ATHENS – "If we continue to move as we have done in the last month in terms of the pandemic, the opening of restaurants on June 1 is something absolutely achievable," stated Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday, during a government video conference on the preparations for the lifting of curbs for coronavirus.

According to government sources, the main issue during the meeting was how to preserve jobs and the turnover of businesses ahead of their reopening, while complying with the rules set by the health committee.

"We want to give enterprises the ability to start operating again while respecting the instructions of the experts but not impose such harsh restrictions that business activity becomes impossible," said the prime minister, noting that he has spoken with the mayor of Athens and many other mayors and ministers on how to increase the amount of outdoor space available for restaurants to use.

Among those participating in the video conference were Development and Investments Minister Adonis Georgiadis, Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos, State Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, Deputy Development Minister Nikos Papathanasis, Deputy Interior Minister Thodoris Livanios, Minister to the Prime Minister responsible for the coordination of the governmnent's work Akis Skertsos, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and government spokesperson Stelios Petsas, the general secretary of the prime minister Grigoris Dimitriadis, the general secretary for the coordination of internal affairs Thanassis Kontogeorgis, the president of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece Dimitris Papastergiou and the mayors of the largest Greek municipalities, including Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis and Thessaloniki Mayor Konstantinos Zervas.