Newsroom
During the partial curfew to be enforced at 6pm on Tuesday for three weeks, those wishing to leave their home or shelter for any of the reasons falling under the exceptions to the travel restriction must either fill in a special form or send a text message to 8998.
In a press conference held on Tuesday by Interior Minister Nicos Nouris and Deputy Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Kyriakos Kokkinos, further light was shed on the steps that must be taken by the public should they wish to leave their homes or shelters.
As stated by President Nicos Anastasiades during his national address on Monday night, only the following reasons for travel are exempt from the travel ban:
- Travel to and from workplaces
- Travel to purchase essential items from businesses or stores that are allowed to operate and that cannot deliver the items
- Visiting a doctor or a pharmacy
- Visiting the bank if an electronic transaction is not possible
- Visiting others with the aim of assisting them, given that those who are being visited are unable to take care of themselves or are part of vulnerable groups or are in self-isolation and/or quarantine facilities
- The attendance of ceremonies such as funerals, weddings and christenings by first and second degree relatives, given those present do not exceed 10 persons
- Leaving the house for a run or to take pets on walks, provided that this not done in groups of more than two people and that these travels are confined to each person's neighbourhood
If a person wishes to leave their home or shelter for any of the above reasons, they must either fill in a form released to the public on Tuesday, or send a text message (free of charge) that will follow a specified template to the number 8998.
Those who will be travelling on a daily basis to and from their workplaces, will need to carry a specific form, currently only released to the public in Greek, which must be filled in by their employers or superiors. The same form can be filled in by self-employed persons who will also need to travel to and from their workplace.
For the any of the remaining permitted reasons for travel, another form will need to be filled in by each person individually. Alternatively, those wishing to travel for reasons falling under the remaining exception categories can send an SMS to 8998.
The text messages must follow a specific template set out by the government:
X [space] ID OR PASSPORT NUMBER [space] HOME POSTAL CODE
In the place of X individuals must insert the number (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) which corresponds to the reason for their travel as seen in the list below:
- Visit to a pharmacy, or to give blood, or visit to a doctor
- Travel to a store for the purchase of essential goods or services
- Travel to a bank, as an electronic transaction is not possible
- Absolutely necessary visit to a state service or local authority
- Travel to provide assistance to persons who are unable to assist themselves or who are in self-isolation and/or quarantine facilities
- Travel for personal physical exercise or to take a pet on a walk
- Travel to a ceremony (e.g. funeral, wedding, christening)
- Any other reason for travel which may be justified on the basis of the travel restriction measures (in this case, in addition to the number, individuals must also clearly state the specific reason for travel).
In each of the above cases, employees or citizens must carry proof of identification at all times, in addition to the filled in form or proof of having sent out a text message.
As stressed by the President on Monday, any person who violates the travel ban or fails to comply with the instructions issued will receive a €150 fine.
The above links to the forms that must be filled out will be updated with English versions as soon as they are made available.
