The government is examining the gradual opening of the economy as of March 22, starting with the retail trade sector, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Monday in an interview with 'Proto Thema' radio station.

The continuation of support measures for households and enterprises and of a fiscal loosening is necessary, and this need is even bigger in countries whose economies are largely dependent on the services sector and sectors such as tourism, Greek Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Monday, addressing a Eurogroup meeting.

Deputy Civil Protection and Crisis Management Minister Nikos Hardalias said Greece was "at the beginning of the end" of the battle against the novel coronavirus, in an interview with Alpha TV late on Tuesday where he also referred to the vaccination effort and the gradual return to normality.