was yesterday, a celebration of self-awareness and unity and we must keep this spirit alive, turning it into daily practice. Everyone in his field and all together in Greece as a whole.
Source: iefimerida.gr
