PATRAS, Greece – Achaia was the first regional unit to be hit by the measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, with the restaurant sector losing 8.0 million euros in revenue due to the suspension of the Patras carnival, said Platon Marlafekas, president of the Achaia Chamber of Commerce, during a teleconference with Finance Minister Christos Staikouras and other ministry officials this week.

The teleconference was part of a series of contacts initiated by the finance ministry with the country's productive associations. An announcement issued by the Chamber said that the teleconference discussed the idea of taking additional economic support measures for Achaia. Marlafekassaid that a report on the economic impact from the cancellation of the Patras carnival on the local economy has been completed and noted that the finance minister asked that the report be sent to Theodoros Skylakakis, deputy finance minister responsible for fiscal policy, to examine additional support measures for the regional unit.

Marlafekas expressed the concern of local businesses from the introduction of e-learning practices for university students and stressed that, if this situation was to be continued, it would be another blow to the city's economy as the monthly financial footprint left by students in Patras is estimated at 30 million euros.