Pharmacy hours have been liberalized by law, but few establishments stray from the old schedule.

A dispute has broken out in the central town of Karditsa between a pharmacist and the local association representing her profession after it fined her 80,000 euros for operating in the afternoons in accordance with a new law aimed at liberalizing the sector.

Kathimerini understands that the pharmacist, Constantina Kefala, had made her application to open in the afternoons last October and the pharmacists’ association had forwarded it to regional authorities, which approved it last week. The association reportedly claims that Kefala changed her opening times before receiving the approval of regional authorities and insists that her pharmacy operating on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons violates local regulations.

The pharmacist, for her part, on Thursday sent a note to the association, suggesting she would take legal action if it does not change its stance. “I feel undefended by the state, which allows pharmacists’ associations to obstruct the implementation of a law it approved,” she said, noting that every day she opened, the association would send the police to force her to close.