Stores to open 7 Sundays per year at least
Regional councils will be responsible for making the decision about which Sundays their local stores can open beyond the seven Sundays that all stores will be open in Greece, following an amendment to the planned legislative clause by the Development Ministry.
The plan for the market operation framework was signed on Wednesday by the responsible ministers and on Thursday Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis and his deputy, Athanasios Skordas, will officially present it during a press conference ahead of its tabling in Parliament.
According to the plan, all stores in the country will be able to open on seven Sundays every year – i.e. twice at the end of December, once before Easter and once during each of the four sales periods. The councils of the country’s regional authorities will then be able to determine which of the other 45 Sundays each year their local stores can open after taking into account the views of regional traders’ associations. Decisions will have to be made within two months of the application of the law.
In case no decision is made, small stores of up to 250 square meters in area will be able to open at their discretion on any given Sunday.
