OPAP agencies remain closed for three months, especially in the red areas and the President of the Association of Professional Agents George Poulimas describes in Sputnik the dramatic situation in the industry.
The President of the Association of Professional Agents OPAP of the Prefecture of Attica started his business as an OPAP agent in 1999, as he undertook the continuation of the business by his parents, having previously worked in it for a decade and knows very well what happens in OPAP agencies.
George Poulimas talks about the industry, where the majority of OPAP agencies have been closed for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic and describes the extent of the problem that has been created.
"The problem that has been created is from huge to insurmountable. We are a branch that has been closed by state order for three months now and only the yellow areas were opened only last week. We have about 4.000 stores with 20.000 employees and many agents have received no aid or received little money. "So it is easy to understand the huge financial problem that has been created," Mr. Poulimas told Sputnik.
Another big problem for OPAP agencies is the one that has been created with the repayable advances and George Poulimas explains in detail what the state offers to the agents and asks a question that will be discussed:
"I will explain it to you so that it can be understood by the whole world. We are not an industry where we just ask for more money. Our problem has now become a livelihood. Let me give you a simple example: As everyone knows, financial support for businesses is through repayable advances. 1/3 of the agencies in both "returnable 4" and "returnable 5" did not receive any money. The other 1/3 received only 2.000 euros. Given that the 1.000 euros will have to be returned by the companies, then the state aid is only 1.000 euros, for the quarter November 7 - February 7.
And I ask the simple rhetorical question: How will the agents live on 0 to 333 euros a month they have received from the state? We have to pay the November-December rents, the current bills of all these months (PPC, EYDAP, COSMOTE, telephone), state contributions and of course our personal expenses. Such as house rent, food, bills and possibly loans. Can all this be covered with 0 to 333 euros per month? And with a cry of agony I ask: Colleagues who have the only source of income the agencies how will they live? How will they feed their families? The word "despair" is small in front of everything we live… ".
Just yesterday (February 7), most agencies closed for three months, while others reopened for just a week and then closed again due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. Many OPAP agents changed their profession or even put a final lock on their agencies without seeing the light with the President of the Association of Professional OPAP Agents of the Prefecture of Attica referring to the situation that prevails:
"Right now, the most tragic thing is that we see co-workers and friends being forced to work in other jobs to make a living for their families. No job is a shame, but when you have invested a really large amount of money in your business, you are shut down by government order, there is not enough financial support and you are forced to work to be able to have food at home is heartbreaking. That is why we ask for our immediate support. We hope in combination with the help of our network from OPAP that we do not need to see padlocks in stores. "It is possible that there will be padlocks, but we fight every day to prevent it ..." he underlines.
The Association of Professional Agents OPAP of the Attica Prefecture sent on February 2 a letter to the Ministry of Finance for the repayable advance 5, from which 1 in 3 agencies has been excluded.
"When you get assurances and the next day you see 1/3 of our companies stay out, what to say? What to discuss? It is a blatant injustice… Where we have reported our problems, we get promises that have not yet been fulfilled. We continue to claim the fair demands for an industry that even today remains without income and you do not know for how long yet. Not to's treasure, but to survive. It is worth mentioning that the OPAP agencies have zero tax evasion, all taxes are paid directly and unfortunately we do not have the treatment we should have "explains George Poulimas.
Most talk mainly about the focus and the problem created by the pandemic.
Mr. Poulimas, however, refuses to make comparisons.
"Each industry has its own problems and of course everyone must claim what they really deserve. I can not talk about focus, although I'm sure they have a serious problem. We did not have the option to operate in any other way such as delivery, click away or online. I repeat: Who can live and support his business and family with 0 to 333 euros per month? "
Undersecretary of Development Adonis Georgiadis stated that he takes the keys of any businessman who gives them. What does George Poulimas answer in the case of OPAP agencies, where they face similar problems?
