Stelios Petsas

Greece is not a police state and the government is relying on the "power of persuasion" to convince citizens that restricting their movements over the Easter holiday in particular is the best way to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Tuesday.

Endeavoring to ensure that Greece stays the course in the battle to contain the spread of Covid-19 during the holiday season, the government is not ruling out the possibility of a ban on the circulation of cars from Saturday at 8 p.m. through Easter Sunday. 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is to deliver a televised address to the nation at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, his office said.

Among other things, the premier is expected to underline the need for citizens to observe a lockdown in the runup to Orthodox Easter this weekend.

The Church of Greece clarified on Thursday that churches will only be open for clerics and few of their staff during the Orthodox Holy Week, in line with government decisions to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, and called on the faithful to pray at home.

Greece hopes that the new teleconference among eurozone finances ministers on Thursday will achieve a deal on the package worth half a trillion euros to support the bloc's economies that have been battered by the new coronavirus.

As Greece enters its third week in lockdown, the first glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel has appeared, according to government spokesman Stelios Petsas, who told reporters on Monday that it is up to the people to remain responsible.

"It's up to us if we are to enjoy the first results in May of our responsible attitude by staying home in April," he told reporters Monday.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Monday thanked the majority of Greek citizens who have observed restrictions to ward against the spread of the coronavirus while warning against the danger of backsliding on the measures. 

Greece may shut down tolls to prevent city dwellers from traveling to their villages for Easter as the country fights to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, government spokesman Stelios Petsas has said.

"We'll see if we need to shut down the tolls… For the time being, we are reiterating the key prohibitions," Petsas told Skai radio on Friday.

The government sees Easter as its toughest opponent in the effort to implement restrictive measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, as this particular holiday season is traditionally accompanied by the largest mass exodus of the year of Greeks from cities to the countryside.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday confirmed comments earlier by spokesman Stelios Petsas that the government is prepared to impose stricter measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus if necessary.