Fines arriving for 300,000 unvaccinated

Fines will be imposed on some 300,000 people over the age of 60 who have not been vaccinated beginning this week. 

According to reports, on Monday or Tuesday at the latest, the relevant file will be forwarded by the Digital Governance Ministry to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, which is responsible for certifying the fines. 

Kathimerini understands that, probably, by the end of the week, the fines will appear as a debt in the personal Taxisnet account of those penalized. 

The law states citizens over 60 who were not vaccinated by January 17 be slapped with an administrative fine of 100 euros for every month they remain unvaccinated. For the month of January alone, the fine was set at 50 euros.

In line with a relevant joint ministerial decision, the fines do not apply to those exempted from mandatory vaccinations due to health reasons, people over 96 and those who have been unable to pay tax the last three years. 

Meanwhile, some 4,700 unvaccinated health workers are awaiting decisions that will impact their careers. They will remain suspended until March 31 and then either their suspension will be extended for as long as the pandemic lasts, or they will be removed from the National Health System, which is something suggested by the Health Ministry.

A decision on this issue will be taken at a senior government level.

For his part, Interior Minister Makis Voridis said Friday in referring to the decision whether or not to remove unvaccinated workers from the National Health System that he rejects the term “dismissal.”

“Dismissal is when I stop working with someone. When I go to the health workers and tell them, ‘In order to provide health services you have to be vaccinated,’ I have not fired anyone, I have set a condition for the provision of services. If someone chooses not to comply with this condition, they choose not to stay in the health system,” he explained.