A real war between institutions is going on in the last few days. The problem is whether tomorrow, on Sunday December 28^th the stores should be open in order to try and compensate the losses from the demonstrations and the financial crisis.

The traders asked from the Ministry of Development to allow them to open their stores tomorrow in order to try and attract more customers because even though it is Christmas people do not shop as much. The ministry agreed for the stores to remain open tomorrow but then the syndicates said that this way their right to rest on Sunday is taken away. At the end, the Athens municipality authorities decided that the stores will be closed because no consensus was reached between the different institutions.

After the decision of the municipality authorities, the opposition came along and blames the government that it is scared to take the responsibility to let the stores work in a moment when the market works with low values and consumer purchase needs to be pushed. After that the Attika governor, Giorgios Skouros stepped in and basing his argument on an enactment signed during 1966 by King Konstantin said that the municipality decision needs to be reconsidered. This way with a decision by the governor himself, the stores in the Athens center will be able to open tomorrow, December 28^th and the employees will be able to decide whether to work or not.

Giorgios Skouros’ decision provoked an avalanche of reactions. The mayor of the Northern suburb Marousi based his argument on the same enactment and allowed the stores in the neighborhood to open tomorrow. Traders from other neighborhoods like Kifisia, Halandri, Nea Ionia, Glifada, and Paleo Faliro decided to take the responsibility open their stores even though the law does not allow it. Traders from all over Greece joined them as well – Rodos, Komotini, Volos, Alexandroupolis, Ioanina. At the same time the syndicates are threatening that they will occupy the open stores and will not let them work.