We note that the 40% reduction in the rents of simply occupied businesses and residential rents continues for April, subject to the provisions already in force. After the passing and publication of the new amendment, the overall decision will be issued with the April KAD of all categories. So far it is completely unclear whether these measures will be extended during May and the following months.
Exploratory Statement
The upheaval of the financial situation of professional groups for the operation of businesses is addressed of which special and extraordinary measures have been taken to suspend or temporarily ban operation for preventive or repressive reasons related to the coronavirus COVID-19 or which are financially affected due to the spread of the coronavirus C0VID-19. In the context of limiting the spread of COVID-19, as there is still a constant risk of its spread, the assessed regulation establishes emergency and supportive measures for businesses for which special and emergency measures have been taken to suspend or temporarily ban operations for preventive or repressive reasons related to the coronavirus COVID-19 or which are financially affected. For this purpose, the second article of the Legislative Content Act (A’ 68) dated 20.3.2020, which was ratified by article 1 of the law, is amended. 4683/2020 (A’ 83), in order to extend the full exemption from the obligation to pay rent, for the cases of businesses for which measures of suspension or temporary prohibition of operation have been taken or which are financially affected due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus and belong to specific business sectors, as these will be determined by sector by decision of the Minister of Finance and for the month of April 2021.
The relevant provision of the amendment is as follows:
Article 1
Extension of the rent exemption for professional leases – Amendment of the second article of the Legislative Content Act from 20.3.2020.
Para. 10 of the second article of the Legislative Content Act of 20.3.2020 (A’ 68), which was ratified by article 1 of the law. 4683/2020 (A’ 83), is amended to add the month of April 2021 and the paragraph is formatted as follows:
“10. Especially for the months of January, February, March and April 2021, the lessee of a business lease to establish a business, for which special and extraordinary measures have been taken to suspend or temporarily prohibit operation for preventive or repressive reasons related to the COVID-19 corona virus or which is financially affected due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus and belongs to specific business sectors, in addition to those mentioned in the decisions that are issued under the authority of par. 8a, is exempted from the obligation to pay the total rent, in derogation of the written provisions on commercial leases, in accordance with the second and third paragraphs of par. 1.
By decision of the Minister of Finance, following a recommendation by the Governor of the Independent Public Revenue Authority (AADE), the affected businesses of the previous subsection are identified by sector and by month, as well as any other necessary details for the implementation of this. The decision of the previous paragraph concerns businesses that are not included in the decisions issued under the authorization of par. 8a.”.
