ATHENS – By the end of this week or the middle of the following week, at the latest, the rules for the operation of restaurants will have been decided, Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos stated to ANT1 on Wednesday.

Referring to the regulations decided at Tuesday's video conference chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Theodorikakos said that additional space will be provided for tables and seating outdoors where possible, without the venue owners paying additional municipal fees. The only condition will be that they not obstruct the passage of pedestrians. In cases where it is not possible to give additional space, municipalities will be able to reduce fees for occupying public spaces by up to 50 pct for the specific businesses.

Regarding the possibility of opening restaurants before June 1, as is currently planned, the interior minister noted: "I wish we could open them before June 1, we would like for them to open earlier, provided everything goes well in May and the number of new cases is zero, because this is the main factor that will guide the decisions of the Infectious Diseases Committee, under Professor Tsiodras."

Asked about the possibility of a reduction of VAT for restaurants, Theodorikakos replied: "It would be a great convenience but it is something that the financial staff must decide. Yesterday, however, there was no discussion on this issue. "