"Personally, I am not interested in communication conflicts. We are in constant communication with Mr. Georgiadis and he has shown a real willingness to help, to assist, to deal with the difficult situation faced by the OPAP agencies. What I want is for us to solve our problems. Mistakes have been made, but everyone in the government must show that there is the will and the political will to overcome and correct them. Unfortunately, they also have the knife and the melon at their disposal. "They just have to face the real problems."
A big question is how could an agency work without the risk of transmitting the coronavirus and what are the differences from a cafe that works on strict terms?
"I really can not understand the difference between a cafe where the customer enters and gets his coffee, from our stores. We have adopted strict protocols and proposed them to the state. The agencies in the previous quarantine showed a remarkable adaptation to the health instructions and none of our agencies were checked for violation of the rules. At the same time, people should learn the following: OPAP is a large and responsible company. After the first quarantine, the company carried out several inspections to see if the measures were observed. The company itself protected both the network and customers. Something that is not done anywhere in any company. And yet, the only network that has taken such strict measures, they have left it out… Tell you something else? The company forced the agents to disinfect the stores before they reopened. Has it happened anywhere else? As you can easily understand, our agencies are one of the safest ".
Giorgos Poulimas also suggests some measures especially for VLT's (Slot machines) to work and answers the question why the separation between OPAP and OPAP play took place.
"The OPAP play areas have the peculiarity that the customers sit and touch the same buttons. At the same time, however, they are located in a separate area and the machines have a sufficient distance and dividers between them and do not come in contact with anyone. Especially for OPAP Play that are located in agencies, the visit could be made by appointment and after each use the machine can be cleaned ".
"There are dozens of other companies that have not suspended their operations at all and have more risks. If VLT's work by appointment, since they are in a separate space and with a limited number of people, then the VLT's spaces will also have a very high security. Personal assessment that with all the rules that the company works, the OPAP agencies are one of the safest "concludes Mr. Poulimas.
Source: sputniknews.gr
The President of the Association of Professional Agents OPAP of the Prefecture of Attica started his business as an OPAP agent in 1999, as he undertook the continuation of the business by his parents, having previously worked in it for a decade and knows very well what happens in OPAP agencies.
"A huge financial problem has been created"
George Poulimas talks about the industry, where the majority of OPAP agencies have been closed for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic and describes the extent of the problem that has been created.
"The problem that has been created is from huge to insurmountable. We are a branch that has been closed by state order for three months now and only the yellow areas were opened only last week. We have about 4.000 stores with 20.000 employees and many agents have received no aid or received little money. "So it is easy to understand the huge financial problem that has been created," Mr. Poulimas told Sputnik.
"How will the agents live on 0 to 333 euros a month they have received from the state?"
Another big problem for OPAP agencies is the one that has been created with the repayable advances and George Poulimas explains in detail what the state offers to the agents and asks a question that will be discussed:
"I will explain it to you so that it can be understood by the whole world. We are not an industry where we just ask for more money. Our problem has now become a livelihood. Let me give you a simple example: As everyone knows, financial support for businesses is through repayable advances. 1/3 of the agencies in both "returnable 4" and "returnable 5" did not receive any money. The other 1/3 received only 2.000 euros. Given that the 1.000 euros will have to be returned by the companies, then the state aid is only 1.000 euros, for the quarter November 7 - February 7.
And I ask the simple rhetorical question: How will the agents live on 0 to 333 euros a month they have received from the state? We have to pay the November-December rents, the current bills of all these months (PPC, EYDAP, COSMOTE, telephone), state contributions and of course our personal expenses. Such as house rent, food, bills and possibly loans. Can all this be covered with 0 to 333 euros per month? And with a cry of agony I ask: Colleagues who have the only source of income the agencies how will they live? How will they feed their families? The word "despair" is small in front of everything we live… ".
