Reforms on milk, bakeries and pharmacies postponed

Hotly contested new rules on the labeling of milk, classification of bakeries and pharmacy ownership have been postponed until October, according to Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis.

The reforms were voted into law on August 14 as part of the new bailout program and would permit any business selling or baking bread on the premises to call itself a bakery, remove restrictions that only allowed pharmacists to run pharmacies, and give dairy producers rather than the state control over the shelf life of fresh milk, extending it from five to seven days.

The reforms must be publicized in a ministry circular before they come into effect.