Three decades ago, the then Minister of Public Order, Stelios Papathomelis, attempted to put a stop to nightlife by imposing a 2 a.m. closing time on nightclubs. Today, thirty years later, the same time does not mark the end of entertainment, but the end of commercial activity.
This is provided for in a decision by the Municipality of Paros to extend the opening hours of shops and service providers. With decision 190/2026, commercial stores will be able to remain open during the summer season, beyond the legally established hours, until 2 a.m., while food stores will be able to remain open until 1 a.m. the following day.
The decision is based, among other things, on the recommendation of the Paros-Antiparos Trade and Professional Association (ref. no. 980/26-01-2026) and the current legislative framework, which includes the provisions of Law 3852/2010, Law 4177/2013 on the operation of stores and the extension of opening hours, as well as the amendments made by Laws 5019/2023, 5039/2023, and 5079/2023. Its aim is to meet and absorb the increased demand resulting from the extension of the tourist season on the island.
The decision does not affect or regulate issues subject to special provisions on the opening hours of commercial stores and service providers that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as those operating in tourist areas and governed by a special regime.
The extension of opening hours promises an increase in turnover and a better distribution of consumption. However, it intensifies the debate on the pressure on local communities fromworking conditions in a market that already operates at a seasonal and often exhausting pace, on the disturbance to residential areas, and whether the constant expansion of consumption is a sustainable development strategy.
The question remains, however, to what extent an island destination can extend its "operating time" without eroding the very characteristics that make it attractive.