The latest headline-grabbing subject reportedly up for discussion between Athens and negotiators’ top auditors this week touched on a liberalization of store hours in Greece, as the current regime allows retailers in non-tourist regions to open only five or six Sundays a year – usually before major holidays.
The two sides were reportedly discussing a compromise based on a recommendation by the OECD.
Labor unions, the association representing SMEs and leftist parties, including ruling SYRIZA, have been loathed to allow greater flexibility in store hours, whereas major retailers want a liberalization in Sunday shopping hours.
According to reports, a compromise will include an extension of the official tourism season from the current four months to five months, along with an expansion of the definition of a “tourism area”. The latter will reportedly include more areas of greater Athens, such as coastal districts, but not every neighborhood.
