ATHENS — The government supports healthy enterpreneurship, as it did before the pandemic, during the pandemic and as it will continue to do after the pandemic, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday, in a discussion that he had with representatives of the hospitality sector.

Hospitality is obviously a crucial sector in terms of employment and competitiveness and promotes the country abroad because it is directly linked with the tourist product, he added.

According to sources, Mitsotakis announced that the time has come to cooperate even more closely with and support the hospitality sector. "So I would like to share with you another package of measures for the coming period that I believe will bring relief – not just for the hospitality sector, but hospitality will certainly benefit," he said.

One such measure, the prime minister said, was an extension of rent exemptions for businesses in March as well. Additionally, salary costs will remain zero and employees on furlough will continue to be compensated by the state. The reduced VAT on coffee and non-alcoholic drinks will be extended until the end of September 2021 and will also be extended to transport, theatres, and to tourist packages until December. Finally, the state will provide support for the standard overheads of businesses impacted since the spring of 2020.

He also clarified that the reductions in taxes and duties that the government has carried out to date will be permanent and there will not be a return to the previous state of affairs after the end of the pandemic.

Mitsotakis underlined that the economy, the market and hospitality have shown resilience and found ways to cope with the crisis. "For you, the best customers will be the healthy customers and for this reason, and along with your proposals, I would like to hear how you see the organisation of the vaccination process in your sector".