"It is possible that there will be padlocks in OPAP agencies"
Just yesterday (February 7), most agencies closed for three months, while others reopened for just a week and then closed again due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. Many OPAP agents changed their profession or even put a final lock on their agencies without seeing the light with the President of the Association of Professional OPAP Agents of the Prefecture of Attica referring to the situation that prevails:
"Right now, the most tragic thing is that we see co-workers and friends being forced to work in other jobs to make a living for their families. No job is a shame, but when you have invested a really large amount of money in your business, you are shut down by government order, there is not enough financial support and you are forced to work to be able to have food at home is heartbreaking. That is why we ask for our immediate support. We hope in combination with the help of our network from OPAP that we do not need to see padlocks in stores. "It is possible that there will be padlocks, but we fight every day to prevent it ..." he underlines.
"It is a blatant injustice with the repayable deposit"
The Association of Professional Agents OPAP of the Attica Prefecture sent on February 2 a letter to the Ministry of Finance for the repayable advance 5, from which 1 in 3 agencies has been excluded.
"When you get assurances and the next day you see 1/3 of our companies stay out, what to say? What to discuss? It is a blatant injustice… Where we have reported our problems, we get promises that have not yet been fulfilled. We continue to claim the fair demands for an industry that even today remains without income and you do not know for how long yet. Not to's treasure, but to survive. It is worth mentioning that the OPAP agencies have zero tax evasion, all taxes are paid directly and unfortunately we do not have the treatment we should have "explains George Poulimas.
"We did not have the option to operate in any other way"
Most talk mainly about the focus and the problem created by the pandemic.
Mr. Poulimas, however, refuses to make comparisons.
"Each industry has its own problems and of course everyone must claim what they really deserve. I can not talk about focus, although I'm sure they have a serious problem. We did not have the option to operate in any other way such as delivery, click away or online. I repeat: Who can live and support his business and family with 0 to 333 euros per month? "
"The government has both the knife and the melon"
Undersecretary of Development Adonis Georgiadis stated that he takes the keys of any businessman who gives them. What does George Poulimas answer in the case of OPAP agencies, where they face similar problems?
"Personally, I am not interested in communication conflicts. We are in constant communication with Mr. Georgiadis and he has shown a real willingness to help, to assist, to deal with the difficult situation faced by the OPAP agencies. What I want is for us to solve our problems. Mistakes have been made, but everyone in the government must show that there is the will and the political will to overcome and correct them. Unfortunately, they also have the knife and the melon at their disposal. "They just have to face the real problems."
"There is no difference between a cafeteria and OPAP agencies"
A big question is how could an agency work without the risk of transmitting the coronavirus and what are the differences from a cafe that works on strict terms?
"I really can not understand the difference between a cafe where the customer enters and gets his coffee, from our stores. We have adopted strict protocols and proposed them to the state. The agencies in the previous quarantine showed a remarkable adaptation to the health instructions and none of our agencies were checked for violation of the rules. At the same time, people should learn the following: OPAP is a large and responsible company. After the first quarantine, the company carried out several inspections to see if the measures were observed. The company itself protected both the network and customers. Something that is not done anywhere in any company. And yet, the only network that has taken such strict measures, they have left it out… Tell you something else? The company forced the agents to disinfect the stores before they reopened. Has it happened anywhere else? As you can easily understand, our agencies are one of the safest ".
What happens to OPAP play
Giorgos Poulimas also suggests some measures especially for VLT's (Slot machines) to work and answers the question why the separation between OPAP and OPAP play took place.
"The OPAP play areas have the peculiarity that the customers sit and touch the same buttons. At the same time, however, they are located in a separate area and the machines have a sufficient distance and dividers between them and do not come in contact with anyone. Especially for OPAP Play that are located in agencies, the visit could be made by appointment and after each use the machine can be cleaned ".
"There are dozens of other companies that have not suspended their operations at all and have more risks. If VLT's work by appointment, since they are in a separate space and with a limited number of people, then the VLT's spaces will also have a very high security. Personal assessment that with all the rules that the company works, the OPAP agencies are one of the safest "concludes Mr. Poulimas.
Source: sputniknews.gr
