As a preliminary update on the matter, please be advised that the President of the Republic has announced earlier this afternoon a series of additional measures to combat Coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus.
As the measures are indeed numerous, and in anticipation of formal fuller announcement on same, please find below for your information, some of the measures which might / will affect the Cyprus Shipping Industry:
- As of 06:00 hours tomorrow until 30 April 2020, Cypriot / EU Citizens or Third Country Nationals working in Cyprus under a valid work permit, who are currently abroad and wish to return to Cyprus, they will only be allowed in the country, if they can provide a valid medical certificate from the country where they are retuning verifying that they have been examined and they do not have the Coronavirus. Even in these cases though, it is stressed that these persons will be placed under medical quarantine, at places which will be provided by the State for 14 days.
- A number of financial / tax related measures (ie with regard to VAT and Social Insurance/GESY Payments will be delayed) have also been introduced, as well as financial support to cover cases of employee/parents who might need to stay at home to look after their children as the schools will remain closed for this period (under certain conditions).
- Similarly, a number of private businesses shall remain closed until 30 April mostly relating to shopping malls, coffee shops, restaurants and hotels. It is stressed that this restriction does NOT apply to Shipping or Shipping related companies.
- For all private, public service companies a customer service, the presence of people in the service area must not exceed one person per eight square meters of usable space, including employees.
- Food supermarkets (with restrictions as to the number of allowed customers at any time), pharmacies, petrol stations will be allowed to operate.
Finally, although all relevant commercial decisions are left to individual private-companies to make, and in case they have not already done so, private companies are strongly encouraged to apply “working from home” principles where applicable.
