Visitors to Athens court to have temperature checked

Court officials and others intending to access the capital's court of the peace (Eirinodikeio) on Loukareos Street will only be permitted to do once their temperature has been checked by Red Cross workers at the entrance, and deemed not to be a risk, while they will also be obliged to wear masks. 

The new rules were decided on by the court and are to apply until at least May 15. 

Security guards will be on duty inside the building to ensure that visitors observe social distancing rules. 

Since the imposition of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus last month, only few courts have been operating, hearing only a handful of cases. 

Last week, the government tabled an amendment in Parliament extending the court year by one month in order to address the increased backlog of cases created by the closure of most courts. According to the amendment, courts will remain open until July 16 and the new judicial year will begin on September 1 instead of September 15, when the courts traditionally opened.