Νews in brief

Hundreds of refugees tried early this morning to cross the Greek-Turkish borders at Kastanies, in Evros-Northern Greece. According to sources, some 350 migrants and refugees made numerous attempts to break through defenses at Kastanies between 2.30 and 4 a.m., with the support of Turkish authorities on the other side, who are said to have fired tear gas against Greek border guards.

Supermarkets will operate as of tomorrow from 7am to 10pm and on Sundays from 9am to 5pm. All retail stores, with a few exceptions, closed indefinitely as of today.

All Schengen Area Member States have approved a plan proposed by the EU Commission which foresees the closure of the external borders of the territory, for at least a period of 30 days, as the most extreme measure taken by the block to halt the further spreading of the COVID-19.
The final move was announced earlier in a press conference of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the European Council Charles Michel, who explained that all borders would be closed for a period of 30 days for all non-essential travel.

The president of European Commission said Tuesday that Europe underestimated the coronavirus.
Ursula von der Leyen told the Bild newspaper in Germany, measures against the virus that used to sound draconian to the ears weeks ago, right now has become measures that must be taken.
“I think we all, who are not experts, initially underestimated the coronavirus. But in the meantime it has also become clear that this is a virus that will keep us busy for a long time,” she said, adding it is important to respect curfew declarations by some EU members.
French President Emmanual Macron described the fight against the virus as a “war,” but von der Leyen said, “I personally would not use the word, but I understand the motivation of the French president. Because the coronavirus is an uncanny opponent. We don’t see it, it has no color, it doesn’t taste. However, we notice that it is spreading at a frantic pace.”

A second set of measures to fight the economic consequences of the coronavirus are to be announced at noon by the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Labor and the Minister of Development.

Greece has reached 387 confirmed coronavirus cases, while 5 people have died already.
11 cases are in a critical condition. 4 employees working at “Agios Savvas” hospital are in isolation, along with 21 employees of “Ippokrateio” hospital.

The suspension of the operations and payments of major international tour operators such as Tui AG and the FTI Group due to the coronavirus epidemic are creating a cash drought for Greek tourism and threatening to devastate the season’s prospects.
Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis has told Kathimerini that it is hard to make clear estimates right now: “If the management of the [coronavirus] issue takes more than three months, then there may be the risk” of missing the season, he noted.

Sunny in Attica today, with clouds expected in the afternoon. The temperature today will reach a high of 15 degrees Celsius.