Photography businesses closed today
CORFU. The Panhellenic Federation of Photographers is continuing its protest - Demonstration to be held outside Thessaloniki International Fair.
All photography services in the country are closed today, with photographers continuing their protests. At 5:00 PM, they will stage a demonstration outside the Thessaloniki International Fair.
They are demanding that the photography of IDs and official documents remain within their profession and that the government's decision for police stations to take photos be revoked. The Panhellenic Federation of Photographers states: "Police officers are NOT photographers".
Statement from the Panhellenic Federation of Photographers
"Following the elections, suddenly and without any consultation with the Panhellenic Federation of Photographers, the government announced that photography for the new IDs will be carried out by police officers at police stations. In other words, the neighbourhood photo studios will lose a significant portion of their income and will inevitably have to close down.
Fee for issuance of ID Card
The government has announced the imposition of a €10 fee on every citizen for the issuance of the new police ID card. Citizens will now have to pay a fee for a service that was previously free (we do not know how high this fee may eventually go, but it's worth noting that the fees for driver's licences currently stand at €141).
Myphoto.gov.gr
Myphoto is the state digital service that the government decided should be used by professional photographers across the country to directly assist citizens in taking photos for official documents and safely delivering them to government services. From the very beginning, the Panhellenic Federation of Photographers supported it, with a team from the Federation assisting in the system's operational testing phase and providing immediate training to all photographers to ensure they were ready to serve citizens. The system operates correctly and securely, and citizens continue to be served by professional photographers seamlessly and without delays.
What we are demanding from the government
- to suspend the decision for photos to be taken by police officers at police stations or by any other government employee in any agency.
- not to impose a fee for ID card issuance.
- to be informed about the procedures, the source, and the cost of procuring the photographic equipment.
- to disclose where the €10 fee is allocated and which company is responsible for the issuance of the new IDs, along with the associated procedures.
Photo; Stamatis Katapodis
