ATHENS – Sellers in Greece of KN-95 enhanced protection masks that will be required to enter supermarkets  will be hit with huge fines after reports of price-gouging to take advantage of a government edict over COVID-19.

Development and Investment Minister Adonis Georgiadis told SKAI TV there will be stepped-up inspections that that fines could reach 1 million euros ($1.13 million) for violators.

He noted that a law had been passed that prevents, until June 30, 2022, profit margins for certain critical items during the pandemic, including food, masks, gloves and anti-bacterial gels and ointments and wipes rising more than 20 perent over February 2020 levels.

That was the month before the pandemic hit in force and when masks and other health materials were not widely available, with suppliers since them providing more, especially the KN-95 masks initially saved for health workers.

“We have already imposed big fines on those who dared to flout the law,” Georgiadis said and make a reference to a specific store, which has lifted the price of enhanced protection (KN 95) masks by 42 percen% since the government announced new measures requiring those masks, or a double regular mask, in transportation.

“He’d better cut his prices because the fines are coming Monday (Dec. 27),” he said without identifying the business.

The government set the requirement as part of some restrictive measures but said it was trying to not interfere with an economic recovery at the same time and that measures relaxed for the holidays would be toughened yet again on  Jan. 3, 2022.