State Intervention can seriously damage your health

10 January 2008-Liberal Alliance Press Release

Liberal Alliance states its opposition to a recent law that obliges gyms in Greece to stay closed on Sundays. According to the Law passed by the ministries of Health,Culture and Planning (FEK 221 13/10/2006) 'Gyms and Fittness centres should be open on weekdays from 6 o'clock in the morning to midnight and on Saturdays from 6 o'clock in the morning to 8 o'clock in the evening. On Sunday, they should be closed.'

It is more than obvious that this action harms mainly private sector workers who could work-out only on Sunday and now have to cope with overcrowded gyms during Saturdays

It also harms the gyms that were keeping their facilities open 24/7. Given that it will be difficult for the government to enforce the opening times and that it is very common to disobey the law in Greece without punishment, the gyms that will not obey the law, will compete unfairly with the gyms that will observe the opening times.

Liberal Alliance believes that once more the Greek government intervenes in an irrational manner at a business activity, at a time when Greece tops the tables of obesity and unhealthy lifestyle.

Liberal Alliance is against any limiting intervention by the government to the opening hours of private businesses and supports the freeing up of the opening times. This will serve best the consumers, will increase business profitability and create more jobs in the process.