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Mr. Angelos Binis and Mr. Kostas Agorastos presented the six-month evaluation of the actions of the mechanism to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Audits are being carried out everywhere to protect human life from the coronavirus.
In the last six months, more than 800,000 audits were carried out in the region of Thessaly with the objective of limiting the spread of the coronavirus and protecting human life and public health. The Governor of the National Transparency Authority (NTA), Mr. Angelos Binis, and the Regional Governor of Thessaly, Mr. Kostas Agorastos, presented the six-month evaluation of the actions taken in the framework of inspections coordinated by the Region of Thessaly and the NTA to limit the spread of COVID-19. These inspections involved representatives of organisations and services with a crucial role in implementing surveillance measures. Audits will be intensified in the coming period to ensure that the necessity of adhering to measures is understood by society as a whole. Additionally, the Regional Governor emphasised the importance of vaccination as the only way to protect ourselves from the virus.
In detail the statements:
- Angelos Binis, NTA’s Governor:
“Today we have presented the results of the work of all the audit and law enforcement agencies operating in the region of Thessaly, which are working together to carry out audits to ensure compliance with measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, at a critical time for the country, where an increase in cases is being recorded. Today's meeting is a follow-up to the meeting that took place in Larissa in December 2020 (04/12/2020) as part of our collaboration with the Regional Governor of Thessaly, Mr. Kostas Agorastos. The aim of that meeting was to raise awareness in society and to strengthen synergies between public authorities, in order to increase the effectiveness of measures to limit the pandemic and protect public health”.
- Kostas Agorastos, Regional Governor of Thessaly
“The Region of Thessaly, in cooperation with the National Transparency Authority, the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate (Independent Authority), the four municipal police forces and the Public Health and Development Services of the Region, has established an audit mechanism to defend the supreme good of human life and public health. I would particularly like to thank the NTA’s Governor, Mr. Angelos Binis, with whom we have close and excellent cooperation. Together, we have formed an audit team with the aim of protecting every individual in Thessaly, with respect for life, work and existence. With a strategy and an integrated action plan:
- Audits are conducted everywhere, either by mixed audit teams or by individual services. In total, more than 800,000 audits have been conducted and fines imposed in Thessaly in the last 6 months. It is important to note that we have succeeded in developing a culture of synergy and cooperation for the proper operation and compliance with the rules for the protection of human and working life.
- In collaboration with National Public Health Organization, more than 420,000 rapid tests and molecular tests have been conducted. We have been and continue to be present wherever needed, in facilities, Elderly Care Centres, etc., and daily audits continue in squares and drive-through testing sites for the free mass population sampling.
- Today, 36.7% of the population in Thessaly is vaccinated, with 544,000 vaccines administered in the 90 vaccination centres operating throughout the region. From Monday 12 July, the mobile vaccination unit will also be launched in cooperation with the 5th Health Region of Greece. We urge the mayors to cooperate by spreading the message of vaccination in their areas and gathering the critical number of interested people. In urban centres - Larissa, Trikala, Karditsa and Volos - around 50% of the population has been vaccinated. In smaller towns and villages, the percentages are much lower and interventions are needed to increase vaccination rates. The message is clear: the vaccine saves lives. Everyone should be vaccinated for their own well-being, both professionally and personally. There is currently no other reliable protection against coronavirus. We remain vigilant. The virus is among us, it is invisible, and transmission hotspots remain everywhere”.
- Mr. Asterios Mantziokas, General Regional Police Director of Thessaly
“In cooperation with the Thessaly region and its services, we have an excellent and effective collaboration on audits to protect citizens from the spread of the coronavirus. The Hellenic Police are running an information programme for store owners in places where large numbers of people gather, to help them understand the new measures to reduce the spread of the virus. Despite the fact that store owners' associations and all store owners in every neighborhood in Thessaly have been informed, during yesterday's audits, violations were confirmed and owners of health regulated establishments were arrested for organising parties in violation of the measures. In Trikala, a youth party was organised in the square and the organisers were also fined. Our aim is not to impose sanctions. Our aim, in cooperation with the region of Thessaly, the National Transparency Authority and all the bodies involved, is to inform all citizens so that they can implement the state measures which are designed to protect them. The role of the Hellenic Police is to conduct audits and anyone who does not comply will face the consequences provided for by law. In the last six months, the services of the General Regional Police Directorate of Thessaly have carried out 671,935 inspections, confirmed 7,237 violations and made 77 arrests of persons who have violated COVID-19 legislation. It must be understood that everyone must comply with the new rules in order to avoid worse scenarios and to prevent the state from having to take harsh measures for all of us”.
- Andreas Michos, Head of the Regional Directorate of Labour Relations Inspection of Central Greece
“Οur cooperation with the audit mechanisms is excellent and we thank them very much. As the Governor of the National Transparency Authority stated, our ultimate goal is prevention and the moral obligation of society to comply with and implement the measures imposed by the State to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Our actions has been planned on the basis of the priorities that have emerged to protect public health throughout our area of responsibility. At the same time, we continued to monitor the implementation of labour legislation, the protection of labour relations and health and safety at work. Our presence was very intense during the pandemic.
In total, the Regional Directorate of Labour Relations Inspection of Central Greece carried out 2,286 inspections and imposed 302 fines in the last six months. The total amount of fines imposed, generally related to violations of labour legislation, exceeds 1 million euros. In terms of our efforts to face the spread of the coronavirus, we have conducted 1,714 inspections of businesses and imposed 39 administrative penalties, collectively amounting to €76,400. The inspections primarily focused on courier activities, transport, storage and logistics, retail, wholesale and distribution, administrative office activities, computer companies, secretarial and other business support activities, human health activities, financial services activities, food retailing, catering, service activities, education, food industry and car repair shops. The inspections focused on measures against the spread of the coronavirus in accordance with Ministerial Decisions, including the suspensions of employment contracts, remote work, the protection of vulnerable groups and the obligation to perform self-diagnostic testing in the workplace. We continue to collaborate with all relevant authorities, intensifying inspections to positively contribute to tackling the spread of the coronavirus”.
The press conference was attended by the President of the Regional Council of Thessaly, Mr. Vassilis Pinakas, the Representative of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Thessaly, Mr. Achilleas Vardakoulis; and executives of the National Transparency Authority and the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate.